Cartoon Action Hour: Difference between revisions

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Somewhere between the silliness of "[[Toon (Tabletop Game)|Toon]]" and the serious of "Prime Time Adventures", there sits a book. This book is ''Cartoon Action Hour'', a tabletop RPG that invokes the spirit of the [[Merchandise-Driven]] action cartoons of [[The Eighties]].
Somewhere between the silliness of "[[Toon (game)|Toon]]" and the serious of "Prime Time Adventures", there sits a book. This book is ''Cartoon Action Hour'', a tabletop RPG that invokes the spirit of the [[Merchandise-Driven]] action cartoons of [[The Eighties]].


''Cartoon Action Hour'' has a lot of a shout-outs to 1980s cartoons, including ''[[Transformers]]'' (''Transbots''), ''[[Thunder Cats]]'' (''Action Cats''), and ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' (the ''[[Inhumanoids (Animation)|Inhumanoids]]''-like ''Dark Brigade'' and the regular version as ''Strikeforce Freedom'', replacing snake-themed villains with spider-themed villains), for example.
''Cartoon Action Hour'' has a lot of a shout-outs to 1980s cartoons, including ''[[Transformers]]'' (''Transbots''), ''[[Thundercats]]'' (''Action Cats''), and ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' (the ''[[Inhumanoids]]''-like ''Dark Brigade'' and the regular version as ''Strikeforce Freedom'', replacing snake-themed villains with spider-themed villains), for example.


"Cartoon Action Hour: Season Two" was released on Oct 30, 2008. Season Three is currently in development.
"Cartoon Action Hour: Season Two" was released on Oct 30, 2008. Season Three is currently in development.
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* [[Merchandise-Driven]]: At least in the first version, players were encouraged to think of creating their character as coming up with that character's action figure.
* [[Merchandise-Driven]]: At least in the first version, players were encouraged to think of creating their character as coming up with that character's action figure.
* [[Mooks]]: called Goons. Rules are provided to handle those who get their hides kicked time and time again.
* [[Mooks]]: called Goons. Rules are provided to handle those who get their hides kicked time and time again.
* [[Never Say Die]]: Completely embraced. Characters don't die, they're only knocked out or captured. ''Unless'' you're gaming out [[The Movie]].
* [[Never Say "Die"]]: Completely embraced. Characters don't die, they're only knocked out or captured. ''Unless'' you're gaming out [[The Movie]].
* [[Noodle Incident]]: Kargorr, the failed villain complains about a comic relief character, Ziggle. John Bravesteel, Kargorr's heroic counterpart, says that Kargorr is just upset that Ziggle defeated him once--and tries to tell it to the audience, Kargorr shuts Bravesteel up by saying no one wants to hear from him.
* [[Noodle Incident]]: Kargorr, the failed villain complains about a comic relief character, Ziggle. John Bravesteel, Kargorr's heroic counterpart, says that Kargorr is just upset that Ziggle defeated him once--and tries to tell it to the audience, Kargorr shuts Bravesteel up by saying no one wants to hear from him.
* [[Point Build System]]: Uses Character Points (First season) and Proof of Purchase Points (Second season).
* [[Point Build System]]: Uses Character Points (First season) and Proof of Purchase Points (Second season).
* [[Retraux]]: The rule book even includes a glossary of 80's slang, but only in the first edition.
* [[Retraux]]: The rule book even includes a glossary of 80's slang, but only in the first edition.
* [[Shout Out]]: The whole RPG and 'Cartoon Logic' is a [[Shout Out]] to cartoons of the 1980s.
* [[Shout-Out]]: The whole RPG and 'Cartoon Logic' is a [[Shout-Out]] to cartoons of the 1980s.
* [[Ted Baxter]]: Kargorr, so very much. His whole shtick is that he's an incompetent [[Harmless Villain]] (bordering on a [[Dastardly Whiplash]]) who thinks of himself as a fearsome [[Big Bad]].
* [[Ted Baxter]]: Kargorr, so very much. His whole shtick is that he's an incompetent [[Harmless Villain]] (bordering on a [[Dastardly Whiplash]]) who thinks of himself as a fearsome [[Big Bad]].
* [[Word of God]]: Cynthia Celeste Miller, creator of ''[[Cartoon Action Hour]]''.
* [[Word of God]]: Cynthia Celeste Miller, creator of ''[[Cartoon Action Hour]]''.
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* [[Bare Your Midriff]]: Noblara.
* [[Bare Your Midriff]]: Noblara.
* [[Big Bad]]: Nekkrottus.
* [[Big Bad]]: Nekkrottus.
* [[Eek! A Mouse!]], or [[Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?]]?: Serpentina has a fear of rodents.
* [[Eek! a Mouse!]], or [[Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?]]?: Serpentina has a fear of rodents.
* [[The Empire]]: The Blackskull Empire.
* [[The Empire]]: The Blackskull Empire.
* [[The Kingdom]]: Haven.
* [[The Kingdom]]: Haven.
* [[Ragtag Bunch of Misfits]]: The Guardians of Iconia themselves--[[Justified]] as they are a mixture of different humanoids and races of Iconia.
* [[Ragtag Bunch of Misfits]]: The Guardians of Iconia themselves--[[Justified]] as they are a mixture of different humanoids and races of Iconia.
* [[Reptiles Are Abhorrent]]: Serpentina.
* [[Reptiles Are Abhorrent]]: Serpentina.
* [[Shout Out]]: To ''[[He-Man and The Masters of The Universe (Animation)|He-Man and The Masters of The Universe]]''.
* [[Shout-Out]]: To ''[[He-Man and the Masters of the Universe]]''.
* [[Spin-Off]]: ''Ladies of Might'', which happen to be in a special St. Valentine's Day PDF file.
* [[Spin-Off]]: ''Ladies of Might'', which happen to be in a special St. Valentine's Day PDF file.
* [[The Starscream]]: Shadow Queen fits this role.
* [[The Starscream]]: Shadow Queen fits this role.
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* [[The Baroness]]: Her blonde haired [[Expy]], The Black Widow.
* [[The Baroness]]: Her blonde haired [[Expy]], The Black Widow.
* [[Big Bad]]: General Arachnid.
* [[Big Bad]]: General Arachnid.
* [[Shout Out]]: To ''[[G.I. Joe]]''.
* [[Shout-Out]]: To ''[[G.I. Joe]]''.
* [[The Squad]]
* [[The Squad]]
* [[Take Over the World]]: The goal of SPIDER chaos warfare.
* [[Take Over the World]]: The goal of SPIDER chaos warfare.
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{{tropelist|''Transbots'' has the following tropes:}}
{{tropelist|''Transbots'' has the following tropes:}}
* [[Big Bad]]: Maximillian Mercy.
* [[Big Bad]]: Maximillian Mercy.
* [[Shout Out]]: To ''[[The Transformers]]''.
* [[Shout-Out]]: To ''[[Transformers Generation 1]]''.
* [[Take Over the World]]: Maximillian's goal.
* [[Take Over the World]]: Maximillian's goal.
* [[Transforming Mecha]]: Both the Transbots and the Warbots fit this trope.
* [[Transforming Mecha]]: Both the Transbots and the Warbots fit this trope.

Revision as of 13:49, 9 April 2014

Somewhere between the silliness of "Toon" and the serious of "Prime Time Adventures", there sits a book. This book is Cartoon Action Hour, a tabletop RPG that invokes the spirit of the Merchandise-Driven action cartoons of The Eighties.

Cartoon Action Hour has a lot of a shout-outs to 1980s cartoons, including Transformers (Transbots), Thundercats (Action Cats), and G.I. Joe (the Inhumanoids-like Dark Brigade and the regular version as Strikeforce Freedom, replacing snake-themed villains with spider-themed villains), for example.

"Cartoon Action Hour: Season Two" was released on Oct 30, 2008. Season Three is currently in development.

Tropes used in Cartoon Action Hour include:
  • And Knowing Is Half the Battle: You earn extra experience by playing your characters in the After-the-Show Message.
  • Experience Point: Guilty as charged.
  • Expy: More then its fair share.
  • Critical Failure: Called a "Flub".
  • Greek Chorus: Kargorr, a fictional villain from a fictional series, shows you how not to play the game. For CAH: Season 2, John Bravesteel, a fictional hero from the same fictional series as Kargorr, keeps Kargorr in check.
  • Hit Points: Called Hurt Points in CAH:S1. Avoided in CAH: Season 2, replaced with "Set Back Tokens". Even more cartoon logical!
  • Mana: Avoided with Spell Clusters.
  • Merchandise-Driven: At least in the first version, players were encouraged to think of creating their character as coming up with that character's action figure.
  • Mooks: called Goons. Rules are provided to handle those who get their hides kicked time and time again.
  • Never Say "Die": Completely embraced. Characters don't die, they're only knocked out or captured. Unless you're gaming out The Movie.
  • Noodle Incident: Kargorr, the failed villain complains about a comic relief character, Ziggle. John Bravesteel, Kargorr's heroic counterpart, says that Kargorr is just upset that Ziggle defeated him once--and tries to tell it to the audience, Kargorr shuts Bravesteel up by saying no one wants to hear from him.
  • Point Build System: Uses Character Points (First season) and Proof of Purchase Points (Second season).
  • Retraux: The rule book even includes a glossary of 80's slang, but only in the first edition.
  • Shout-Out: The whole RPG and 'Cartoon Logic' is a Shout-Out to cartoons of the 1980s.
  • Ted Baxter: Kargorr, so very much. His whole shtick is that he's an incompetent Harmless Villain (bordering on a Dastardly Whiplash) who thinks of himself as a fearsome Big Bad.
  • Word of God: Cynthia Celeste Miller, creator of Cartoon Action Hour.

Warriors of the Cosmos

The fictional series, Warriors of the Cosmos, deals with Iconia, a once peaceful planet, now under the attack of Nekkrottus's Blackskull Empire. The Big Good, King Rastor of Haven, bringso together a group of heroes called Guardians of Iconia to defeat Nekkrottus' forces once and for all.

The fictional series, "Warriors of the Cosmos", has the following tropes:

Strikeforce Freedom

The fictional series Strikeforce Freedom deals with the titular military force fighting SPIDER, a terrorist organization that wants take over the world.

Strikeforce Freedom has the following tropes:

Transbots

The fictional series, Transbots deals with Trevor Hastings' Transbots as they battle against Maximillian Mercy's Warbots.

Transbots has the following tropes:
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Cartoon_Action_Hour?oldid=934839"