Homestar Ruiner

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The logo of Homestar Ruiner

A victory pwahty

Homestar Ruiner is the first episode of Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive People and was released August 11, 2008. It has been rated T by the ESRB for Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence, and Mild Suggestive Themes. Story written by Mike Stemmle and The Brothers Chaps.

While Strong Bad is going about his usual routine — checking emails, etc. — Homestar Runner tells him about the Tri-annual Race to the End of the Race. Once Strong Bad hears of Homestar's intention to win this contest, he schemes to snatch victory from Homestar's invisible grasp.

Cast: Strong Bad, Homestar Runner, The Cheat, Strong Mad, Strong Sad, Coach Z, Marzipan, Bubs, Pom Pom, The King of Town, The Poopsmith, Homsar (voice only, Easter egg), Marshie (as Gel-arshie), The Mole People, Teen Girl Squad cast

Transcript of At the Track

{Strong Bad and Homestar Runner are standing on a racetrack near a pool.}

STRONG BAD: All right, Homestar. I'm not sure why this never occured to me before, but some French guy told me to beat you up, and I tend to think he's right. Put up your dukes!

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Oh, hello, Strong Bad! Are you here to watch the race?

STRONG BAD: A race? You mean like a race-race? Race-race-race?

HOMESTAR RUNNER: You haven't heard about the Free Country USA Triannual Race to the End of the Race?! It's only the coolest and most important sporting event in the history of sporting events I'm about to compete in ever!

STRONG BAD: A race, eh? You know, beating you in a race would be almost as much fun as beating you senseless!

HOMESTAR RUNNER: I'd like to see you try, Strong Bad! I've been trainin' my twees off for weeks now. Besides, Marzipan has promised me a big victory party after I win!

STRONG BAD: Did someone say "Pwahty"?

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Oh hecks yeah! Marzipan's putting together a huge party, with floats, and cake jugglers, and balloon manimals, and—

STRONG BAD: And why was I, Lord High Awesome Party, occasionally known as Strong Bad, not invited?!

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {whisperingly} Whisperingly, I don't think Marzipan likes you very much.

STRONG BAD: All this race talk has intrigued me. I believe I will postpone your pummeling for now.

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Pummeling?

{A cell phone ring is heard. Homestar produces a cell phone.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Hold on. I gotta take this. {takes the call and holds the phone to his face} Yes, Marzipan? Yes? Yes. Yes. Yes? Noooo! Yes! Yes! {closeup on Strong Bad, who looks toward the camera and shakes his head} I miss you too, puddin' sack. See you after the race! Bye!

STRONG BAD: Girlfriend troubles?

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Not me, bro. Marzipan just wanted my opinion on the decorations. And the cake jugglers. And the {suddenly growing annoyed} plight of the low-lands toad weasel. And the bgh bzjt breh!

{He kicks the phone away in anger. It lands near Coach Z, who can be seen with video equipment. Cut back to Homestar.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {annoyed} Pardon me. I'm off to the locker room to reacquire my game face.

{He walks away and the screen fades to a splash screen for Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People.}

Transcript of Around the Field

{Strong Bad leaves Bubs' Concession Stand}

BUBS: Come back soon!

{Strong Bad lifts a cardboard box and picks a piece of paper out from under it}

STRONG BAD: {singing} Box-peering guy! {spoken} Hey!

{Strong Bad faces the camera, and the manual for Snake Boxer 5 overlaps him}

STRONG BAD: It's the cover to my long-lost Snake Boxer V manual!

{The cover fades away}

STRONG BAD: If I can find the rest of this thing, I'll have the cheat code that unlocks Snake Boxer V's Super-Secret Forbidden mode!

{Strong Bad runs up to The Brick Wall}

STRONG BAD: Hi, pointless wall! {high pitched, covering mouth} Hi, Strong Bad!

{Strong Bad runs up to a hedge with some sticks pointing outwards from it}

STRONG BAD: Geez, that hedge looks like it's been beat around the face with an ugly stick.

{Strong Bad turns behind him and faces The Stick}

STRONG BAD: Not you, The Stick. You're beautiful, man.

{Strong Bad runs up to The Stick}

STRONG BAD: It's The Stick.

{fanfare plays from offscreen}

STRONG BAD: And, that's about all there is.

{The splash screen for Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People appears}

Inventory

• Balloons
• Banana Peel
• Candy
• Candy Coupon
• The float's Paper Maché head
• Fluffy Puff Jela-Ton
• Hedge Clippings
• Homestar's Cell Phone
• Homestar's Clothing
• Homestar's Criminal Record
• Homestar costume (combination of Homestar's Clothing and the Paper Maché head)
• Magnifying Glass (tutorial only)
• Marzipan's Shears
• Onion
• The Poopsmith's Shovel
• Strong Bad's clothes (to change back from the Homestar costume)
• Taranchula Black Metal Detector
• Total Load

Fun Facts

Trivia

• A few days after the "Track" trailer was released, it was edited with the following known changes:
  • The blocking in many scenes was slightly different.
  • Strong Bad's original first line was "All right, Homestar, the time for our ultimate throwdown of total death-tiny has arrived! Put 'em up!"
  • At three points in the dialogue, (before "A race?", before "Did someone say pwahty?", and before "All this race talk...") a choice box appeared above Strong Bad's head. A cursor chose which topic Strong Bad would discuss the first two times, but just closed the box the third time.
  • A very slight difference in Homestar's expression is added after Strong Bad decides to "postpone" Homestar's pummeling. When Homestar responds by asking "Pummeling?", Homestar's eyes squint in an angry way. This does not occur in the first version.
  • The scoreboard had the initials CZ and PP on it. It now reads "OFFICIAL RACE TIMES".
  • Various graphical glitches have been removed.

Remarks

• "At The Track" takes place near the beginning of the game, while "Around The Field" is an example of game play during some of the side quests.
• This is one of the few times a character mentions Free Country, USA. The last time this occurred was when Strong Bad said it in flashback.
• The animation accompanying Strong Bad by The Stick was first seen in Strong Bad Gameways.
• An attempt to use the microwave in-game will result in a note that the door is stuck shut. However, at a certain point in the game, Homestar will open it without any problem--even while Strong Bad is in the middle of saying it's stuck shut.
• Throughout the game, The Paper accompanies as part of the in-game menu rather than New Paper.

Goofs

• At the non-garden party, the rollover for Marzipan and Homestar is spelled "MARZIPAN & HOMSETAR".
• In Strong Bad's photo booth there is a clickable area above the camera. Clicking here turns the cursor into the Max shirt from the Telltale store (also occasionally chosen at random as Young Sam's costume in Sam and Max Episode 202: Moai Better Blues and Episode 204: Chariots of the Dogs). However, when put on Strong Bad, the shirt is yellow and has a picture of a dog on it.

Glitches

• On the Wii version, if widescreen mode is turned on, talking to Coach Z in extended play results in the game crashing, requiring a hard reset. In addition, many of the cut scenes that play throughout the game will sometimes freeze, also requiring a hard reset.
• After Strong Bad plays Snake Boxer 5 in the Wii version, he gets teleported to the Computer Room then back to his room.
• In the PC version, occasionally Marzipan, Bubs or Strong Bad's eyes are not visible upon entering an area.
• If the subtitles are turned off, they will be erroneously enabled when Strong Bad checks his email. They will remain enabled afterwards until Strong Bad leaves his house, although the Settings screen will show them as Off. Toggling them on and off again under the Settings will rectify the problem.
• While wearing the tech shirt near Strong Bad's house, in extended play, a giant blue wall will shoot out from the shirt. This also occurs at Marzipan's House and The Track.
• If the Luxa Lounger is extended and the radio set to the Latin music in Extended Play, the conga line will re-form even though the characters aren't present for it.

Inside References

• Homestar previously called his butt a "twees" in lady fan. Also, Strong Bad mentions himself being a pain in the twees while looking at the "Nuisance Trophy."
• Strong Bad's pronunciation of "party" matches his pronunciation in nightlife.
• Homestar mentions cake jugglers.
• Marzipan has previously written a song stating that she really doesn't like Strong Bad at all.
• Strong Bad mentions a French guy.
• This is another appearance of a cardboard box.
• Strong Bad's song about you not being able to handle his style is a reference to modeling.
• The music playing when Strong Bad leaves Bubs' Concession Stand and after Strong Bad approaches The Stick is the same one from hygiene.
• "Thoughts on a Bird" from Audition with Marzipan and The Luau plays at Marzipan's house.
• The music playing at the track was first used in the Bubs' Concession Stand scenes in Senorial Day, Happy Hallow-day, and Toikey TV.
• An ad for the Ab-Abber 2000 plays on the TV in the basement.
• When hiding behind the King of Town's statue in the hall of records, Strong Bad lists the features of "Stealth Strong Bad", an imaginary action figure made by Cheap as Free Toys.
• References to Strong Bad's style are made throughout the game.
• The music on the e-mail menu comes from the game show scenes in animal.
• Strong Bad can wear Homestar Runner's "Pants".
• This introductory sequence features an instance of couch mumbling.
• The music that plays in the field comes from "A Grade A Gray Day" in fan club.
• A poster for the Municipality can be found on the back of the lockers. The Municipality logo also appears on the Lappy screen just before the end credits.
• The tutorial sequence involves Strong Bad's Lappy being stolen from the computer room, which previously occurred in cliffhangers. When Strong Bad realizes it is missing, the dramatic music from that same email plays.
• Strong Bad carves one of the hedges into the shape of Trogdor.
  • Occasionally in Snake Boxer 5's forbidden mode, when using the fire breath attack, Strong Bad will shout "Burninate!"
• This is another appearance of showering.
• When you first enter living room the same music from do over, Date Nite, the Easter egg from Play Date, and love poems plays.
• Strong Bad saying "Check, Check one. Syllabus" into the microphone at the track is a reference to the opening of the email candy product.
• The Limozeen Coloring Book can be seen on top of the messy pile over Strong bad's bed.
• While showering, Homestar sings the "Independent Girl" song from One Two, One Two.
• When Strong Bad jumps into The King of Town's vent he says "Looks like I'm gonna have to jump!"
• At the party, when Coach Z falls out the window, he exclaims "I regret everything!"
• The loading screen's fading purple background is taken from the ending of retirement.
• After putting on the Championship belt, Strong Bad will mention the Sizzle Weight belt and the Jack-Em Up Kid, which is a reference to the email yes, wrestling.
• The voice of the newscaster heard on the TV is the same voice as the Cold Ones spokesperson in business trip and buried, the Blubb-O's spokesperson in nightlife and Blubb-O's Commercial, and Marzipan's questionable surgeon in Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 15.2.
• The hedge that Strong Bad clips in Marzipan's yard closely resembles Homestar in fan club.

Real-World References

• When Homestar is on the phone with Marzipan, the way he says, "Yes? Yes. Yes. Yes? Noo! Yes. Yes?" is a reference to episode 4 of Sam & Max Season One, where Sam answers a phone with the Commissioner and says that in the same way.
  • Additionally, the music which plays when Strong Bad acquires bonus items and trophies is Item Get from episode 5 of the same season.
• Strong Bad's original first line is a reference to the Lemon Demon song The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny, which became popular on the internet after it was made into a Flash cartoon music video.
  • In the final game, the prize for the Race to the End of the Race is the Silver Trophy of Ultimate Destiny.
• When investigating the stands near the track Strong Bad mentions the stands being emptier than a Stryper concert. Stryper was a Christian metal band from the '80s.
• When Strong Bad attempts to pick up the hurdle after the first run of the Race to the End of the Race, he claims that it must be made of some very heavy metal, and lists several materials he thinks it could be made of, including "black sabbath". Black Sabbath was a heavy metal band which had great influence on the genre.
• After trimming the hedge near Bub's Concession Stand, having Strong Bad look at it leads him to call it "the flying V". This is an actual guitar made by Gibson Guitar Corp. The hedge's shape is also accurate to the Gibson Flying V.
• Throughout most of the game, Strong Bad's fridge contains only a single jar of mayonnaise. In Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, another point-and-click adventure game, Indiana Jones had only a single jar of mayonnaise in his fridge.
• Bubs will tell Strong Bad to "stay gold" after ending conversation. This is a reference to the book The Outsiders when the main character, Ponyboy, is told to "stay gold" from his friend.
• Strong Bad's Deleted line, "Survey Says...DELETED!", is a reference to the popular game show Family Feud.
• When Coach Z discovers the Total Load in Pom Pom's locker, he cries out " Cypress Hill!".
• After giving Marzipan the chocolates, Strong Bad says he gave her some "Funky Cold Ma-Chocolates".
• When he collects all four trophies, Strong Bad speaks in a manner similar to the Count from Sesame Street.
• Strong Bad saying "Check, Check one. Syllabus" into the microphone at the track is a reference to the line "Check, Check one. Sibilance" spoken by Barry (Tom Hanks) while conducting a microphone check for the band Aerosmith, before their performance in a Wayne's World sketch in a 1990 episode of Saturday Night Live.
• The "Jane Austentaceous Chamber Music Jam" CD (the third one in the See Dee Spinner) is a reference to Jane Austin, who wrote books set in nineteenth century England, when chamber music was common.
  • Strong Mad's line just after turning on the CD for the first time is a reference to Jane Austin's most famous book, Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Darcy is a main character in the story.
• At the party, when complementing Coach Z, Strong Bad speaks some Swedish, ending with "Bork, Bork, Bork", one of the many Mock-Swedish words said by The Muppets' Swedish Chef.
• When Strong Bad hides behind the bonsai bush in the King of Town's Castle, he says "It's Arbor Day, Strongly Brown".

External Links

• Official episode webpage
• Watch the gameplay video for "Homestar Ruiner"
  • FLV video file for "Homestar Ruiner"
• Watch the second gameplay video for "Homestar Ruiner"
• YouTube mirror of the older version of the first gameplay video for "Homestar Ruiner"
• Read May 14, 2008 press release about "Homestar Ruiner"
• Read a bare-bones walkthrough of "Homestar Ruiner"
• forum thread re: "Homestar Ruiner" trailer
• forum thread re: "Homestar Ruiner"