Max and the Secret Formula

Max and the Secret Formula is a delightfully whimsical slice of 90s edutainment where you help a brown dog in a cow-print shirt find a hidden formula by clicking on ordinary household items - accidentally triggering everything from dancing furniture to sudden musical numbers while your parents hoped you were actually learning math.

To do: Add Staff credits differences (French narrator and copyright lines) Some longer narrator voice lines have been broken up into multiple files between 1995 and 1999, investigate. This game seems to contain unused voice lines but it needs more research.

Unused Graphics#

This appears in the game files in the 1999 re-release along with the outro screens added in that version but it is not shown in-game. Softissimo is a German brand line associated with plushies.

Revisional Differences#

There are several versions of the game.

• The 1995 original release (16-bit, native for Windows 3.1 and Macintosh 68k systems)
• The 1999 re-release (added 32-bit installer for Windows, still includes a 16-bit installer)
• The 2000 Mac/Windows hybrid re-release (dual-partition disc adding PowerPC-native runtime files)
• The 2002 "Max Doppelpack" bundle (containing both this game and Max and Marie Go Shopping, released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland)
• The 2008 "Clever Spielen" Budget Edition (standalone Windows XP/Vista version, released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland)

Gameplay Changes#

While the 1995 release expects the player to wait through the entire intro sequence, the 1999 re-release added ways to skip those sections by left-clicking or pressing Space.

Loading times and screen transitions in general are slightly faster on the 1999 re-release.

Audio File Optimization#

In the 1999 re-release, some audio files such as MAXTITEL.AIF have been trimmed to cut out silence at the start and the end.

French Narrator#

The 1999 re-release features a different French narrator.

File Select Screen#

The 1999 re-release added a completely new screen along with new voice overs, asking the player to select a rocket before playing the game. This acts as a savegame feature and was likely added due to player feedback since players (especially children) who wanted to stop playing on the 1995 version had to start the game all over on their next playing session.

Outro#

'...But what does it mean?' This game has text or audio that needs to be translated. If you are fluent with this language, please read our translation guidelines and then submit a translation! Notes: Add a German to English translation.

The 1999 re-release added two screens to the outro to advertise a book and plushies.