Bright, lively, and packed with variety, Madagascar's motley crew make a fine addition to any portfolio.
by Mike Smith
Too often games based on kid-friendly franchises don't smell as sweet as their cinematic counterparts. That's not the case with Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, a likable and action-packed romp through the wilds of Africa that's just as much fun as the movie. It makes the most of the film's larger-than-life characters, keeps the gameplay diverse and interesting, and offers more than enough content to keep fans entertained for quite some time.
Credit for this happy state of affairs deserves, in all probability, to be laid squarely at the doors of the developer, renowned California studio Toys for Bob. They cram the levels with fun, careening from gameplay style to gameplay style with all the abandon of one of the movie's carefree stars.
So, you'll hop through canyons hunting monkeys, drive jeeps, play musical chairs, roll up garbage, and chase down runaway lion cubs -- and that's just in an hour-long segment of one of the game's middle levels. It's all like that, and you never know where it's going to turn next. Although individually each segment is shallow, they're always over before it really starts to show. And in the event you do get into a rut, you can always switch to a different level for a break.
You'll hop through canyons hunting monkeys, drive jeeps, play musical chairs, roll up garbage, and chase down runaway lion cubs -- and that's just in an hour-long segment.
It also looks just like the Madagascar movies. Alex the lion, Melman the giraffe and Marty the zebra boast all the swagger of their big-screen doubles, and they'll have younger movie fans wide-eyed as they totter from one calamity to the next. Sadly, the game doesn't feature the same star-studded voice cast as the movie, but the stand-ins are convincing enough.
Look beyond the slightly odd ESRB ten-plus age recommendation, too: it's based on simulated gambling (a slot-machine game), a few innuendos that the average kid will miss, and some very mild cartoony violence. Although you should check it out for yourself before deciding, we'd throw this in front of a six-year-old without any qualms, and a younger child could manage it with help.
Cap that off with a tournament-style four-player option that runs through competitive versions of a selection of the mini-games, and you're looking at a package that's an easy recommendation for gaming families. As a bonus, it's a touch cheaper than regular games, running around $50 on Xbox 360, Wii and PS3. If you're looking for a holiday season treat, it's hard to see any youngster wanting to escape from this world.
Posted: 30 Oct 2008
