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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: Action Developer: Eurocom Entertainment Publisher: Activision |
new movie is yet another film inspired videogame for players to work their way through, “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.” Players get
the chance to play as their favorite fuzzy creatures from the movie and leads players through a storyline that complements the movie,
playing the scenes of the film that weren’t shown in the theaters. However, this game shouldn’t be written off too quickly because it
does off some fun, even though it is a film inspired game.
To classify the type of game play that players will see is a bit difficult with this game. At the beginning of the game players will work their
way through a platform style game, taking Sid the Sloth through the levels, baby proofing the wooly mammoth nursery, collecting
crystals as gifts and finding fruits that can be used as currency in the game. However, as players work their way further into the game,
the more there is to do. Players will do everything from playing in a shooting gallery where they will shoot passing dinosaurs with a
plant shooter, fly pterodactyls in dogfights and plow through side scrolling levels as Scrat.
The variety offered through the game is a welcome sight and a nice change in pace compared to other titles of this type, but in the end it
won’t do much for the older players because it is fairly easy. Players have a health meter in the upper left corner that will deplete as they
get hit, but there are a large number of strawberries available to fill the meter. From there the game consists of taking out bad guys and
learning where to roll an egg and more.
The fact that there isn’t much of a challenge offered in the game makes it a little boring and the feeling isn’t helped by the fact that the
story jumps from one place to another with very little explanation. For those who haven’t seen the latest movie, the game isn’t going to
make much sense. Each level opens with the camera set on some cave drawings that depict the events of the film while Sid and Diego
narrate the story to the baby wooly mammoths. Usually they do a great job summarizing the movie scene that is being skipped and
then they throw the player into the game event that was supposed to be taking place at the same time as the story from the film. For
those who have seen the movie, will feel a little bit better than those who haven’t seen it, because it is easier to see how the game ties
into the film.
Another flaw in the game is the large amount of repetition. Having to roll an egg down a mountain with Sid’s log rolling skills can be
fun, but having to do it three different times back to back gets to be a little bit too much. Individual levels seem to drag on for far too long
as well. With so much repetition in the game, players will want to finish the game and get is all over and done with.
Of course, when the target audience is taken into account, most of these issues with the game will quickly be forgotten. Chances are
the kids will have so much fun controlling the furry critters from the film that they will be able to ignore the fact that the characters will float
over certain surfaces; the voice acting is fairly bad throughout the entire game with the exception of John Leguizamo, Ray Romano and
Queen Latifah; and that fighting a medium sized dinosaur comes down to running in circles around the creature and shooting it. Still,
the flaws of the game shouldn’t be ignored just because the kids don’t notice them.
Even if the jumpy storyline gets to be a bit too frustrating, the game play can be taken somewhere else. There are a number of
challenges for players to take on, which are races to see how fast they can get through a level with a single life. On top of that, there is
actually a healthy dose of multiplayer action for players and their friends to take on. These eight modes include: Sloth Barge, where
players knock their ball-rolling opponent off the platform, Dino Stomp where players must have colored the most tiles by the end of a
game and more, each have a variety of different variations and are available for two and four players. Again, a game of Sloth Says isn't
the most difficult game in the world, but if a child is all about Ice Age, this is definitely a good way for them to waste some time with their
friends.
“Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” is a game that should satisfy the movie’s target audience, children. It has the character from the
film, a variety of different game play options and it isn’t too difficult to young players to pick up and begin playing immediately. Of course
there are a few flaws that go with the game, but that is with any game of this type. For anyone looking for a game with a variety of game
play and simple Achievements, this a great game, but it should be noted that anyone who has hit puberty will probably get bored fairly
quickly.
the chance to play as their favorite fuzzy creatures from the movie and leads players through a storyline that complements the movie,
playing the scenes of the film that weren’t shown in the theaters. However, this game shouldn’t be written off too quickly because it
does off some fun, even though it is a film inspired game.
To classify the type of game play that players will see is a bit difficult with this game. At the beginning of the game players will work their
way through a platform style game, taking Sid the Sloth through the levels, baby proofing the wooly mammoth nursery, collecting
crystals as gifts and finding fruits that can be used as currency in the game. However, as players work their way further into the game,
the more there is to do. Players will do everything from playing in a shooting gallery where they will shoot passing dinosaurs with a
plant shooter, fly pterodactyls in dogfights and plow through side scrolling levels as Scrat.
The variety offered through the game is a welcome sight and a nice change in pace compared to other titles of this type, but in the end it
won’t do much for the older players because it is fairly easy. Players have a health meter in the upper left corner that will deplete as they
get hit, but there are a large number of strawberries available to fill the meter. From there the game consists of taking out bad guys and
learning where to roll an egg and more.
The fact that there isn’t much of a challenge offered in the game makes it a little boring and the feeling isn’t helped by the fact that the
story jumps from one place to another with very little explanation. For those who haven’t seen the latest movie, the game isn’t going to
make much sense. Each level opens with the camera set on some cave drawings that depict the events of the film while Sid and Diego
narrate the story to the baby wooly mammoths. Usually they do a great job summarizing the movie scene that is being skipped and
then they throw the player into the game event that was supposed to be taking place at the same time as the story from the film. For
those who have seen the movie, will feel a little bit better than those who haven’t seen it, because it is easier to see how the game ties
into the film.
Another flaw in the game is the large amount of repetition. Having to roll an egg down a mountain with Sid’s log rolling skills can be
fun, but having to do it three different times back to back gets to be a little bit too much. Individual levels seem to drag on for far too long
as well. With so much repetition in the game, players will want to finish the game and get is all over and done with.
Of course, when the target audience is taken into account, most of these issues with the game will quickly be forgotten. Chances are
the kids will have so much fun controlling the furry critters from the film that they will be able to ignore the fact that the characters will float
over certain surfaces; the voice acting is fairly bad throughout the entire game with the exception of John Leguizamo, Ray Romano and
Queen Latifah; and that fighting a medium sized dinosaur comes down to running in circles around the creature and shooting it. Still,
the flaws of the game shouldn’t be ignored just because the kids don’t notice them.
Even if the jumpy storyline gets to be a bit too frustrating, the game play can be taken somewhere else. There are a number of
challenges for players to take on, which are races to see how fast they can get through a level with a single life. On top of that, there is
actually a healthy dose of multiplayer action for players and their friends to take on. These eight modes include: Sloth Barge, where
players knock their ball-rolling opponent off the platform, Dino Stomp where players must have colored the most tiles by the end of a
game and more, each have a variety of different variations and are available for two and four players. Again, a game of Sloth Says isn't
the most difficult game in the world, but if a child is all about Ice Age, this is definitely a good way for them to waste some time with their
friends.
“Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” is a game that should satisfy the movie’s target audience, children. It has the character from the
film, a variety of different game play options and it isn’t too difficult to young players to pick up and begin playing immediately. Of course
there are a few flaws that go with the game, but that is with any game of this type. For anyone looking for a game with a variety of game
play and simple Achievements, this a great game, but it should be noted that anyone who has hit puberty will probably get bored fairly
quickly.
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