| Introduction
Looking back on all the GBA reviews that I've done,
it occurs to me that over half the games I've reviewed
were those based either on a popular TV series or a
movie. Original games it seems are far and few in between,
and judging from the upcoming GBA release list, will
remain so for a long time to come. So here we have 'The
Wild Thornberry's - The Movie', a game which as it name
implies, is based on Nickelodeon's popular 'The Wild
Thornberry's' cartoon series. This is actually the second
GBA title for The Wild Thornberry's but whereas the
last was based on the TV series itself, this one ties
in with the latest movie.
GamePlay
Basically, there are three different ways to play
this game: Adventure Mode, Single or Multiplayer Mini
Games. The Adventure Mode contains a generous number
of mini games, which run parallel to the movie's plot.
They're also unique to this section and not repeated
in the other Mini Game modes, though I'm sure there
may have been a huge temptation to do so. As with the
rest of this game, you'll need to utilize different
skills in order to succeed and while some are arcade
based, others will require you to utilize your problem
solving abilities. These are delivered in sections of
three and you have to complete all of them before you
move on. You've probably encountered them all before
though with different visuals and you'll quickly realize
that they're all rather clever clones of arcade and
puzzle classics.
The Mini Games can't all be accessed at once and
they're only all available once you've completed the
Adventure Mode. There are six of these and they really
do cater for a whole range of skills and abilities.
Taxing the grey matter are the Jigsaw Puzzle and the
Sliding Tile Puzzle both of which only have one image
but are fun none the less. On the arcade side of things
there's Swimming with Dolphins, which is a race/collect'em
up affair whilst elsewhere explorers can help Donnie
search for an Elephant's family in a huge maze. Car
Race is a card game of luck and strategy whilst creative
gamers are catered for with the Rock Painting. This
is much like a standard colouring book but there are
a good number of images to choose from and it's incredibly
intuitive in its design, making it accessible for even
the youngest of gamers.
The Multiplayer Mini Games are one of the game's
highlights and playing along with a 'real' player as
opposed to an AI controlled one is always a lot more
fun. Zebra Race is a four-player affair and is completely
self-explanatory. Crab Racing may seem as obvious but
here you and a group of friends are trying to see whose
crab will get to the finish line first. The problem
is that they keep going off course and it's up to you
to use objects lying around to help them on their way.
Labyrinth involves you wandering around a Maze whilst
collecting Medallions with the aim to get to the Shaman
Mynyambo first. This isn't as simple as it first appears
either, as not only is the playing area quite substantial
but the ability to plant quick growing bushes will mean
that you and your friends will often need to seek out
an alternative route.
Finally, the save and recording of your progress
has been kept very simple with a mere four digits sending
you back to your last completed level. It's a good idea
to keep it handy long term too as the final code is
the only way you can enjoy all the Mini Games.
Controls
The control system actually changes from stage to
stage. An options screen allowing you to view a full
explanation of the objectives and the control layout
precedes each of the mini games. It's all pretty responsive
too as the developers play around with a variety of
gaming engines for the impressive number of mini games
available. The options screen should be mentioned too.
It is a graphical interface in its purest form. If you
want to alter the difficulty for example, you approach
the monkey. Pressing the 'A' button has him raising
his arms and then beating his chest indicating just
how problematic your journey is likely to be. Simple
but effective.
Graphics
Games like this have to be faithful to the look of
the franchise they're pushing, so it stands to reason
that if the developers have done their bit and you enjoyed
the movie, you're also going to like the games visuals.
Surprisingly, though they're actually quite pleasing
in their own right. Although some of the sprites occasionally
appear a bit on the small side, there is an impressive
range of mini games all of which appear clear and uncluttered.
The standard of animation throughout the game is generally
very good and if you look carefully enough you'll notice
that some of the main characters have actually been
lifted from the movie. Everything is linked together
with a whole host of static cut screens from the movie
pushing the story along nicely when you're in adventure
mode.
Sound & Music
The audio throughout the game does a fine job of
projecting you right into the wilderness with a clever
mix of a drum based soundtrack and some excellent animal
samples. The clarity is rather impressive too and the
whole thing is enjoyable even on the GBA's tiny speaker
system.
Final Comments
While a lot better than the average movie tie in
game we generally have the misfortune to review, 'The
Wild Thornberry's - The Movie' still offers absolutely
nothing new to the average gamer. What it does offer
though, it does very well and the mini games are both
diverse and enjoyable. Younger gamer will no doubt revel
in the familiarly themed games with their favourite
characters attached. There's also the bonus, because
of the manner in which the cart is structured, that
even after you've completed the main adventure, you're
still likely to dip into the mini games at a later date.
If you enjoyed the movie then this is a perfect companion
to it. Overall, good solid fun and great value for money.
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