Phineas and Ferb
Score: 78% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Disney Interactive Developer: Altron Media: Cartridge/1 Players: 1 Genre: Family/ Action/ Platformer
Graphics & Sound: Phineas and Ferb is a great show. It isn't a Prime Time product, but it reflects the same kind of layered hilarity to kids that we love in shows like Family Guy, Simpsons and King of the Hill. With just a little tweaking, Phineas and Ferb could definitely be ready for an adult crowd; most of the jokes are 70% of the way there... Understand then why we hold Phineas and Ferb The Game to a higher standard than most. The problem is that it's rare for many redeeming qualities of a show or movie to make it into a game because of the difference between the media. We know all is well in the game when we see Perry the Platypus. Not only does he help you save, but he makes cameo appearances throughout the game. Scattered in the background throughout the game are items like the poster for the "Perry the Platypus Inaction Figure," straight out of the episode built around that chapter in Perry's life. The character interactions are mostly reliant on reading text, but some choice dialogue was recorded for the game, such as Isabella's classic, "What'cha doin'?" line... The graphics are hedging on 3D, a definite 2.5D product. We're big fans of this perspective, since it combines all the best elements of 2D platforming with 3D depth and sophistication. Perhaps it is intentional, but there's a very unpolished look to some parts of the game. It's as if the developers used Drawn to Life as their middleware and built some of the in-game objects using a DS stylus and a 16-color palette. On the plus side, there's a lot to look at as you explore the game. Fans of the show eager to explore the wacky world of Phineas and Ferb will not be disappointed.
Gameplay: Announcing that a popular kids' television show is being released as a side-scrolling Platformer won't raise any eyebrows in a roomful of gamers. What show for kids hasn't been given this treatment, right? The $64,000 question is whether anyone can do a game like this that offers anything new and inventive to the world. Phineas and Ferb certainly has plenty of derivative material, but combines everything in a way that made us want to keep exploring. The stated goal of the game is to build out a series of roller coasters to entertain the boys and their friends during a typical boring day. Boring? Right... The idea of constructing a world-class coaster across the neighborhood doesn't strike Phineas and Ferb as much of a challenge, but they'll need to do quite a bit of scavenging to find all the parts they need. Their main adversary in the game, as in the show, is their older sister Candace. Candace keeps her eyes peeled for the boys to make a misstep and will gladly rat them out to Mom without hesitation. Avoiding Candace becomes one of several mini-games contained in Phineas and Ferb. Otherwise it comes down to racing along a rollercoaster track to collect stars and playing as everyone's favorite platypus. Exploring the town is one thing that requires coordination between Phineas and Ferb. Some things, like repairing objects, are best left to Ferb. Phineas is the man when it comes to sourcing parts. At various points in each level, Phineas and Ferb have to work together. This usually involves standing on shoulders to reach ladders or climb over tall obstacles. Otherwise, you'll switch back and forth between the two many times during a level. Some actions are simple, like the touch-screen gestures you'll use to help Phineas root around in piles of garbage for good parts. Others are their own mini-games, such as when Ferb gets busy repairing broken objects, or you construct the cars and tracks for roller coaster racing. There aren't that many variations to this repair game, so it makes for a fun distraction at first and gets a bit old after the umpteenth repetition. The Candace mini-game can be avoided entirely by distracting Candace with cheesecake ("Cheesecake Level 1...hilarious) or invisibility potions that hide the boys' actions from her. Once she is fully onto you, you'll be thrown into a maze where you'll have to avoid her while gathering objects or lose your place in the level. The big payoff to all this exploration is to find interesting objects that make the game more interesting to play and ultimately to build and race your own roller coasters.
Difficulty: There's a balance issue in some of the mini-games, but especially in the Ferb/building games. Two out of three are dead easy, and involve tapping on the screen to hit targets. The welding mini-game is another story, requiring a quick stylus with lots of precision. Failing these games doesn't carry a huge penalty, but the frustration factor grows. The Candace mini-game is a similar scramble, compared to the more languid pacing elsewhere. Younger kids will get off on keeping Candace occupied with cheesecake and pumping the boys full of invisibility tonic, not to mention upgrading equipment for exploration. The mechanics of upgrading equipment might go over the head of some gamers, but there are good tutorials and everything is introduced gradually. The mini-games even include a no-penalty practice session the first time you encounter a new challenge. The in-game world is actually pretty sprawling, but early upgrades to the "radar" Phineas and Ferb use helps to uncover needed objects and navigate through new areas. The difficulty level in Phineas and Ferb is a bit like the television show, in that it can't quite decide if it wants to be appropriate for young kids or older kids or adults, so it hedges and does something about right for all parties. This works better on the show than in the game, since uneven difficulty can be the difference between a game staying or going, when there are so many other good titles out there.
Game Mechanics: Several of the mini-game and gameplay mechanics have been mentioned, but it deserves saying again that the controls are fairly intuitive. Phineas and Ferb doesn't require much in the way of complicated button-pushing, although there are some moments where you'll get into basic platforming. These are definitely the game's weakest moments. There is enough good design at work to ensure that you can get back easily to the point where you missed a jump, but miss jumps you will. Frequently it is a problem with perspective, but the controls aren't that well placed. Having a run and a jump button in close proximity is fine for some, but feels awkward for larger hands. Ideally we like those on opposite sides of the DS. There are some smart shortcuts, such as mapping the character switching to a shoulder button. Players can always tap the screen to change characters, but switching on the fly has its appeal. Even so, you'll spend much of the game cradling the DS in one hand and the stylus in the other. Only in the mini-games do you need much precision stylus work, but this business of picking up and putting down the stylus constantly gets old. There's a solid game here for fans that didn't want their precious Phineas and Ferb brand to be butchered. It isn't the type of thing that the non-fan should seek out purely for gameplay; well-executed ideas and solid creative content don't make up for the fact that Phineas and Ferb is filled with derivative ideas. Repackaged well, to be sure, but repackaged all the same. Filling the same psychic space as television offshoot games like those featuring SpongeBob or the Nickelodeon characters isn't a bad thing, but Phineas and Ferb stands out more as a show than a game. If the next game installment can capture the zany, offbeat humor that fills the show and take more chances, we will have something to get excited about.
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock
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