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Activision and Luxoflux/XPEC/Beenox deliver another solid, child-oriented game based on Dreamworks’ upcoming Kung Fu Panda.
As expected, the game stars the titular kung fu Panda – Master Po. Master Po has lofty goals of being a stellar, kung fu-busting fighter but unfortunately for him, he’s a bit too clumsy to achieve his goal. Fortunately, Master Po is being trained by Master Shifu, along five other Kung Fu masters (known as the Furious Five). When Tai Lung, the movie and game’s villain, escpaes from the Chorh Gom prison, Master Po has to show off what he’s learned, take on Tai Lung’s army, and eventually the man himself. The game, which I imagine follows the movie loosely, is quite humorous and often quite charming.
As an action platformer, Kung Fu Panda is heavily based on light combat. Master Po can jump and double jump, as well as pull off fast and power attacks and the ability to use weapons from the environment. These are in addition to his special attacks, which include Panda Quake (belly flop with an aftershock), Iron Belly (bounce forward and roll into enemies), and Panda Stumble (a speed bounce forward). The game lets you collect coins, which you can use to improve Po’s fighting ability by bettering his health or the damage a move does. Further, the game lets you unlock certain outfits in the game, which should prove fun for younger gamers.
While most of your time will be spent battling enemies as Po, that’s not all you’ll do. You’ll occasionally play as the other members of the Furious Five, fight bosses, complete quick action scenes, play minigames, and complete side quests. In addition, the game includes a multiplayer mode for up to four players. You’ll find Hong Kong (try to get three similar icons in a row), Shanghai (a Kung Fu Panda themed mahjong, undoubtedly aimed at parents), Po Go (a memory game) and a more traditional four-player combat game. The trick is that the multiplayer features are unlocked by playing the singleplayer version, although this shouldn’t be difficult even for kids.
In terms of console differences, the Wii version includes use of the Wiimote for its control scheme. You use the Nunchuk to control the characters, waggles for strong attacks, and the face buttons for weak attacks and jumping. There are also some use of the Wiimote for short gameplay segments, and unlike the PS3 version, the motion controls work fine. The PS3 includes Sixaxis controls for a flying level, which is a bit off-putting since you have to use the motion controls. The stage is quick, though.
Visually, Kung Fu Panda is a great looking game, one that looks a good deal like the movie it’s based off. Technically, the graphics look great thanks to detailed character models, fantastic textures and lighting, and varied worlds. However, what really makes the visuals shine is the attention paid to the animation. Master Po’s clumsiness (and weight) is a constant gag throughout the game—something shown in the game’s animation system. His considerable weight moves around as you walk around levels and you’ll even notice things sinking if you stand on them too long. The Wii and PS2 versions look similarly and a notch below the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC versions but fine on their own.
The game’s soundtrack fits it perfectly and complements the visuals quite nicely. The sound effects are more than adequate, although they don’t particularly stand out one way or the other. Although Activision did not hire most of the movie’s big stars (Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, etc) for the game, the soundalikes they hired sound remarkably similar to the movie’s stars. It’s clear that you aren’t really listening to Jack Black at times, but for the most part, it’s difficult if even possible to tell.
Overall, Kung Fu Panda is another well-made kid-focused licensed game from Activision. The gameplay manages to switch things up and be sufficiently challenging to engage older gamers, while keeping the core gameplay accessible to younger gamers. With solid gameplay and a great presentation, Kung Fu Panda is easy to recommend to fans of the movie or parents looking to entertain their kids with a robust yet accessible action platformer.
Note: Luxoflux developed the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, XPEC handled the Wii and PS2 versions and Beenox handled the PC port. -- Adam Nunez, PGNx Media
---- Jun 5, 2008
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