Nintendo DS

Kung Fu Panda

I can’t recommend Kung Fu Panda for the DS highly enough, especially for the younger kids, perhaps those that wanted to play Ninja Gaiden and weren't allowed. Kung Fu Panda is the perfect family-friendly action game that will appeal to young and old alike. It has all the action and moves as a console game, and puts it all in the palm of your hand.

It is nice to see that Vicarious Visions decided to take this project seriously and put together a competent platformer with enjoyable combat and outstanding production values. There is no denying the charm and pure enjoyment factor Kung Fu Panda possesses, but you cannot ignore the very real and important flaws. This game is short and easy, two things that younger gamers might not mind so much but that more experienced gamers need to be aware of. However, if you are looking for an enjoyable platformer, do not mind the flaws, or have a younger gamer in your life, then we can definitely recommend Kung Fu Panda for DS.

Even with its problems, it is really hard to not like Kung Fu Panda. It's a smart game (sometimes a little too smart) that takes a moderate gamble and succeeds, resulting in a product that is better than your typical movie tie-in.

When I reviewed Spider-Man 3 for the Nintendo DS last year, I made it known that, as awesome as it was, I couldn't wait to see that engine evolved into future games. Kung Fu Panda is the next game to use that engine and similar mechanics, but it didn't come out quite as gracefully as Spider-Man 3. It looks and sounds good and plays like a fun, kid-friendly brawler-focused Castlevania, but the touch-screen controls aren't as tight and the design misses a few opportunities. Still, it beats the pants off most other developer's licensed DS games, so you should at least give this game a peek if you're into the Kung Fu Panda thing.

Sadly, Kung Fu Panda is not perfect. Occasionally, poor level design hampered my progress for hours. Maybe I was over-thinking certain puzzles, but I found on multiple occasions the puzzle to be poorly explained. Similarly, the touch-screen controls sometimes feel a little clunky. The game also has little replay value. The short, albeit fun, adventure has no co-op or wireless capabilities, and there’s little reason to go through it again. But I have to commend Vicarious Visions, because this game is not a quick cash-in title, like so many other license games.

Even with its backtracking gameplay, this is a short game that clocks in only a few hours longer than the film. It's an enjoyable romp, though the lack of any form of downloadable content, multiplayer, or additional bonus items to unlock means it's unlikely you'll pick the game up for another go once you've finished the story mode. There is a collectable element here, but our play-through netted over 90 percent of the possible items without much deviation off the beaten path. Kung Fu Panda does a good job of capturing the fun and humour of the source, and while it's only a short handheld extension with the odd control stumble, it's fun while it lasts and is more than capable of standing on its own two furry feet.

Ce jeu de plates-formes assez classique reste efficace, et pourra amuser au moins les fans du film par ses références. Mais le niveau de difficulté mal dosé gâche l’intérêt d’un jeu qui possède quelques atouts, mais qui a mal ciblé son public.

Other things leave a disappointing flavour: no multiplayer of any kind, no additional modes aside from the main campaign, and no bonus content. Kung Fu Panda could have done more, but that's just the way the cookie crumbles. Impressive, then, that despite the awkward controls it's a surprisingly fun game and up there with the better film tie-ins on DS.

Vicarious Visions (Kung Fu Panda DS' developer) have churned out some decent portable games in the past, even a decent movie-based game here and there (see Over the Hedge DS). Kung Fu Panda DS, however, isn't one of the developers' finest products; it's really not even recommended for fans of the movie. The game is short, there are no multiplayer options, no extras, and little reason to come back to Kung Fu Panda DS after its completion. It does, however, offer some mildly enjoyable, beat`em-up fun, but you'll have to venture through a lot of frustrating platforming, as well as senseless backtracking, to get at it. Overall, the package is perhaps a poster child for what we've come to know as the typical, uninspired, fast-food gaming of movie tie-ins. If the game were priced relative to fast food, Kung Fu Panda DS might be worth a look for fans of the movie. But at the premium price, gamers are advised to save their cash.

Trop hésitant dans le choix de son public, Kung Fu Panda sur DS aura finalement du mal à en trouver un. Les jeunes enfants seront vite rebutés par sa difficulté tandis que les joueurs confirmés snoberont son univers et sa durée de vie famélique. C'est d'autant plus regrettable que le jeu a des qualités à faire valoir, parmi lesquelles une jouabilité plaisante bien qu'un peu brouillonne, et une réalisation très honnête.