Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie Becomes Mr. Fix-It

A Rube Goldberg is a crazy, over-elaborate machine that does the simplest thing. You'll encounter a factory full of Rube Goldbergs in Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.

Features

• Cut-scenes inspired by the famous book
• Friendly Oompa-Loompas help you out! Woohoo!
• Collect jelly beans, Wonka-Vite and other goodies

Because Charlie & the Chocolate Factory is a budget-priced title, you won't get extras like movie sequences. In fact, the cut-scenes are slide shows of drawings, not movie stills. Willy Wonka looks like Johnny Depp, but that's not his voice on the game's soundtrack.

However, the game does feature the voices and likenesses of Freddie Highmore as Charlie Bucket, David Kelly as Grandpa Joe, Philip Wiegratz as Augustus Gloop, Julia Winter as Veruca Salt, Jordan Fry as Mike Teavee, and AnnaSophia Robb as Violet Beauregarde. Deep Roy provides his likeness as the Oompa-Loompas, and Geoffrey Holder provides his voice as the Narrator. Burton has provided creative consultation for the game.

When those infamous brats accompanying Charlie on a once-in-a-lifetime tour start causing mayhem, it's up to Charlie to set things right by fixing and operating the wacky candy-processing machinery. His able assistants are Oompa-Loompas, of which there are several types. Welders, for example, fix leaky pipes.

The chocolate factory is so outlandish that it's not always clear what Charlie is supposed to do next. You practically need a scorecard to keep track of all the different kinds of candies, machines and power-ups.

For example, if you toss a Jelly Beanstalk Candy on the ground, it will grow into a vine, which will then trap a Wonkabot, making what looks like a giant tumbleweed. Roll the englobulated Wonkabot to plug a steam vent. This allows pressure to build in the tubes carrying molten chocolate, forcing free the rotund Augustus Gloop. Oompa-Loompas are needed to both harvest the Jelly Beanstalk Candies and run the Wonkabot-making machine.

Controls for running and jumping are decent, but aiming is often frustrating guesswork. The zany machines aside, the factory looks surprisingly bland. Willy isn't much of an interior designer, it appears.

Still, the game does a good job of capturing the charm of the book and movie. Credit the very good voice acting and cute Oompa-Loompa animations.

Bottom Line

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory will appeal most to younger players wanting to collect every last chocolate bar and jelly bean.

Source:

www.nintendo.com – Nintendo GameCube

Tim Burton's twisted cinematic vision of Roald Dahl's beloved tale bags the gaming Golden Ticket.

Earn the rare privilege of exploring Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory, in Take-Two Interactive's game of Tim Burton's film of Roald Dahl's classic children's book. Phew. As Charlie Bucket, the impoverished child who finds a Golden Ticket in his bar of Wonkalate, you'll embark on a personal tour of the factory and attempt to prevent the four other greedy winners from wreaking havoc in Wonka's world.

Set off on a magical adventure, exploring the factory's many fantastical environments - including some from the book that didn't make it into the film - and discovering what consequences Veruca Salt, Augustus Gloop, Mike Teevee and Violet Beauregarde's gluttony caused.

It's Charlie's job to save the chocolate factory from their destruction by solving tricky puzzles and using inventive candy powers. By helping the Oompa-Loompas and restoring order to the factory, Charlie can earn the respect of the reclusive Willy Wonka and win an even bigger prize!

• Acquire incredible abilities by using fantastic new sweets in order to save the factory
• Stop the "rotten" children from causing chaos and destruction throughout the candy factory
• Repair huge, bizarre sweet-making machines by solving puzzles and enlisting the help of the Oompa-Loompas
• Explore numerous rooms and environments inside Willy Wonka's chocolate factory

Source:

www.playstation.com

"To the lucky finder of this golden ticket: Greetings from Mr. Willy Wonka! I invite you to my chocolate factory, where I will take you on a wondrous tour and even share a few delicious secrets. At our journey's end, one of you will receive a special prize beyond your wildest dreams!"

Your tour begins with a golden ticket, but who knows where it will end? Join the sweet adventure that is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory™, and get ready for fun!

• Eat candy: Acquire incredible abilities by using fantastic new candies in order to save the factory.
• Become part of the story: Creative and interactive environments based on the visual style of the film fully immerse you in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story.
• Prevent disaster: Stop the other children from causing chaos and destruction throughout the candy factory.
• Think fast: Repair huge, bizarre candy-making machines by solving puzzles and enlisting the help of the Oompa-Loompas.
• See the chocolate factory: Explore numerous rooms and environments inside Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

Source:

www.xbox.com