Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Video Game
© 2008 Activision, Inc.
See Madagascar 3. Looking for a great starter video game, with nearly endless play options? The second in the series, this Madagascar title is one of the best designed children's titles of the year, based on our testing of the PS3, XBox 360 and Wii versions. Note that we did not test the handheld or Windows version as of January 2009. After selecting one of the four game-save slots, you can choose to start unlocking the eight levels of adventure mode in sequence, or you can jump straight to the one-to-four player set of 12 minigames. While the packaging states this is a four-player game, this only applies to the minigames. The heart of the game is the adventure mode, where you steer one of four characters through rich 3D environments. Each character has their own unique combat moves. For example, Alex the Lion has a loud roar and can throw mangos, while Marty the Zebra can jump and kick. Play modes include swimming, driving, racing, playing soccer and safari photography. There's plenty to explore,including a Watering Hole, the African Jungle and Savannah, the Hippo Mud Pit and the Volcano. Games are saved automatically. The best part of this game is how easy it is for a younger child to pick up and play, due to the over the shoulder instructions and bite-sized challenges that make it easy to be successful. Because this game shares a design with dozens of other games (but is still easy to play), it makes an excellent first gaming experience for a child as young as four years of age. Just be on hand to help them through the bottlenecks. But what about the E10+ rating? Note that the ESRB ratings vary depending on the platform, but all are either E or E10+, with some mild suggestive themes and cartoon violence. Don't mind the ESRB 10+ rating, unless you have strong feelings about cartoon violence. For example, there is a lot of hitting or bumping other players in order to get through a maze first. But the comical context makes it seem painless. If you're OK with the movie, you'll also be OK with the game. Note also that there are a lot of cultural stereotypes in both the game and movie. This is a great addition to any library. Created for Activision by Toys for Bob with Blink Video (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii - $50), Aspyr (Games for Windows/PC - $20), Idol Minds (PS2 - $40) and Amaze (Nintendo DS - $30).
$50, Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3*, Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS
Teaches: logic, collaborative play, timing, memory, spatial relations, video game operation
CTR Rating: 94%