Games

Madagascar

Platform: PS2, GameCube, Xbox
Price: £34.99
Publisher: Activision

Anybody who played Shark Tale, the previous Activision adaptation of a Dreamworks animated movie, will be well prepared for this offering. Using the film's story as a framework for a steady stream of mini-games and platform challenges, it's aimed squarely at the kids market.

Will it keep the little 'uns amused?

Thankfully, the answer is yes. A vast improvement on Shark Tale, which was hardly terrible, this is a bright and breezy game that walks the fine line between staying true to the source material and mixing things up a little to keep your attention.

The story follows four animals from New York's Central Park Zoo. There's Alex, the pampered lion and star performer of the zoo; Melman, a neurotic hypochondriac giraffe; Gloria, a brassy hippo and Marty, a wise-cracking zebra whose dreams of life beyond the cushy confines of the zoo lead the quartet to escape.

Swiftly rounded up, the authorities decide the best place for them is back in the wild and these urban animals are promptly shipped off to the titular island to fend for themselves.

With four fun characters to choose from, and a host of wacky objectives to achieve, this is the sort of game that never lets you get bored. If Alex's platform leaping doesn't appeal, the next level will offer a frantic race with Gloria, or fishing with penguins. Even if some of the ideas feel half-formed, the relentless pace and upbeat presentation keeps you grinning throughout.

The difficulty level is occasionally uneven - especially in a game aimed at the younger end of the scale - so expect a few frustrating hours as kids struggle to beat some needlessly fussy tasks, and the roving 3D camera is - as always with this sort of game - a hindrance as much as it's a help.

Apart from those rather predictable complaints, Madagascar is huge fun and earns extra marks for including some brilliant unlockable mini-games (including a superb crazy golf course) which extend its lifespan beyond the normal story mode. It won't change the world, but it's a solid investment for kids and parents alike.