Toy Story 3
Lightyears of Fun A great game for the whole family
by Walt Pretorius
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ometimes getting a game for the kids can be a tricky endeavour. Finding a game with the appropriate kind of content may prove to be simple enough, but often games for youngsters – particularly those based on movies – can be on the poorer side of desired quality levels. In fact, it’s almost a certainty. And the length of time that they keep the kids busy, whether good or not, is often far too short. Disney Interactive has a solution to the problem in the form of Toy Story 3. It offers inoffensive game elements, combined with highly recognisable characters and a larger than expected offering in terms of time spent playing. The game premise is simple enough, while not following the plot of the film, except in the broadest terms. The toys that make up the main characters of the film go through a number of adventures, both in the ‘real world’ and fantasy settings (like Buzz Lightyear’s video game, or a retelling of one of Woody’s pretend-adventures.) These adventures offer a wide variety of activities, and will prove thoroughly
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enjoyable for kids of all ages. The humour one would expect from this title is present, and while older players may find one or two of the challenges a little too simple, the game provides a decent experience for those who aren’t kids, too. Aside from these action-packed adventures, the game also provides players with a sand-box mode, in the form of a fantasy Western Town that the player’s chosen character becomes Sheriff of. As Sheriff, the player will get to perform numerous quests, and will also get a fair degree of control over the town. The player can add buildings to the town, and decorate them. He can also change the attire of the town’s denizens, thanks to numerous pick-ups scattered around the large play area. These even include costumes from other Pixar films – it won’t be long before the player has Nemo, Incredibles and Monsters Inc lookalikes running around the town. Once again, a number of the quests that the player will be given in the sand-box mode are aimed at younger
gamecca review • issue 15 • September 2010