| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that this game, based on the movie Flushed Away, is easy to play and rather short; kids older than about 12 won't find much of a challenge. But younger children will probably enjoy playing as main characters Roddy and Rita in the world of the London sewers. Game violence is limited to Roddy's toothpick fencing and Rita's kicks, and opponents are simply stunned instead of hurt. As in the movie, the play environments cleverly use everyday items in interesting ways.
If your kids were tickled with the adventures of Roddy St. James, the mouse who was "flushed away" in the Dreamworks movie, then they'll probably enjoy exploring the Underworld Metropolis offered in the Nintendo DS FLUSHED AWAY video game. Different from the console version, the Nintendo DS game provides kids with a romp in the sewer town, lets them drive the Jammy Dodger Boat, and offers three short Mini games that take advantage of both the DS touch screen and its built-in microphone. The game follows the storyline of the movie but expands the play environments. It's a mission-based platformer with some boat racing thrown in, culminating in big "boss" fights with The Toad and his cousin Le Frog.
The camera angle sets this game apart -- while this is generally a 2D side-scrolling game, at certain times the camera angle rotates, creating a 3D effect. Also, the layout is expansive -- this isn't your typical linear game. The game offers frequent checkpoints and an easy save mechanism. While testers missed seeing video sequences from the movie, they did enjoy watching the characters move within the game and appreciated that they resembled the winsome clay-animated look of the movie.
Kids will find three unusual Mini games that can be replayed once unlocked. In one, players blow on the DS microphone to release a soccer goal kick -- the stronger they blow, the faster the ball rolls. But because the game is pretty easy to play and short in length, it fits best for kids 6 to 12.
Families can talk about Roddy's behavior. Was it fair that he tried to flush Sid down the toilet? What could he have done instead to let Sid know he wasn't welcome? Which of the Mini games did you enjoy most? Was controlling a soccer game with your voice harder than you thought it would be? How do you like this game compared with other movie-inspired games?
| Platforms: | Nintendo DS |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | D3Publisher of America |
| Release date: | November 28, 2006 |
| Price: | $30 |
| ESRB rating: | E for cartoon violence (Nintendo DS) |
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