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Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

What’s the Story?

Reviewed by Jinny Gudmundsen

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS lets players take control of many of the characters from the film upon which it is based. As Sid, the sloth, players leap from platform to platform, collect a variety of fruits and crystals, and defend themselves from attacking wildlife. A mission as Manny, the woolly mammoth, has players ripping up tree trunks with his tusks. As Diego, the saber-toothed tiger, players get to chase a gazelle in a timed race, and as the loveable muskrat Scratte, you run from left to right in a brief 2-D platform adventure, while collecting cherries and avoiding other animals. Outside the main story mode, players take on a smorgasbord of challenges and can engage in multiplayer party games that use mechanics practiced in the story mode, such as Sid running atop a giant snowball and using it to push other characters off an iceberg.

Is It Any Good?

4

The latest Ice Age game is a fun little counterpart to the new film. With objectives, mechanics, and characters changing every other level, players are unlikely to grow bored quickly. And while this diversity means many levels require a quick explanation of controls and objectives, play is always rudimentary enough that it never takes more than a minute or two to get the hang of things. Plus, there are loads of unlockables earned by collecting and spending cherries, the game’s currency. In addition to several multiplayer mini-games and challenges, players can also purchase movies, art, music, and character voice-overs.

The only downside? Difficulty is occasionally imbalanced. Some kids will find themselves skating through a platform level with little trouble before getting stuck in an area that requires an incongruously high level of hand/eye coordination. Other than this one small beef, Dawn of the Dinosaurs delivers good gaming value -- especially for a game based on a movie license.

Inside the Game

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