Kung Fu Panda 2 (Wii)

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Lots of fighting and iffy controls for uDraw movie tie-in.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Kung Fu Panda 2 (Wii) requires the uDraw tablet controller (sold separately) in order to play. The game has a lot of hand-to-paw martial arts fighting, with Po often getting attacked by large groups of enemies at the same time. None of the violence is graphic, though –- certainly no more so than any fighting seen in the movie. Make sure kids read the instruction manual first, or they will have a very tough time figuring out how to play.

  • In and around all the fighting, there are some positive messages to be found about respect for history, tradition, and art. The good guys and bad guys are clearly defined.
  • As in the movies, Po comes off as quite a lovable character. He’s enthusiastic and eager to be helpful. He’s always quick to compliment an ally on their performance.
  • You use the uDraw stylus to move around, and also to fight (by slashing it in different directions), while pressing a few buttons on the Wii controller to jump, interact with objects, dodge, and call for help from allies. It’s a complicated system, but not too bad once you get used to it. However, you must read the manual, because there’s pretty much no in-game tutorial. Figuring out the controls is a lot tougher than actually using them.
  • Throughout the game, Po will battle off assaults by groups of cartoony animal enemies (wolves, lizards, etc.). To make Po perform martial arts moves, you need to swipe, scratch, and scribble with the stylus on the uDraw tablet. Enemies grunt and moan when hit, and when defeated, they fall down and vanish from the screen. When Po gets hit, his health meter decreases.

What's it about?

The game, KUNG FU PANDA 2 (WII), picks up after the end of the movie sequel. Having dispatched their enemy, Po and the Furious Five are called to action once again, as the big baddie’s former henchmen show up and begin menacing the townsfolk. As Po, you will join up with any of the three Kung Fu Masters to track down and defeat the villains in martial arts melees. Outside of the story mode, there’s also a coloring book, where you can paint and save your own pictures, and a “Baby Po” mode, in which you can interact with and care for an infant version of the film’s cuddly hero.


Is it any good?

 

Kung Fu Panda 2 (Wii) is a decent action game, but may have been better served by standard Wii controls, as opposed to the uDraw tablet. Dragging the stylus across the touchpad to move Po can be a little too similar to swiping the stylus to make Po strike. You may find yourself throwing a punch when you merely meant to walk. It doesn’t take long to get more comfortable with the control scheme, though, and by the third or fourth level, it should feel a lot less awkward. However, you’ll never get that far unless you read the instruction manual –- since the game never tells you how to use most of the controls. The uDraw tablet is nicely incorporated into the art aspect of the game: pictures you paint will pop up as bits of scenery in the game. The Baby Po mode is cute but very slim. In the end, fans of the movies won’t be disappointed by the story or the action, but the overall presentation has a few flaws.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the fighting in the game. Does the cartooniness of the game decrease the impact of the violence? What about the fact that the characters are animals?


This review was written by Christopher Healy
Adult
March 7, 2012
 
kung fu panda 2 the game
this game is a little harder then kung fu panda 1 the game.plus it is awesome

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This review was written by Christopher Healy
Topics:sports and martial arts
Platforms:Nintendo Wii
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Action/Adventure
Developer:THQ
Release date:May 27, 2011
Price:$29.99
ESRB rating:E10+ for Cartoon Violence

This review was written by Christopher Healy

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About our rating system
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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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