Common Sense Media Review
By Christopher Healy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lots of fighting and iffy controls for uDraw movie tie-in.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Kung Fu Panda 2 (Wii)
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.
Talk to Your Kids 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?
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo Wii
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : THQ
- Release date : May 27, 2011
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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