| 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 is based on the movie of the same name. Kids can play as four of the main characters. Gameplay is quite varied, but a relatively small portion of it does involve combat, such as defeating lizards and scorpions, knocking down humans by spitting candy at them, and ramming your truck into another truck to get it to drop its cargo.
MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA's storyline essentially follows that of the DreamWorks movie on which it's based. In it, the group of New York zoo animals who were marooned on the island of Madagascar in the first movie decide to return home by repairing their rickety airplane only to have it crash-land in the African savannah, which becomes their new stomping ground.
Players take turns controlling Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe in a variety of mini-games and challenges tied together by short running and jumping sections. There are dozens of different activities to perform, including running races and kicking soccer balls at targets with Marty, playing musical chairs and wall-climbing with Alex, swimming and diving with Gloria, or riding on rolling boulders and administering medicine to sick giraffes as Melman.
Although none of the activities in the game would hold up particularly well on their own, as a collection they're great fun. A large part of the game's appeal is that the activities are all short and sweet, and don't drag on past the point of being fun. The ability for up to four people to play the mini-games together in the multiplayer Africa Arcade mode, as well as being able to spend coins in the Duty Free Shop to unlock character outfits and videos, just sweetens the package. The game is also an excellent homage to the movie, with cutscenes and voice-over dialogue that is sure to please fans.
Families can talk about who their favorite character was to play as, and why. Did you want to play this game because you saw the movie? What kind of challenges did the zoo animals from New York face when they met other wild animals of the same species for the first time.
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | Activision |
| Release date: | November 4, 1980 |
| Price: | $49.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E10+ for Mild Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes |
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