Tak and the Guardians of Gross (Wii, PlayStation 2)

It's been three years since a newTak game has been released. TAK AND THE GUARDIANS OF GROSS continues the basic platform action gameplay of the older Tak titles, with some slight changes being added to keep players entertained. This time around, Tak, a jungle boy with a unique ability to communicate with magical beings, has released four gigantic monsters into the world and must now embark on a quest to retrieve them and send them back to where they came from.

To accomplish this quest, Tak travels through various levels collecting glowing orbs and fighting the creatures he encounters along the way. Through the levels, Tak gains access to different types of magic that will help him including Cheesy Magic and Lumpy Magic. The magic is used to help move through obstacles and overcome various challenges.

Players control the game by using both the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk attachment, although the unique aspects of the Wii are under-utilized. For example, during a particularly tough-to-control puzzle section, players must point the remote at specific blocks on the screen and then push buttons to throw rocks at the blocks. The jumpy nature of the pointer makes this section quite challenging when it should not be. Other motion control sections are simpler and are quite enjoyable, such as using the remote to fire energy blasts from your staff while on a moving vehicle.

Similar to the TV series and other video games set in the world of Tak, the game does feature a fair amount of humor that helps propel the game from mediocre to enjoyable. The layout of the game is such that even young gamers will be able to advance through the title quite quickly, because the orbs that you must collect are set on a path through the levels rather than being simply scattered. The mix of puzzles, platform jumping, and slight fighting action make the game entertaining. Thanks to the parkour gameplay of running, jumping, climbing through environments, the battles become quite dynamic with Tak vaulting over enemies while attacking, rather than simply mashing buttons in hopes of winning.