The Tuttles Madcap Misadventures

THE TUTTLES MADCAP MISADVENTURES is no ordinary game. It's a game produced to raise money for the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation, and it features voice talent from some of Hollywood's darlings, including Bob Saget, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ashley Tisdale, Dominic Scott Kay, Dave Coulier, and William Shatner. Players join the zany Tuttle family as they travel around the world in hopes of visiting The Alamo, stopping along the way in the desert, the ocean, the mountains, the jungle, and on a tropical island.

The Tuttles is an old-fashioned side-scrolling game, reminiscent of classic Mario games from Nintendo, where players collect items, jump from platform to platform to navigate a level, and stun baddies by leaping on their heads. For example, while in the desert looking for more gas for the family's van, you must avoid scorpions, cobras and prickly cacti. As the desert levels get harder, you also encounter walking mummies and wriggling green vipers. There are 40 levels of solid platform puzzle play.

What makes this game good is the story. This family, comprised of parents and two kids, gets into wacky situations, including bargaining with a group of nomad desert people who deliver a Monty-Python-type performance. The hilarious script is a product of Dave Thomas and his Emmy-Award-winning comedy team at Animax Entertainment, and it plays out in comic book style cutscenes that appear between levels. Combine this with bright bold graphics, a catchy sound track, and stellar voice talent, and you have a game worth playing. And through all of the Tuttles' Madcap Misadventures, the game manages to deliver a strong message about the importance of family bonding.

Not available online
Genre: Action/Adventure
Developer: Legacy Interactive
Released on: April 11, 2008
Price: 20
ESRB Rating: E