Over the Hedge
By Jinny Gudmundsen,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Finally -- a movie-based game worth playing.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this game.
Where to Play
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What’s It About?
In the OVER THE HEDGE video game, kids have a chance to become the stars of the Over the Hedge movie. Primarily set one year after the movie, the game focuses on a group of undomesticated animal friends who sneak through the hedge that separates the wild from the suburban world, searching for human food and gadgets. They also need to rescue a friend who's trapped by an exterminator.
Kids complete over 30 mission-filled levels to win this game, which has three levels of difficulty. Each mission has clearly delineated primary and secondary goals; completing the primary goals unlocks the next level. Kids can play alone or with a friend in a cooperative mode. Players seamlessly switch between characters, and a second player can come in and out of the game on the fly.
Is It Any Good?
Dialogue is spoken as well as presented with subtitles. Kids can't get lost in the suburban sprawl because the game limits the area for play within each level. It's meaty, too. There are 135 primary goals, and there are three fun Mini games to unlock.
In the end, the game's not as funny as the movie, but it does extend the experience, even providing new characters and locations. Over the Hedge fans will certainly enjoy this game since it provides the same fast-paced action and clever interaction with the human world, while also offering a wide variety of gameplay.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about games based on movies, helping kids understand how games like these can be powerful marketing tools. Why do games like this get made? How does a game help promote a movie -- and vice versa? What's fun about these kinds of games? Does this one live up to your expectations?
Game Details
- Platform: PlayStation 2
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: Activision
- Release date: June 2, 2006
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- ESRB rating: E10+ for cartoon violence and crude humor
- Last updated: November 4, 2015
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Play
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate