Parents' Guide to Phineas and Ferb: Day of Doofenshmirtz

PlayStation Vita games are somewhat hard to come by these days, but at least this game mostly delivers the goods -- and at a relatively affordable price of $20 (but the game requires a PS Vita memory card, sold separately). If you can forgive the annoying camera and some loose controls (including sloppy shooting mechanics), fans of the show will enjoy visiting familiar locations (including secret areas that reveal goodies), interacting with all the main characters, and viewing graphics that resemble the animated series. There's some variety to the gameplay, whether it's third-person 3-D action, 2-D side-scrolling fun, or arcade mini-games. You can toggle among the characters when need be, as each has its own abilities. Crafting new and more powerful ammo in Phineas and Ferb's workshop is fun, as is unlocking cool costumes after one play-through, but the other reward for finishing the story isn't as rewarding (SPOILER ALERT: designing and playing with your own augmented-reality robot using the rear camera on the PS Vita). If it weren't for the camera and control issues and some frequent long load times, this game would be a hidden gem worthy of any mobile gamer's time. Even though it has shortcomings, its accessible gameplay, its faithful look, and the attractive price tag make this a solid buy for fans of the series.