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The Munchables, at first glance, looks like an average kid’s game, but it has a
quirky twist. Will that be enough to hold gamers’ attention?
The cover is bright and bouncy, with cartoon cutout characters
surrounded by fruits and vegetables. It seems like just another in a
long line of mind-numbing, cookie cutter games aimed at little kids,
but appearances can be deceiving. The Munchables is an easy action
and platforming single or duo player game, but its wacky premise and
sense of humor offset its simplicity.
The game story is set on another planet called Star Ving, where
legendary orbs supply the inhabitants with endless food. The
inhabitants, called Munchables, eat from sun up to sun down in happy
munching peace until space pirates steal their orbs. The game’s
characters, Chomper and Munchy, get very hungry without their food
supply, and those thieving pirates have the unfortunate appearance of
different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Hungry Munchable equals
pirate platter, and Chomper and Munchy go on a wild feeding frenzy
with edible pirates as the main menu. Side dishes include village
housing and the occasional UFO.
Players begin by choosing to play as one of these two main characters and working
their way through each of the 24 stages by eating pirates. The player
presses the A button on the Wii remote to eat, and the characters
grow in size the more they consume. They can’t munch pirates larger
than them, but they can attack the pirates, which breaks them apart
into smaller, more edible parts. The pirates can attack in return,
which shrinks the characters back to the original size, but players can restore them by shaking the Wii remote. Growing in size
allows the characters to reach new areas as well, which means being
able to reach collectables and secrets. These can unlock quirky
accessories the player can use to fancify their character, like
scales and peculiar headgear, which is a cute little bit of
customization to keep the player engaged.
A second player can get in
on the action by playing as the other character and zapping enemies while
the first character gorges on pirates.
As with most 3D platformers, players meet a boss at the end of
levels, which they need to defeat in order to advance.
Rated E for everyone, this game’s very simple gameplay and charming
aesthetics will delight younger gamers, and the zany premise will
attract the older crowd.
The drawbacks to this game are its lack of
challenge and repetitive nature. It’s extremely simple to play with
plenty of instruction and easy recovery, plus each stage has
essentially the same defeat strategy. This might be a bonus for very
young players, but once the novelty of consuming the enemy wholesale
wears off for more experienced players, they may find it monotonous.
The Munchables is an enchanting adventure that should provide
a few hours of offbeat, hilarious fun, but may be more suitable as a
rental for families with older children.
Pros:
- Tried and true 3D platformer format.
- Simple gameplay is good for younger gamers.
- Charming graphics and pleasing soundtrack.
Cons:
- Repetitive.
- Lack of depth and challenge.
Our Rating:
B+
more information:
For more information, user reviews, or to buy:
The Munchables
for the Wii
 
Reviewed: June 2009
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