Shrek SuperSlam (Nintendo DS) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

Not only was Shrek the first film to win best animated feature Oscar but it also proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Disney were no longer the only studio who could create entertaining family features. Shrek took a fair few swipes at the 'House of the Mouse' but when the laughter eventually stopped the two remained friends. An even more successful sequel has since followed the original and there are more in the pipeline. Games, on the other hand, haven't fared quite so well and (although they sell incredibly well) the majority have been lackluster side scrollers. Still, another year, another direction and Superslam is a fighting game, no doubt inspired by the various punch ups in the original including the memorable tag match with Shrek and Donkey and not forgetting Fiona's Matrix style flooring of Robin Hood and his merry men. The question is, was it the right direction to go in?

Gameplay

Possibly the first selling point of Super Slam is that it allows you to play more characters than any previous Shrek game. Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, Prince Charming, Gingerbread Man and Puss In Boots are all available. Before selecting who you want to play as though, you'll need to decide what type of experience you want, either a story mode or simply jumping straight into a melee bout. While there's more freedom with the latter, the story mode is far more enjoyable mostly because of the random nature of the battles. Once in a fight it's all about repeatedly attacking your opponent in order to attain 100 Fairy Dust points and then unleash your Super Slam. The player with the most Super Slams when the clock has counted down is the winner. It's important to remember during the fights, that as well as your various moves there are a range of objects that can be used to inflict damage on your opponent with some of the more useful ones, such as bow and arrows and planks of wood, allowing you to attack from a distance.

Apart from the single player modes, the developers have seen fit to include a multiplayer option and while this really is the way to enjoy any fighting game you'll all require a copy of the game in order to play. Clearly this severely limits the number of occasions you're going to do this but if multiplayer from a single cart could be done for both Mario Kart and Super Mario 64 I'm almost certain it could (and should) have been done here. Finally there are the mini-games and while there are some available at the start, others have to be unlocked by collecting flies and feeding them to a frog. Strange I know, but you'll understand when you're playing the game. These flies in question are the game's currency and in addition to unlocking more games they're also good for artwork, 3D models, screens from the movie and a whole host of other Shrek related goodies.

Controls

Obviously being a fighting game this is where you'd expect the most attention to have gone during the design process and while it's not the most complicated fighting mechanism we've ever seen it is perfectly suited to a game of this nature. All moves are made using the A, B, X or Y buttons with 'super' moves needing a combination of these. All this is explained in a rather useful tutorial via the options menu, which takes you through each move and allows you to demonstrate it before moving on. The reality is you'll actually need little of this as most foes can be defeated by continually pressing the same button. You can even occasionally win battles without even looking at the screen, which can make the whole thing a little less than challenging and a bit of a chore.

Graphics

The 3D engine is really quite good and while the modeling is not nearly as complex as we've come to expect from our console games it's still an achievement on a handheld system. The real strength of the visuals though is the fact that almost everything you see is destructible meaning that not only have the developers designed some pleasing environments but also they're also multi-layered. Clearly this has an effect on the gameplay as not only are you trying to fend off your latest opponent but you'll also be throwing the odd chair, table or whatever is lying around in order to discover what is behind a door or partition.

Sound

Musically the whole thing is a little generic and doesn't always fit the on-screen action. Fortunately it's not as irritating as some previous soundtracks it's just that it doesn't appear to know what it's there for. The sound effects are much better (if occasionally overpowering) and in addition to the usual crashes, bangs and wallops there are also some sampled voices although not those of the original actors. If all this is too much for you, of course, you can always turn them both off via the menus and put your favorite CD on. Problem solved, as they say.

Dual screen

Super Slam is another of the growing number of DS titles with the absolute minimum use of the touch screen and if it weren't used at all you really wouldn't miss it. As usual there's the special items selection and a variety of none interactive stats but there's nothing that absolutely needs to be there. The developer gets close with some of the mini-games but it's too little, too late. This lack of utilization was always a concern of games as soon as the launch line-up had been and gone, and while there's no doubt it takes a great deal more thought and development time it's really one of the things which makes a good DS title a great one.

Final comments

As we've come to expect from Shrek games, this one is for kids so if you've spent all your life on the latest Japanese fighting extravaganza then this is definitely not for you. If it's a simple but engaging fighting game you're looking for, with familiar settings and characters from the Shrek universe then Super Slam should be your next stop. It's not without its problems though as the fighting mechanic is a little too simple for its own good whilst the variety is almost none existent. Fortunately there are enough plus points to make up for the game's shortcomings and while it's not the greatest Shrek game it's certainly entertaining enough in short bursts.

Pro: A Real 'pick up and play' Experience, Nice 3D Visuals.
Con: Too Easy for your Average Fighting Fan, Poor AI, Lack of Variety.
Final score: 6.5

Share on Twitter or Facebook

Comments