Hop the Movie: The Game
Score: 68% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: 505 Games Developer: Piranha Games Media: Cartridge/1 Players: 1 Genre: Shooter/ Puzzle
Graphics & Sound: Hop the Movie: The Game is yet another movie tie-in game, and as most gamers would expect, it's not a very good one in the grand scheme of things. An odd twist though is that, instead of throwing out a game on every system like most movie-related games, the powers that be decided to focus on the Nintendo DS. You would think that this means a better game, since the developers were able to focus on one platform, but that's not really the case here. Hop doesn't do a whole lot in the visuals department. On a handheld console that has been out some 6+ years, it's a shame for a new game to come out that feels like it was a launch title. Actually, it does that in more areas than just the graphics section, but I'll get to that later. Besides the odd mini-games sprinkled between levels, the game takes on a top-down shooter style where you run around areas in the game's four locations. The levels themselves are nice and big, but after a few screens, they will all start to blend together. Another aspect that makes the game feel like an original DS title is that it doesn't really use the top screen all that effectively. During the shooting levels, it simply displays your health, while several of the mini-games will throw up a static picture. It almost feels like Hop was a port from the GameBoy Advance. Hop's audio is about on par with its graphics. There is a constant tune playing in the background that, while not annoying at first, will get to feeling a bit repetitive after a while. Thankfully, the game's fairly quick levels mean that it is well designed for short bursts of gameplay so, unless you are in for a long car trip, you shouldn't get to that annoyance-level too frequently. Other audio-bits like the sound effects are okay, but feel very generic.
Gameplay: As I said above, Hop the Movie: The Game is a top-down shooter where you control Fred as he tries to save his new bunny-friend E.B. from the invading Pink Berets that are trying to bring E.B. back to his home so he can become the next Easter Bunny. Throughout the four wolds this game covers, Fred will pick up various weapons. These include the Gumball Shooter which has unlimited ammo and will be your primary weapon, the Marshmallower which packs a bigger punch and will actually gum up the enemy progress. There is also a Chocolate Squirt Gun that turns the enemies into chocolate and the Cotton Candy Cannon that tangles them up. The other weapon at Fred's disposal is a set of chocolate grenades that you can use against a group of enemies to turn them into chocolate. Between the shooter levels, you get to play through a variety of mini-games. These come in five flavors: Whack-A-Bunny, Scavenger Hunt, Jawbreaker Bowling, Catch! and Drum Solo. In the first, you will use your stylus to tap on Pink Beret bunnies as they pop out of their holes while avoiding the bombs with chick faces on them. The Scavenger Hunt mini-game has a scene panning around the bottom screen while you look for items like eggs or gears. It's basically a hidden object game where you only have to find the same thing over and over again. Jawbreaker Bowling is actually amusing as you roll a bowling ball down a lane in order to knock over as many pins as you can in the time limit. Catch! and Drum Solo are about what you would expect. One has you going back and forth across the screen attempting to catch as many thrown objects as possible before they hit the ground, while Drum Solo puts E.B.'s music skills to the test. Basically, expect a very simplified music/timing game where you have to tap the right colored drum pad when the indicator says to do so.
Difficulty: Hop the Movie: The Game is designed for a very young audience, and as such, it isn't a difficult game by any means. The shooting levels are very linear and easily walk you from room to room as you collect jelly beans and take down attacking foes. Occasionally, the game gets a little tougher by throwing in more enemies than you think you can handle or enemies that take a few more hits before they are gone, but even then, you aren't faced with anything even the youngest gamers who can wield the stylus can handle. As for the mini-games, they are just as easy as the main levels. Scavenger Hunt sections might have a few well hidden items, but given the slow pan of the camera and the low score needed for a success, even those won't cause too much of a problem. Heck, even the game's Drum Solo mode which you would think requires some rhythmic-abilities isn't hard and it even gives you points for hitting other pads between beats. Being the timing-challenged individual that I am, even this mini-game was easy to get through.
Game Mechanics: One of the details that makes Hop the Movie: The Game feel like an early DS game is its controls. I've seen several titles handle this gameplay style in the same manner and none of them worked all that well. The only difference between those games and Hop is the fact that they were out a long time ago and I had thought the development community had learned from those issues. You control Fred's movement with either the D-pad or the face buttons (depending on which hand you are more comfortable using). The other hand uses the stylus to have Fred fire in the direction you are pointing. If you want to throw one of your grenades, then tapping a Shoulder Button while firing will lob one in the direction you are looking. If you haven't played a DS game that attempts this control style, then let me explain why it doesn't feel right. Basically, it comes down to having a good hold of the system with one hand while trying to constantly use the touchscreen with the other. It just feels awkward. One thing Hop the Movie: The Game does have going for it is the fact that the newer DS systems are smaller and lighter than those original units, so it really isn't as bad as those first games. All that being said, Hop should just be passed on. If you are looking to getting it for a younger gamer, it might be worth it if you can find it for $20 or less, but with a $30 price tag, it just doesn't offer enough bang for the buck.
-J.R. Nip, GameVortex Communications AKA Chris Meyer
Related Links: Hop the Movie: The Game on 505 Games Hop the Movie on IMDb.com
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