In general, movie tie-in games do not fare well in the review department. Many of them seem rushed, trying to time the release in conjunction with the theatrical release of the corresponding movie. One would think that games based on animated films might have an easier time in this regard, but the trend does not support this assumption. Pixar films in general seem to suffer from this problem, as is evidenced by the somewhat poorly received Wall-e. Still, I had high hopes for Pixar's latest release Up.

As I mentioned above, the assumption that games based on animated films should have better than average graphics leads to disappointment. This is true yet again. Up: The Video Game's graphics felt blockish and rough around the edges. Granted, this is the Wii version, not one of the more powerful consoles, but I still expected more. That being said, the graphics were passable enough to get the necessary information to the player and, while they did not really add to the experience, they did not detract too much either. What the game lacks in graphic beauty it more than makes up for in sound quality. Not only is the wonderful soundtrack from the movie incorporated into the gameplay, the lead actors have also lent their voices to the game, an extremely valuable commodity with tie-in games in my opinion.

Up: The Video Game is basically a linear platformer, albeit with some dimensionality. The general gist of most levels is to get from point A to point B. This is accomplished by using the main characters from the movie to traverse the terrain. Each character has special abilities which will be needed in order to solve puzzles and move past certain areas. A single player can switch between the characters with a simple button push. For a more enjoyable experience, a second player can join the fun, playing through cooperatively. The developers were nice enough to include drop-in, drop-out play for the second character, so partners can come and go without the need to restart the game.

In addition to the ability to cooperatively play through the Story mode, there is also a Multiplayer mode included with the game. These mini-games center around the flying scenes, with the dog-fighting being the most entertaining. Unfortunately for mature players, these mini-games quickly become repetitive and boring, although younger players will likely get substantially more enjoyable playtime.

Up: The Video Game is extremely easy to navigate and the control scheme is well conceived and intuitive. The most frustrating part of the game, a common complaint of this genre, is the camera control, or lack thereof. That being said, the difficulty of the game is such that moving blindly through spots does not really endanger the player, with the possible exceptions being during the boss-fights. Overall, the game is simple enough for younger players to grasp and enjoy, and though rated E10+, my seven and eight year old daughters were easily able to comprehend and play through the game without any difficulty. And when I say play through, that is exactly what I mean. A major detractor with Up is the length of the game. A single player can easily finish the entire game, all eleven levels, in under three hours. With a retail price of $40, this is not a very satisfying bang for the buck.

Of course, being on the Wii, players expect some content usability dedicated to using the capabilities of the Wii-mote. Up: The Video Game does cater to this a bit, with players having to make a sawing motion at times to cut through ropes or lower the Wii-mote to mimic Carl lowering his cane to pull Russell up a wall. These are simple, but effective uses of the motion sensitivity, but overall felt somewhat limited. Other interactive moments were also glossed over, as is evidenced when our pair of adventurers are attacked by the dogs. These scenes play out by the player watching and waiting for the dog to charge, then hitting a button. Rinse, repeat. Later levels include more and more of these "moments" and the newness wears off very quickly. Speaking of dog-fights, there are several levels that involve Dug flying the plane, engaging in aerial combat (dog-fights). These levels are enjoyable and, in my opinion, a bit better conceived and implemented that the other aspects of the game. The few boss-fights scattered throughout the game are also fairly well thought out, and while not much of a challenge for a single player, are still better enjoyed in cooperative play.

All said, Up had a tremendous amount going for it, but the end result feels rushed and only half-heartedly created. The single-player (cooperative) story is fun, especially for those that have seen the movie, and the characters are well acted, offering a few quips that actually caused me to laugh out loud. The multiplayer mode feels more like tack-on fluff than a substantial addition. For those considering purchasing this game, I would strongly suggest taking a trip to the local store and renting a copy first. With a playtime under three hours, it is hard to recommend buying this game, even for younger players.