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This game looks like the average kid’s game, but it has a quirky
twist. Will that be enough to hold gamers’ attention? This review
explores The Munchables and its playability for different audiences.
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.
The player begins by choosing one of the characters and working
their way through each of the 24 stages 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 bits. The pirates can attack in return,
which shrinks the characters back to the original size, but the
player 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 being the other character and zapping enemies while
the first character gorges on pirates.
Rated E for everyone, this game’s very simple gameplay and charming
aesthetics will delight the young 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.
Pros:
- Can be appealing to kids of all ages, as well as adults
- Great characters, story, visuals, and music
Cons:
- Can become monotonous for more experienced gamers
- Multiplayer activities could be better
Our Rating:
A
more information:
For more information, user reviews, or to buy:
Munchables
for the Nintendo Wii
Reviewed: 2014
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