Gaming Target - Xbox: Sneakers

Written by Nick Doukas on September 10, 2003

Full Review: Mice, rocket launchers, death from aboveЕoh, waitЕwrong gameЕuhЕjust the mice thenЕ

My nephew's almost four. He's a cute little guy: happy, inquisitive, and quite smart for his age. He might like Sneakers (he actually has an affinity for Rogue Leader to be honest, so that's a fairly big maybe). As for the rest of you who do not fall into the aforementioned demographic: forget it, it's not Toys УRФ Us exclusive for nothing. However, dads who dig Halo and Max Payne may want to wean their toddler on something a tad less ostentatious than those titles. Sneakers will fit the bill, but I wouldn't push it past the age of seven or so. Proceed to find out why the mice ain't so nice for anyone who's tackled the difficulties of toilet training and emerged victorious.

All kidding aside though, Sneakers is a game for kids, and to be fair, it could be an interesting introduction to gaming for the Pampers set. For those of us currently putting Mr. Vercetti through his paces, it's a tedious, boring cute-fest better suited for little brother or sister. The game begins with a house, a mouse (that's you, as Apollo, the leader of the mouse gang, which includes pals Brutus, Watt and Pete) and rats. The rats have stolen all of your food, and it's up to you, and your friends, to navigate the huge (to mice sensibilities anyway) mountains (those would be the dressers, beds, and kitchen counters of the mouse world) eradicating rats (it's far more innocuous than it sounds) and brawling with the rat gang, who are called, god help me, the Out Of Towners. Other mice will show up along the way to help you out, and between navigating the house, the aforementioned brawls, and some light puzzle solving (I mean really lightЕHmmm, which friends should I choose to push this teddy bear over?) there's not much substance here, unless you still believe in Santa Claus of course.

The game pushes you along a predetermined path throughout each room. At certain junctures, you'll be given arrow indicators to choose the direction you wish to go, but that's all. You can run up the sides of furniture and jump from bed to bed, again along a path, but there is no freedom of movement beyond that (another point that the game makes for the kiddy crowd, you can't wander aimlessly and get lost). As you roam, a group of mice follow you and aid in puzzles and combat, and collecting food icons (as well as the defeat of all the rats) is key in racking up a good score (the game ranks you at the completion of tasks and areas). That's about it. Seriously, you'll be lucky to see two or three hours of play out of this title, though three year olds may extend the play-time a bit, as banging into walls and putting the controller in ones mouth exponentially ups the replay value. The brawls do feature miniature mouse versions of West Side Story gang fights, and several combos are available as you and your boys lay the smackdown on Smog, Scar and Strawberry (I swear I'm not making this up), but it gets old really fast (as in immediately). Again, unless you think Barney is the height of fine culture. If so then you're golden here.

Control is average at best, and consists of movement via the left analog stick and use of the A button to dash. In battle phase the B button is used to execute a spinning combo punch, and the right trigger puts Apollo into defensive mode. The left trigger is utilized as a target lock, and the A button is used for additional punching maneuvers. Players will also have access to an in-game map, and will be tasked with paying attention to time limits and distributing power-ups (food) among the friends to help everyone regain health after battle.

Graphically the game is pretty basic. Character models are simple, and the environments feature a very static feel. Lighting is basic as well, and while the fur on the mice looks pretty solid, it's been done a lot better elsewhere. The sound is just as simplistic, with the mice speaking in irritating high pitched squeaks and the music resembling something one would get by combining Pee Wee's playhouse with Alice Cooper's 75 road show. You know, kind of cool, but somehow bordering on psychotic. Overall, Sneakers is a decent game for the very young child (despite the head trip the music tends to be), though certainly grown-ups need not apply.