Shark Tale : PS2

As the world of animated films continues to swell with blockbusters such as Finding Nemo and Shrek, so does the games industry with its movie-to-game licenses. And with the fishy comedy Shark Tale ready for human consumption, Activision has brought us the video game equivalent of the same name. In the murky depths of the ocean, the fate of Reef City lies in the fins of one small fish... at least that's what the local underwater inhabitants are led to believe, thanks to a small fib from protagonist Oscar. The Shark Tale adventure simply follows the consequences that Oscar must endure when his lies land him in deep trouble. And so Shark Tale is brought to life. Difficult to pigeon-hole as one particular type of game, Shark Tale is an adventure that has many elements and brings with it great variety in gameplay. For example, the beginning of the game sees Oscar swimming for his when as a shark attacks. A green arrow points the way to safety - all you have to do is follow. Subsequent missions are a different kettle of fish altogether and include dancing and racing playing styles. However, platform element of the adventure is a little more substantial than the others, and although the game is indeed rendered in full 3D, this section of the Shark Tale story is played in an old-school side-on scrolling fashion. In fact, it's very much like Pandemonium and Crash Bandicoot were in the early days of 3D gaming. Shark Tale's respectable 25 missions are all derived from events that occur in the big-screen offering. Combined with a simple play mechanic, this fishy adventure is very well suited to younger gamers. There's great comedy, intuitive gameplay and a visual style and presentation that's very faithful to Dreamwork's big-screen film.