Toy Story 3 (Nintendo DS) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

It seems that everyone has a favourite Pixar movie and, depending on your age, you'll have a different point of reference as to which characters bring those memories flooding back. My personal choice is the original Toy Story although I was astounded to learn that the first outing for Woody and Co. is now over 15 years old. Pixar/Disney have also pushed out a number of games and, while these have been of variable quality, as with the movies everyone has a favourite. Toy Story 3 is the latest addition to their gaming catalogue but will this be a precious memory or a trade-in by next week?

Gameplay

If you've seen the movie, then you'll be pleased to know that the DS version does its best to follow the storyline, although it does take the odd liberty, jumping from one scene to another and completely misses out some parts of the plot. This however allows for a variety gaming types so Toy Story 3 is essentially a collection of mini-games seamlessly sewn together. While that's often a bad thing in game terms, here it actually works very well. This mostly down to the fact that the whole package has been well designed and coded and you don't get the impression of it simply being thrown together in time for the movie's release date.

The game consists of 'adventure' sections interspersed with mini-games. You play as Buzz or Woody in the many adventure sections, each taking place in a recognizable area from the movie's story. This involves you wandering around solving simple problems whilst picking up Pixar Balls that then unlock items on the DSGamer network. You can also swap between Buzz and Woody using their individual skills in order to complete the levels. The mini-games are generally arcade based, so while one might challenge you to get Woody to the front of a speeding train, jumping from the roof of one carriage to another whilst avoiding overhanging obstacles, another is reminiscent of the Indiana Jones mine-cart race and the Buzz Sections allow you to control the Space Ranger as he flies though the skies whilst also using his trusty laser to defend himself from aliens and asteroids. There are also a variety of 'castle defence' type levels, which take place on play mats and become increasingly more difficult as the game progresses.

Sadly, it's all over a little too quickly and even younger gamers will complete the whole thing in no time at all. There is some extended playablity to be had thanks to the option to revisit the adventure sections and arcade mini-games but even fans of the movie will tire of these eventually.

Controls

Toy Story uses a well-balanced approach to control and while you'll move most of the main characters around using the d-pad and face buttons, the rest of the game requires you to use the stylus and occasionally the microphone.

Graphics

While I'm sure we can all agree that the DS isn't exactly a 3D powerhouse, developers n-Space have done a wonderful job here using its strengths. The results allow for an adventure that appears to be free roaming 3D thanks to some visual trickery. Most importantly though, the various character models look like their on-screen counterparts even though the detail has been reduced so as not to compromise the frame rate. The cut screens are the visual highlight though and the movie's plot is told though a selection of static screens lifted from the movie itself, although good luck with actually following the story.

Sound

While the soundtrack fits the on-screen action perfectly there are some problems with the voiceovers. It's not that they aren't well acted it's just that some sections feature the odd mutterings from the main players, whilst others are completely silent.

Dual screen

Quite a few of the mini-games rely on the touch-screen interface and the stylus is called upon when controlling Buzz allowing you to fire his lasers with pinpoint accuracy. You'll also need it for the 'tower defence' section for positioning gun emplacements and there's a nice train section, at the beginning of the game, where you'll be challenged to collect balls as you're perched on top of a speeding train trying to avoid all manner of dangers.

Final comments

Toy Story 3 ends up being considerably better than the usual move tie-in fodder and fans of the film will be delighted with the story, visuals and ability to engage in many of the challenges which appear in the big screen outing. There's something for everyone here too and the variety of gaming types is impressive. What else would you expect from developers n-Space? The only real problem is the duration. Most gamers will complete the entire adventure in three or four hours. It's still fun but a few more modes and collectables would have completed an enjoyable package.

Pro: Looks and Sounds Great, Nice Variety of Game Types.
Con: Very Short, No 'Toy Box' Mode.
Final score: 7.2

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