Ed, Edd & Eddy (Game Boy Advance) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

This latest Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy is one in a number of titles that BAM! Entertainment are releasing in partnership with Cartoon Network with the most notable other being Samurai Jack. Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy are three suburban neighborhood friends linked by one common goal in life: scheming to get delicious jawbreakers. This first GBA outing for the trio allows you to join the "Eds" as they turn their cul-de-sac into an arena for outlandish summertime adventures in their quest for a box of everlasting jawbreakers. If that sounds like your sort of thing the take a look at our review...

Gameplay

If you've played the console classic The Lost Vikings you'll know exactly what to expect but if you haven't here's what Jawbreakers! is all about. Basically you have three characters that all possess different abilities and to reach the end of each level they will need to co-operate utilizing their individual strengths and weaknesses. Ed, for example is physically stronger than the other two and is great for pushing heavy objects or smashing up things, Edd is the brains of the bunch and generally gets to the bottom of most problems although he'll shy away from danger of any description whilst Eddy can not only run fast and jump high but also has the use of a rather ingenious jetpack. Learning just how to combine these rather eclectic skills is key to success and most of the puzzles are quite easy to work through, as each of the characters will let you know exactly what their limitations are.

Each section is set against a clock, which does seem a little unnecessary, as actually solving the puzzles alone should be enough of a challenge. Instead you can find yourself repeating levels several times because you've hit a rather devious problem and run out of time. Being platform based there are also plenty of collectables, such as coins, that give you an extra life once 100 have been collected. The difference here is that they are color-coded and each character is only able to pocket their own. There's also other stuff that can grant you an extra try or stop the clock and you'll find that you'll need to pick up other objects in order to complete the level. Thankfully one thing the developers have got spot on is the save feature which is done automatically after each stage is completed.

Controls

For the area that should be the core of this title this does seem a little confusing at first. This is not because the three main characters have different abilities but mainly due to the fact that there's no attempt whatsoever to make your entry into the game an easy or pleasurable one. Instead you're thrown into the action with absolutely no idea what the various members of your team are used for or capable of. The mystery here is that we've witnessed tutorials of first level 'pop-ups' in games far simpler that this so why have the developers chosen to omit this most important of features. When you do eventually work it out you'll find the control system responsive enough for your needs it's just a shame there isn't more help given in those initial stages.

Graphics

The graphical power of the GBA allows developers to almost perfectly replicate the majority of cartoon shows and Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy is no exception. The three main characters are larger than your average sprite and consist of enough frames of animation to make them appear almost identical to their on-screen counterparts. The various areas follow suit perfectly mirroring the visual style of the show.

Sound

The music that accompanies each level is a reasonably pleasant jazzed up affair and while it's better than much of the music I've encountered recently it can become a little repetitive after a while. On the sound effects side of things you get the usual beep, bangs and whistles and unusually a handful of voice samples lifted directly from the series. There aren?t many but it's certainly better than none at all.

Final comments

After recently playing Blizzard's wonderful The Lost Vikings it's hard to get excited by a less than perfect imitation of this console classic. It probably seemed like a great idea too and the relationship of these three friends genuinely seemed ideally suited to this underused genre. The reality however is something really quite different and if I were to describe Jawbreakers! in one word it would have to be ?frustrating?. This is mostly down to the unrealistic and incredibly difficult learning curve, which throws you into the game with little in the way of guidance. This works for many games where it is clearly apparent what is required but with three characters who all possess very different abilities Jawbreakers! is crying out for a tutorial of some description. That said, when you do manage to grasp the game mechanics the puzzle solving is reasonably enjoyable but getting there in the first place is reserved for only the most determined of gamers.

Pro: Looks And Sounds Like The Cartoon
Con: Frustrating Gameplay
Final score: 4.7

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