Barbie - Secret Agent (Game Boy Advance) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

You may recall that the last Barbie review I wrote was carried out with the expert help of my niece and as my knowledge of all things Barbie has hardly expanded since I've called on her help again. Departing slightly from 'Groove Games', Secret Agent is more like a simplistic Lara Croft while still a collection of mini games like those that made the last title so accessible to gamers. Obviously the question all you Barbie fans are asking is, if you already have Groove Games, is this latest outing really worth purchasing? Does it have enough new and exciting features to make it a 'must have' for your collection? And just why is everything so pink?

Gameplay

Secret Agent follows a James Bond type plot with you controlling Barbie as she attempts to track to down a professional thief who's trying to steal the crown jewels. It takes place over five different countries and a handful of gaming styles although these are mainly platformers. You'll quickly discover that the route to success in this title is fine-tuning your avoidance techniques, as the main levels definitely require more stealth than firepower. On the subject of firepower, Secret Agent is also a non-violent affair so rather than shooting people you can distract them with smoke bombs, become invisible (with the help of your stealth ring) or simply hide in a darkened area. Discretion is all-important, as too much exposure means you are discovered and must start the whole level again, which can become a little frustrating.

Encountering a lock in any one of the levels will take you to a mini game and although these are relatively easy to solve they do add more diversity to an already impressive collection of gaming styles. They include driving, horse riding and even scuba diving. What really sets this title apart though is the ability to enjoy these games at any time providing you unlock them by collecting a given number of CDs in the various missions. Some of them may seem way out of reach but by utilising your Wrist Glider or Robot Spy Puppy you'll soon realise that you can access almost all areas. Disappointingly the game is saved with a pass code and although it's both simple to record and input a battery backup would have been much better.

Controls

Even though the game changes pace and genre, the controls have been kept simple and intuitive. This is helped further by a training section which takes you through almost all the moves and gadgets that you'll need across the five areas. It really doesn't get much more helpful than this and would be nice if all titles aimed at younger gamers could include a similar feature as it really can't take much more development time. Some of the collision detection is a little questionable and occasionally you'll be able to stand in mid air but overall the developers have done a fine job, which means better adventures for you.

Graphics

Pink and lots of it! I'd like to say that was a joke but it really isn't. The majority of levels feature a pink or pinkish hue that will no doubt delight Barbie fans. Colours aside though the developers have created a very pleasing looking title and although the animation is occasionally a bit limited everything appears to do its job. The number of different visual styles that the designers have created is impressive too and the levels do a fine job of representing their different worldwide locations without feeling repetitious. The overall presentation and the front end really shine in this title and the menus have been constructed to make them both pleasing to the eye and incredibly intuitive.

Sound

It's the usual story really and while the audio isn't too annoying it's nothing to write home about. It does its best to instil some degree of secret agent type tension but never really pulls it off. The composition would be more at home on the GBC as opposed to the Gameboy Advance. The sound effects fare a little better however and at least the options menu allows you to completely turn the music off.

Final comments

I've felt for a long time that younger gamers are 'short changed' on a regular basis and so Barbie - Secret Agent made a refreshing change. Not only does the game represent a reasonable challenge but it's also fun to play. My niece especially liked the unlockable mini games and the fact that these could be played at any time without the need to play through the whole adventure. In addition, the game design and implementation have been carried out with considerable care. While this is not for the general gamer it achieves what it sets out to do and younger Barbie fans should get considerable enjoyment from this tiny cart.

Pro: Loads Of Mini-Games.
Con: Very Pink.
Final score: 6.9

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