Kungfu Panda Video Games Review

Kungfu Panda Video Games Review

Kungfu Panda Video Games. Master the specialized Kung Fu fighting styles of Po the Panda with Kung Fu Panda. Embark on an epic, action-packed adventure with the unlikely hero, his teacher Shifu, and the legendary Kung Fu masters, the Furious Five. Through 13 legendary levels from the movie and beyond, you must work your way to become the Dragon Warrior.

NoT many PS3 titles are children-friendly but since Kung Fu Panda is a tie-in to the animated movie, you and your kids can both enjoy this awesome game. Movie tie-ins have not fared well after being converted into games but this action adventure title proves that there’s still hope out there.

The game opens with Master Po, kung fu master and legend among his people, whose martial arts prowess is unsurpassable, defeating enemies around him with ease. At the time, you’ll be thinking: “Man, Po’s skills are so awesome and bodacious this game could dangerously become boring.”

And just when you attain and unleash the power of the Legendary Sword of Heroes, Po wakes up holding a broom. It was just a dream. The first level introduces you to Po (not a Master yet) as the clumsy apprentice of a noodle maker, day dreamer and the laziest animal in the Valley of Peace. But this Panda has aspirations of becoming a member of the most powerful Kung Fu masters ever known — the Furious Five.

As these legendary masters were demonstrating their arts, Tai Lung, a snow leopard martial arts master who recently escaped from the inescapable Chorh-Gom prison, capture them and attempt to steal the Dragon Scroll. With no warriors to defend the scroll, it is up to Master Shifu to train Po into a fighting machine, rescue the Furious Five and rid the land of Tai Lung.

For most of the game you play as Po, but other characters, like the Furious Five’s Master Tigress, Master Mantis, Master Viper, Master Crane and Master Monkey, are also playable. The game is a puzzle-platform format and most of the gameplay is fairly straightforward. However, in some of the more advanced levels, the puzzles can become quite difficult.

You will have to analyse different structures, use environmental objects and find switches in some pretty complicated maps. The controls are fairly easy with light and heavy attacks. There’s the block, jump and special-attack button which ranges from belly flops to the Panda Stumble.

Most of the game involves unleashing kung fu-style butt-kicking with some creative twists thrown in such as river rafting and a fireworks cannon. On occasion, you’ll run into the all-too-familiar timed button sequences that pop up unexpectedly and will at least keep you on your toes.

The graphics in Kungfu Panda Video Games are reflective of the attitude and comedy of the movie with great amount of detail that matches the movie quite well. The original cast members did not return for the game but you will be hard-pressed to tell the difference. Whoever did Po really sounded as bodacious and awesome as Jack Black.

The sound effects throughout the game are well done. The background music sounds like it came from a 1980s kung fu movie. Though Kung Fu Panda might appeal to more kids, parents and adults who want in on the action may find themselves kung fu fighting for the controller