Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg

"Being a Super Mario 64 clone isn't necessarily a bad thing..."

Sega's first original platforming franchise for the Nintendo Gamecube definitely lives up to Sonic Teams other efforts, including the Sonic series. Billy Hatcher is definitely one of the best platformers I've played this year. Even though other games' influence on this game is quite obvious, Sonic Team does it so well that you won't care if it's a clone or not. With a healthy mix of Mario and Sonic staples, it will satisfy both Nintendo and Sega fans.

GAMEPLAY

Before I mention the original ideas that this game has, I just want to state the ideas that were borrowed from other games. When you start playing, you can already see that the set-up is almost identical to Super Mario 64. There are different worlds, and in those worlds are little medallions (the equivalent of a Star in Super Mario 64) that you have to complete missions to get. For 3-D Mario platformer fans, you'll feel right at home with the basic arrangement of the game. For others, there's a reason that Sega decided to use this format: it's great!

Another influence that I've noticed is that, although Billy Hatcher isn't a game about speed, you do get that rush that you get from Sonic games sometimes. While pushing eggs down a hill, you roll with the egg at a pretty fast speed (of course not as fast as Sonic, but faster than any other platformer mascot). Aside from rolling down hills, you also will encounter these rings that will shoot you to other places really fast, kind of like the boosters in the Sonic games.

Now for the interesting part of the gameplay, the new stuff you’ve never seen before. The game revolves around you using eggs to destroy monsters and help you get to places you normally couldn’t get to. You push eggs around and make it grow by pushing it over these fruit items. When they are large enough, you can shout at them and the animals inside will awaken. The creatures are very useful for destroying monsters and changing the environment (for example, putting out fires). There are even some really cool creatures that I will not spoil by mentioning them. The focus on eggs is definitely a lot of fun, although there is just a small problem with it. You grab onto the egg by running and pushing it, so that means that you will need space to run so you can safely grab eggs. Don’t worry though, since it wasn’t really that big of an annoyance when I went through it.

GRAPHICS

Billy Hatcher’s graphics complement its kiddy reputation in every way. Everything is simply colored with almost no texture. Although the graphics aren’t even close to being the best, they’re good enough that you won’t really stop to comment on it. Not really something that will draw older audiences to the game, but kids will be attracted to the cute and fun look of the game.

SOUND

As with the graphics, the sounds in this game really does make the game feel like an eight year old should be playing it instead of you. Although normally it would make the game less fun to play, I enjoyed the kiddy atmosphere that this game set. The sounds are perfect for creating that light-hearted feel that makes the game so much more enjoyable.

FINAL WORD

Get over the kiddy image, and don’t judge a book by its cover. This game is a lot of fun, especially if you’re a Mario or Sonic fan. While there are some small annoyances with the new idea of pushing an egg around, the game will keep you busy for days. While waiting for the next Sonic or Mario game, get this game. It’s worth your time.

Verdict: Hit!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/13/03