Goof Troop

"I hate to be a spoilsport but..."

The lame story that advances the game makes me believe that this game is aimed at kids. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not one of them prim and proper adults who get sore eyes just watching their kids indulging in play. I'm a teen. That kinda speaks for itself right? Mine is the generation who GREW up on Disney shows like Goof Troop and the Gummi Bears and all things classically Disney (ie. NOT any of those sucky shows they're churning out now)
My point in all this is that I'm more than qualified to comment on a game based on one of my favorite cartoons of all time.

I wouldn't have touched this game if not for the fact that it is one of those rare games that have 2-player co-op mode that don't feature fighting and that it is a platformer (well, kinda). The premise of the game is very nice BUT it was so short!!! My cousin and I breezed through it in 1h51min...including lunch. That is the only major flaw. The other, according to my cousin and not me, would be that it is too difficult. I had to figure out all the puzzles while she sat there complaining.
What I feel though is that this is what makes the game fun. Games aimed at kids should not take its target audience for granted. In short, KIDS CAN THINK! At least some do, the rest are just lazy action seekers. It's disheartening to see the state kiddie games of today are in. Most assume kids have lousy reflexes and are stupid. I'm sure I was not either 10 years back. And I'm no Mensa member (yet ;P) so...

Now you'd probably be asking why the low score right? Because the 1-player mode is untouchable. With 2 players, there is a bit of strategy involved as you decide on a plan to take down the enemies but playing alone takes away that factor, and most of the fun. The game would then degrade into a mindless game of luck as the AI is kinda unpredictable. Enemies who are stupid enough to kill their own kind are also intelligent enough to predict your every move. It's unfair to say the least.

The last reason why I found the game slightly ridiculous was how a second player can always resurrect with unlimited continues when the first heads into a different room. Using the tactic of killing off the player with less lives and then ressurecting him in the next room, we have not encountered a 'Game Over' screen throughout the times we have played the game. Where's the challenge???

It's tragic that such a wonderful idea for a game is so under expectations. It would be so great if games like Chrono Trigger or Earthbound could be combined with the Mario series. Too bad no one's thought of it.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 12/08/01, Updated 10/16/02