It's common now for games based on movies to be released near the release date of the movie it's based on. I'm sure game publishers want to strike while the “fire is hot,” so to speak. Gamers will probably be more interested in a game based on a movie right after they see the movie, not six months to a year after the movie has already been out. This isn't a bad trend because it usually allows the game developers the opportunity to be involved in the development process with the movie studio from the very beginning. Madagascar is another game based upon a major blockbuster movie released near the same time as the movie. The results are a mixed bag that will probably please some, especially the younger crowd, but leave others - the more serious gamers - looking elsewhere. Now I must advise you that I have not seen the movie yet. If my review is lacking information that was explained in the movie then I apologize.

The basic premise of Madagascar revolves around a group of animals that live in the New York Zoo. Marty the Zebra has grown tired of performing at the zoo and decides to escape. After Marty escapes, his other animal friends - Alex the lion, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo - start looking for Marty in the city. 

The game starts off with you playing the role of Marty confined in the zoo. You can control Marty with the right analog stick by moving Marty around and pressing the A button to jump. The game starts off with a very simple mission to obtain three power cards to earn a new ability for Marty. I thought this was rather strange that we had what was essentially a 3D-platforming game but without the ability to perform any attacks. It wasn't a really big problem since I found the power cards right away. For a young gamer this is a great way to ease you into the game.

In fact the game tries to ease you into almost every part of the game by cutting to a short cutscene to explain instructions for the next section of the game. These little cutscenes were helpful but seemed to occur way too often. The amount of actual game time seemed to diminish because of the cutscenes. I would play a short section of the game that would last maybe two to three minutes and then another cutscene would come up. After the next cutscene the next part of the game was playable. This cycle would repeat over and over again. Once again, for a young gamer these instructions could be very helpful in learning how to play the game, though more seasoned gamers may find it a bit frustrating.

Early on in the game you do get a nice variety of gameplay styles that actually continues on through the game. For example, in order to escape the zoo Marty has to sneak past some guards at night. But the guards all have flashlights and if Marty is seen by the guards then you have to start the level over again. The key to the level is playing it very sneaking and moving slowly through the level. You can use different items located throughout the stages such as trash cans and cleaning carts to help in your escape. The AI is soft enough not to notice some of the rather loud noises you may make during this level, which again caters to younger players. Other gameplay styles present included a small racing sequence that was rather fun, and then the atypical jumping around collecting coins seen in so many other games.

As many gamers know that a platform game is only as good as the camera angle and unfortunately this seems to be the biggest problem with the game. After every cutscene in the game the camera angle would reset in what had to be the worse angle to see the stage. Instead of running along and playing the next section I would have to move the camera angle into a better position in order to see the stage properly. Moving the camera wasn't a picnic either since it wanted to move at a snail's pace.

Madagascar, in spite of some of these setbacks, still is an entertaining game. I did enjoy the ability to use the coins (called Monkey Money) you collect in the game to unlock some nice mini games. The mini games are Tiki Mini-Golf, Shuffleboard and Lemur Rave (dance party-style game). Sure we've seen mini golf included before as a mini game and dancing games have become popular as well, but what about Shuffleboard? I can't recall the last game that included a Shuffleboard mini game in it (readers let me know which game it was cause I'm sure there had to be one). The shuffleboard mini game was just a fun waste of time.

Gameplay: 7.3
It's a decent 3D platform game that will probably be enjoyed more by younger gamers. The different types of styles available during the game is good but not enough to make the game stand out. If the pacing of the game wasn't interrupted as much with the cutscenes, the game could probably appeal to more established gamers. The controls are good but the camera angle was always an issue after a cutscene. Waiting several seconds to correct the angle is not a welcomed featured.

Graphics: 7.3
The graphics in the game are nice and colorful, but lack the detail of the movie characters. Since the movie is CG (computer-generated graphics) I would expect the characters to look very similar to their movie counterparts. The characters are close enough but seem hand drawn instead of done in the same CG style as the movie.

Sound: 7.5
The voice acting in the game was well done even if the actors from the movies weren't involved. The characters sound very similar to the characters from the movie who were voiced by celebrity actors (Chris Rock, Ben Stiller). The music and sound effects for the rest of the game were good; the music fit the tone of the game and the sound effects came through loud and clear. 

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
You shouldn't have any problems getting through this game. The game is easy enough that most gamers will probably finish it within a few days. There are a few spots in the game that could have you scratching your head for a few minutes.

Concept: 7.2
Madagascar does a decent job of keeping gamers entertained with the 3D platforming gameplay. The extra mini games were very nice and including some more would have been an even better feature.

Multiplayer: 7.0
The game does not support any online multiplayer features. The mini games do include a multiplayer portion that can be played with just one controller. The Mini Golf game can support up to six players, the Shuffleboard game supports two players and the Dance game supports two players. The dance mini game is the only mini game that requires you to have two controllers to play. A co-op mode during the regular single-player mode would have been a nice feature.

Overall: 7.4
This isn't the game that will revolutionize the videogame/movie crossover market. It shouldn't be but it is a game that will have younger games having a good time. That's all we can hope for sometimes. Having the young ones entertained for a few minutes while the parents get some rest or get a chance to play something else.