Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors Review for Nintendo DS

Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors box art

System: DS, Wii	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Activision	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Activision	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Nov. 5, 2008	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

We applaud Activision for giving us a much better Kung Fu Panda to play on DS, but the game is far from perfect. Perhaps the most common issue players will come across is merely being able to see enough of the battlefield at various points throughout a stage. Environmental objects will often pop up in front of your character, completely obscuring your view, thus leaving you vulnerable to cheap enemy attacks. Another problem has to do with some of the game’s platforms, as the geometry doesn’t always match up quite right with the gameplay. Lastly, some of the DS-centric, touch-screen elements don’t work all that well, and they’ll often bog down your level progression as you reach for your stylus.

Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors screenshot

On the production front, Legendary Warriors seems to follow the “less is more” philosophy, as there is no voice work, no animated cutscenes, yet the game is better for it. The 3D graphics seem to be produced using the same engine as before, but Legendary Warriors sticks with a slightly more basic style that works well to complement its straight-forward, beat-‘em-up gameplay. Character models aren’t greatly detailed, but they animate smoothly. The backgrounds, however, are perhaps the game’s graphical highlight, showing off lovely trees and Chinese architecture. Overall, though the visuals still lack some polish, Legendary Warriors remains easy on the eyes.

The soundtrack, too, is improved, as sound effects and themes do a much better job of…doing their job. Cool attack sounds and Oriental-inspired sound effects, along with music that sits well in the background, all lend something entertaining to the presentation as you make your way through stages.

Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors for the DS does a lot right, and Activision gets a big pat on the back from us for it. It’s a simple beat-‘em-up that stays within the realm of tried-and-true gameplay conventions, but it’s addictively fun and offers real replay value. It could use a bit more polish in the graphics department, and not all the touch-screen elements are welcome additions to the adventure. Regardless, it’s a game Po fans will be happy to bring with them for a bit of portable fun.

By Tony Capri
CCC Freelance Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.3

Graphics
The environments look pretty good and there’s plenty of variety, but objects often obscure the view, causing issues with the gameplay. Slowdown isn’t uncommon when things get busy onscreen.

3.9

Control
It’s a button masher, but a fun one. Moving between buttons and stylus can get a tad clumsy, but it’s nothing that truly hinders the gameplay.

4.0

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Sound effects are fun and effective, and the music works well as a backdrop to the gameplay. There’s no voice work this time around, but we really didn’t miss it.

3.4

Play Value
The game’s pretty short, but there are incentives to revisit stages. Lack of multiplayer is disappointing.

3.5

Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Unleash awesome kung fu moves using the DS stylus: Utilizing the DS stylus and touch screen, gamers perform acrobatic jump attacks against numerous foes and unleash powerful Chi Attacks by drawing an on-screen symbol.

Unlock new playable characters with Wii-DS connectivity: The game supports interconnectivity between the Wii and DS allowing gamers to use the DS to unlock multiplayer content onto any Wii to share and experience the excitement with friends.

Relive the humor and excitement of Kung Fu Panda: Fans will revisit the hilarious world of Kung Fu Panda, experiencing new situations and quick-witted dialogue as they face-off against familiar enemies.