Even in you're a huge fan of the show,
you're not likely to be a huge fan of the game. Unless
you're just as whacked as Ed, Edd n' Eddy.
by Cole Smith
March
7, 2006 - The
Mis-Edventures is aimed at kids. It's got a mix of
everything but really excels at nothing. Although
the game does look and sound like the TV show, the
gameplay is reminiscent of a budget game. I had to
look closely to make sure the box it came in didn't
have a hole drilled through it.
The
three boys from the Cul-de-Sac are out looking for
jawbreakers and pulling their usual scams. The levels
in this game are called scams. They include different
objectives which are definitely odd which is to be
expected but from a strict gaming standpoint they
are obtuse and confusing.

Elements
as solving puzzles, timed events, stealth, platforming
and combat are included in just about every scam.
There is a decent amount of variety but it doesn't
all gel together. The story is haphazard and although
that's not really a big deal considering the zany
nature of the show, the objectives feel as though
they were just thrown together for the sake of creating
a videogame. It's like a kart racer without the kart.
Beginning
with a tutorial you will learn the various ways in
which you can employ the three characters. They not
only have different abilities but they are able to
combine their talents to accomplish more grandiose
objectives. You can switch among them with a push
of the button. It's certainly not a new concept and
the developers didn't go out of their way to make
any aspect of it unique.
Then
we come to the characters themselves. Each one of
them is just basically foolish. I don't really get
the appeal of these guys. They're like a cross between
Beavis and Butthead and Dennis the Menace - only more
annoying. Their voices are grating and what they say
is not really funny at all. It's like something you
dreamed that was funny but wasn't even close once
you regained consciousness. The good news is that
the game characters are virtually identical to their
cartoon counterparts. Even the voices are supplied
by the same actors, if indeed actors is the correct
term for them. To further drive you crazy the dialog
is limited to a handful of lines per characters. They
keep repeating the same annoying things over and over.

Ed
is the tall guy. He can throw things, dig in the sandbox
and use his other two pals to form a battering ram.
Edd is the smart one. He is perfect for flipping switches
and has a slingshot that he uses to hit targets. Eddy
is the leader. He's got stink bombs, a yo-yo and can
form a tower with Edd on the top to reach high places.
The game forces you to scroll through all of their
abilities several times per mission. It's up to you
to figure out who to use in what combination.
Oftentimes
you will get stuck because the puzzles are so arbitrary
that even after you solve them, or check out a walkthrough,
you will still shake your head and wonder how the
hell you would have ever figured that one out. There
is a lot of trial and error and if you've got a lot
of time on your hands you might just be able to stumble
on to some of these solutions. Keep in mind that all
three characters share the same health gauge and there
are little critters such as spiders, rats and squirrels
that are constantly annoying you and chipping away
at your health while you're trying to get things done.
Fans of the show might be able to stick this out but
the average gamer will soon realize there's something
going on here that just doesn't jibe with other games
of this genre.
Collecting
is the ultimate goal of the gameplay. Dig through
all the sandboxes, look for hiding spots and try to
locate chicken eggs, clothing articles and jawbreakers.
If you find all of the jawbreakers you will unlock
some cheat codes. The chicken eggs will help you unlock
some different modes and finding all of the clothes
will unlock new levels - or scams. You don't have
to find everything at one time. You can revisit some
scams that you've already completed and search for
those hard-to-find items. That's about all you can
look forward to for replay value.

You
will also have some trouble finding out exactly what's
expected of you next. The missions aren't spelled
out for you and that can create some anxiety since
some of us non-fans are not content just to be hanging
in the Cul-de-Sal. Some of us want to do something
constructive - or in this case destructive.
There
is no multi-player mode despite the fact that this
game is begging for a three-player co-op. I will even
accept a two-player mode. The missed potential of
this game is shocking. They really missed the adventure
in this Mis-Edventure.
The
same ugly graphics of the TV show are replicated here
almost perfectly. When I say ugly, I realize that
they are intentionally drawn that way and it's certainly
a welcome change from anime. The music is whimsical
and led by an understated saxophone, it's the coolest
aspect of the production values. The controls are
a little sluggish to respond and the characters take
a while to get up to speed when walking. And while
I'm at it I might as well mention the camera angles
that tend to get stuck in places.
There
are just too many flaws in the game to recommend it.
Rent it if you're compelled but it won't be the most
memorable gaming experience that you'll have this
season.

Features:
- TAG
TEAM GAMEPLAY- Control all three crazy characters
at the same time and swap the lead character on
the fly to take advantage of each of the Eds' unique
abilities
- ABILITY
TO USE UNIQUE FORMATIONS- Execute special all-Ed
formations like the Trampol-Edd, Tower-of-Eddy and
Batter-Ed
- SPOT-ON
REPRESENTATION OF THE CARTOON- Experience the slapstick
humor, frantic pace, crazy art direction and outrageous
fun of the show
- WACKY
SCAM OBJECTIVES- From selling snowcones to the neighborhood
kids to collecting jawbreakers, players must complete
wacky scam objectives to explore and unlock new
areas of the game
- MEET
THE CAST- Meet all your favorite characters from
the show, including Sarah, Jimmy, Jonny 2x4 and
Plank, Kevin, Nazz, Rolf and of course
the
Kanker Sisters!
By
Cole Smith
CCC
Senior Writer
|