Dan Geeks Out: Video Game Review #427: Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!!

Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!!

Nintendo DS

Nostalgia Factor:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this has to be the longest title for a video game I've reviewed, right? If it is, blog history has been made: not once but twice. In addition to being such a long title, it's also my first Nintendo DS review. What a monumental occasion! This day will go down in history forever.

All joking aside, I've strayed a little bit from Mop Up Duty so I decided to get back on track by tackling a shorter game for the year 2012. I had intended to play through Far Cry 3, but that game is way too long. I've heard this one can be beaten in about five or six hours. Don't tell anyone, but I'd like to get Mop Up Duty over and done with so I can go back to playing whatever the heck I want, when I want. What a good way to get things sped up.

Story:

If you've ever watched a single episode of Adventure Time, you should know coming in that this game's story is going to be all over the place. The basic premise is that the Ice King has stolen your garbage and has begun building a princess out if it. It's your job to track him down and stop him from what he's doing. I mean, how DARE he touch your garbage!

As you explore the world of the game, you'll get caught up in all kinds of zany side quests, like finding missing panties or tracking down instrument-playing insects so they can open a door for you. If you've never seen the show before, this game is going to throw you for a major WTF loop. If you have, nothing you see here should come as any kind of surprise.

Gameplay:

I came into this game expecting it to be a standard 2D platformer, but it is a lot more than that. There's definitely a ton of RPG elements to be found here. The game has an overworld map, where you travel from location to location. When you enter an area, it switches to the 2D perspective. If you're in a town, you can talk to people and get clues as to what you need to do next. If you're in a dungeon or "action area" (I can't think of a better term for it!), you progress through the area - running, jumping, and hacking at your enemies.

Your inventory is located on the bottom of the screen, and collectibles are added to the list as you go along. Use your DS's stylus to select the item and use it without having to pause the game. You can combine items, like if you have a bottle of ketchup and a hot dog in your inventory, to make more powerful healing items. Other items give you abilities like invincibility, increased attack power, or the ability to temporarily fire projectiles at your enemies.

The overworld map is broken into four major areas, each of which are blocked off until you complete the previous area. For example, you can't enter the second area of the game until you complete the first - at which point Jake learns the ability to stretch himself across broken bridges, which allows Finn to walk across him to the new area. Each area you complete unlocks a new ability that you need in order to progress through the game. It's like a lite version of Zelda.

The game is filled with secret areas for you to discover. These secret areas offer magical chests that allow you to level up your character's speed, health, or power. For what I assumed to be a simple 2D platformer, this title has a surprising amount of depth to it.

All that said, this is a very easy game. Combat is laughably easy, and even when you do run into tough bosses, health items are so plentiful you should almost never find yourself reaching a game over screen. In fact, this game's biggest challenge is simply finding out what you are supposed to do next. This game is filled with fetch quests galore, and if you put the game down for a few days and come back to it, you are going to be hurting trying to find out where you are supposed to go next.

Overall the game is indeed about five or six hours long. Perfect length for if you are looking for a short, fun game to occupy some time.

Graphics:

If the game's map doesn't make you think of Zelda or Super Mario World, I don't know what will. In fact, the whole game has a very Paper Mario feel to it both graphically and tonally. It isn't as bright or vibrant as the Adventure Time cartoon, no, but it definitely delivers a cartoon-like performance to your screen.

The character design is great. I always look forward to meeting the residents whenever I enter a new town. The enemies are varied and creative, as are the game's landscapes and settings. Everywhere you go in the world of this game, there is always something fun and interesting to look at.

The game looks much better on the small screen. When playing it on a big TV, the graphic quality really begins to suffer and the jagged edges rear their ugly heads. Play it on the small screen, if you can.

Sound:

My initial reaction to this game's sound was that it was going to be terrible. The opening scene has the most godawful rendition of the Adventure Time theme song I have ever heard. Luckily, things get better after that. The game has some really fun and catchy stage themes, and I found myself tapping my toe along with them. My only real issue with the music is how it start over again from the beginning whenever you enter a new room, which can be slightly grating when you're in a dungeon and the music is constantly restarting.

There is no voice acting, which is a shame. Everything is told through text boxes. This is seemingly a game that is made for voice acting. This is my first DS game, so maybe I am misinformed, but I am guessing the DS can't handle it. There are a few teeny tiny voice clips, like when you find a star that levels you up. No idea what they're saying in those clips, though!

Overall:

I did not expect to like this game as much as I did. I expected a quick, easy, and shallow 2D platformer, but this game delivers so much more than that. It's more of an action RPG like a Paper Mario game than anything else. Walking around, exploring the world of Adventure Time, and interacting with its bizarro citizens is a real treat.

The game is short and easy, sure, but it succeeds at what it sets out to do: deliver a fun and engaging Adventure Time experience to its players. If you aren't a big Adventure Time fan, you may not understand the appeal of the game. Although I wouldn't say I'm a "big fan", I'm familiar with the show and its concept, and I still liked it a lot.

I'm not going to say "you're missing out!!" if you decide to give this game a pass. I can't imagine that in 5 years I am going to remember much about this title, like I would with an all-time classic like Castelvania or Metroid. In other words: you'll live if you never play this game. But if you have the means to do it, I'd advise checking it out. You probably won't regret it.

Probably.

THE GRADE:

B-

40th Birthday Mop Up Duty Celebration Tour:

1982 reviews:

1983: