A Cheap, Fun Platformer Well Worth It's Bargain Price
Donald Duck is a friend's favorite character of all time. As a lark, I bought this game for a steal (less than $20), and had low expectations. After all, it is seldom that a cheap game you've never heard of has anything good about it! I was pleasantly surprised by the tight visuals, sounds, and voices.
Story
You're helping your family (Huey, Duey, and Louie) and recovering Daisy from some evil fiend. The storyline is pretty formulaic, but there are several extra items to pick up and thus unlock cool outfits for Donald. This extends the play time, and also keeps adults entertained and challenged.
Gameplay
If you have ever played any jumping platformer before, you can control Donald. It's like Crash or Viewtiful Joe (minus the wide range of moves). The controls respond well, and there is no slow down, freezing, or invisible walls. Finally, a game where you DON'T have to push every single button at once while rotating the joystick and the C button simultaneously!!! (I don't mind working my way up to complex controls, but there comes a point at which it is ridiculous for games aimed at kids to expect such refined manual dexterity from the moment they drop the game in!) The quick response and simple controls appeal to kids and adults alike, who want to pick up a game that has that ''already played'' feel built right in!
Crisp Animation and Sounds Great
Donald has never looked better! This is the best video interpretation of Donald since DuckTales on the original NES! The voices are spot on, and the sound effects are much better than I expected. If you make a mistake, Donald gets mad, and mumbles his trademark expletives and begins an ''angry'' animation sequence!
Will This Gather Dust?
I have to admit that this isn't the world's most enthralling title, but I do pick it back up often enough not to trade it in. There is always an excuse to go back and try to find just one more item or hidden feature! Young kids will especially like the fact that they can keep playing the same levels over and over, with predictable results.
Overall Recommendation:
* If you like Donald Duck, you'll like this.
* If you have young kids and are looking for something easier than Super Mario Sunshine, you'll like this.
* If you want to lose yourself for an afternoon and buy one of the best bargain GameCube titles, you'll like this.