G-Force

Ah, Guinea pigs. The term's a bit of a misnomer: they're actually a species of rodents originating from the Andes, not pigs or from a Pacific island nation.  Originally bred for food (and still served as a culinary delight in some locations), they've since found their niche as cute and fuzzy companions. However, whilst other rodents, particularly mice, have found popularity in the mainstream media, there appears to be a distinct lack of Guinea pig-related IP out there.

That's where G-Force steps in. Focusing on four courageous cavies, the latest Disney animation centres around the secret agents' adventure as they unearth a sinister digital conspiracy, saving the world in the process. Big on thrills, spills and laughs, and served with more than a generous helping of cuteness, the film is exactly what you'd expect a movie aimed at children to be. You'd probably expect the opposite to be true of the game since it's a tie-in and for kids, but, surprisingly, the title is actually a whole lot of fun.

The player takes control of Darwin, who leads his trio of furballs, as they attempt to stop the evil Saberling corporation's army of robots, disguised as household appliances, from wreaking havoc worldwide. Feisty Juarez, brash Blaster, super-smart Speckles and even heavyset Hurley all cross over from the film, giving you mission info wherever possible.That's where any similarities between the two end: The two stories don't show much correlation, so anyone who hasn't seen the film can hop into this without worry that either will be spoiled.

It's good fun running around the levels of this platformer; rocketing up to higher areas using the jetpack strapped to your back. The change of perspective is a refreshing one, skulking past massive human figures and getting into places they can't. The menu screens are crisp and modernist, and the fact that you're a Guinea pig is never actually mentioned, ensuring you'll crack a smile as the rodents handle their mission with extreme prejudice.

It's not all just jumping and fighting: spy fly Mooch accompanies you, getting into the even smaller spaces Darwin can't.  The player can take control of him at any time, buzzing through air ducts to unlock doors and disable enemies for your four-legged friends to dispatch. The insect's ability to slow down time comes in handy when trying to gain access to areas blocked by fans, with inaccessible spaces being cleverly blocked by bug zappers. These sections, along with a short but silly high-speed escape in rocket-powered hamster balls, help to break up the action and keep things interesting.

It's evident that G-Force's developers have made an admirable attempt to differentiate it from all the other derisive film tie-ins and games aimed at children through the small details they've implemented.  The combat and platforming is satisfying and the difficulty levels are perfectly balanced, meaning it's easy enough for youngsters to make progress, but challenging enough not to patronise them. However, it's hard not to feel that the game would have been something even more special if it had had the same production values as its cellular counterpart. The graphics aren't spectacular, the story isn't as imaginative as the film's, and only some of the movie's voice actors have retained their roles for the tie-in.

That being said, G-Force is still one of the better movie games you can purchase without your kid's feeling as if you've insulted their intelligence, as well as being the perfect guilty pleasure for the older gamer. It's simple, silly fun, with optional 3D visuals (alongside two pairs of child-sized specs) only adding to the charm of the title. The title's longevity may not rival that of an actual Guinea pig, but it'll last longer than you might think, and you'll have a smile on your face the entire way through.

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Under the previous scoring system (before 09/09/09) this game received a score of seven out of ten.