Every single time a kid’s movie comes out lately it seems that there’s some kind of game attached to it. Actually, scratch that. These movie-to-game endeavors have been coming out basically since gaming began. Because of that it makes it especially frustrating that most of them simply haven’t evolved. Sure the graphics are prettier, and yes the concepts are up to industry standards most of the time, but how many have truly stood out and broke free of expectations and preconceptions? Unfortunately that number is much smaller than you’d think and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is not a title that’s on that very short list.

As you’d expect this Ice Age title is aimed towards kids who loved the movie. It follows the story of the film somewhat and haphazardly fits into what was seen of the movie’s plot. If you haven’t seen the movie yet you’re going to be lost trying to follow what’s going on in the game since it’s mostly bits that take place in between the real story. Then again I suppose it doesn’t really matter because the only audience for this title is the aforementioned child who can’t get enough Ice Age.

Gameplay

In Ice Age it should be no surprise that you slip into the paws and claws of the film’s stars. Scrat, Buck, Manny, and Sid are all here and as you’d expect, each of them offers up one different gameplay variety or another. As you play through the game you’ll find yourself in control of one character on one stage, and another the next. This shifting character dynamic helps to stifle the sense of repetitiveness for a while, but the balance between gameplay types isn’t as solid as one would like.

Each character has a set of stages that are specific to their abilities and what they can do. You can expect to run through some side-scrolling bits, platforming, stages where you have to roll things around, and some shooting levels as well. The degree of success with which these are all pulled off varies greatly and I’m sure you’re going to walk away from this game having one favorite or another. I personally enjoyed the shooting and platform stages, but found the other levels in the game to be kind of droll. Even then the repetitive nature of each gameplay type didn’t sit well with me or keep me interested. Then again, this game isn’t aimed toward adults. It’s directed toward kids with short attention spans who don’t mind mashing on two buttons for a few hours.

Despite the fact that this game is designed with children in mind, it’s hard to excuse the fact that it’s just so darn simple. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs takes virtually no skill to play and you do not need to have any ability other than holding a controller and hitting buttons. You really have to try hard to die and the whole thing can be breezed through in a matter of just a little over two hours. Imagine the simplicity of each mode offered when you’re given less than thirty minutes to play with each.

Now, as you’d expect there are some things that help broaden the play time of the title and it’s only the single player one-time-through that will take you that brief amount of time to beat. There’s a plethora of things to collect from fruit to crystals and there are upgrades to purchase to make the game even simpler. Kids love collecting things, right? After all it’s what usually keeps them busy with titles such as this. There are also some challenge modes that will extend their play time beyond the single player experience as well.

Now, I must admit that I was relatively surprised by the multiplayer modes that were included here. While there’s nothing too outstanding in particular, the fact that there are eight modes, each with variants really stretches the experience. Add to that the ability for two to four people can play and you have a game that offers some decent family time with the kids. There’s nothing entirely robust here, but the variety is enough to be appreciated and it stretches this title to last for a week or so. Because of that I’d say Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a solid rental for kids who love the movie franchise, but beyond that there’s not much of an audience for it.

Graphics

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is bright and simplistic looking with character models that represent their thematic counterparts. It’s easy to identify who is who and the various stages fit the movie’s mold quite well. Unfortunately the textures are muddied, the animation isn’t the best, and all around the game just has a budget, last-generation look to it. This title is by no means a graphical powerhouse and it is about as basic looking as you can get for a 360 title. Again, this is something that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. A movie-to-game project is typically something that is by the numbers, and that’s what we’ve got here.

Sound

Likewise the sound in Ice Age isn’t anything to write home about. With some voices from the actual actors of the film being mixed with cheesy impressions of the others the quality is quite a mixed bag. The music is more or less whimsical and pulled from the film, though there’s little to write home about, and the sound effects are passable at best. It’s a kid’s game and one based on a movie, so you get what you’d expect!

Conclusion

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a straight-forward children’s release that doesn’t push the envelope in any way. It’s a by-the-numbers movie-to-game title that offers little in terms of surprise, virtually no challenge, and ultimately is a forgettable experience. The multiplayer modes and collectables will keep kids entertained longer than they should be, and because of that I’d say this one at least deserves a rent if you have kids who loved the film. Just don’t be surprised if you see them playing something else after a couple of hours.