Description:
This action game spawned from the movie Toy Story promises "40 hours of gaming so wild, it's out of this world!" in its promotional material. Forty hours is far too long to spend with a game like this.Players assume the identity of the gangly cowboy Woody, rescuing good toys and fighting bad ones in a world that's as flat as an Etch A Sketch drawing. On the plus side, this game only takes up 8 MB of hard disk space, according to the box, which certainly explains that flat feeling. Tasks are assigned on each of the 17 levels by, yes, an Etch A Sketch, which redeems this game somewhat since kids must read directions, then memorize and carry out the orders. But expect frustration when Woody can't accomplish a simple room-cleaning assignment in the allotted time because a chair is in his way and he's designed to need 50 tries to hop onto and over it. Poor Woody doesn't have much of an arsenal, either--just his bullwhip and that dubious ability to hop over things. This game can be played in Windows or full-screen mode. Full screen is the recommended setting, but we found that mode chunky looking, and opted instead for a sized-down Windows screen. Gamers who want complexity, three-dimensional detail, and that "gee whiz" factor won't find it in this game. But fans of Toy Story will find Buzz, the Green Army Men, Rex, and the rest of the gang. Just don't expect them to move as fluidly as they do in the movie. (Ages 6 and older) --Anne Erickson
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