Curious George
Publisher: Namco
Official Site: www.curiousgeorgegame.com

ESRB Rating: E
Reviewed Platform: PlayStation 2
Available Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube
For 1 player.

Overall: A-
Violence: A
Sexual Content: A
Language: A
Alcohol/Drug Use: A

What is this game about?

The game Curious George is based on the film of the same name that was released in February 2006. George is a rambunctious monkey living in the African jungle when he happens to meet The Man in the Yellow Hat. The two hit it off thanks to a game of peek-a-boo.

The Man in the Yellow Hat works at a museum and he is in Africa to find a giant monkey idol that would save his beloved workplace from being bulldozed to make room for a parking lot. He finds an idol -- but this one is about five inches tall.

George follows the dejected man back to America, where the two get into one misadventure after another that ultimately leads back to Africa to find the real idol.

Is it fun to play?

In certain sections, yes, Curious George does offer some good entertainment value. In others, it offers little more than frayed nerves and irritation.

The control scheme is the main source of the frustration. It's very loose, meaning it's sloppy and hard to handle. When you're talking about navigating and jumping in a 3-D environment, that's a real problem.

I had some difficulty with the controls and my son, who's seven, pretty much gave up on the game during the second of the 12 levels because you're having to fight the game while you're trying to play it.

For instance, in one incredibly infuriating level, you have to jump onto oversized round hats that the women of a jungle village are wearing. The women are walking around the village square. You're required to leap onto several of them before jumping onto a roof. If you misjudge your leap or slide off the edge of a hat, you have to start the level all over again. And believe me, you'll miss... often.

What do parents need to know about?

From a parent's perspective, Curious George has a whole lot of good points working in its favour. First off, this is a wholesome title that revels in innocence and child-like wonder.

The game encourages exploration and curiosity. As you guide George through the levels, there are items you'll come across that have shimmering stars dancing around them. When George approaches the items, a question mark will appear. If you press the action button, George will interact with the item that has aroused his curiosity. They're all cute scenes -- stuff like hoses spraying water or clothes leaping out of suitcases -- and you're rewarded with points for being curious.

You're also able to collect bananas, which are scattered throughout the levels. By collecting them, you'll be able to unlock special bonus content, including minigames. Several bananas are hidden, which promotes exploration.

Thanks to an overlay that appears, you'll be able to see the number of bananas and curiosity points you've amassed during the level, as well as the total number of each that are available to find. So, you're encouraged to stick around and explore in order to discover everything there is.

The game also promotes strong hand-eye coordination thanks to a dance sequence in which you push different buttons on the controller as they appear within a box on the screen.

The overall level design is simple and very kid friendly. The main question, really, is whether your child is in the right age bracket to really enjoy the game. The shaky controls require a certain level of dexterity to get a handle on, probably in the eight or nine year old range. But by that age, they may not be too interested in Curious George, which has traditionally been targeted at younger children.

Still, it's worth a try. Just be sure you'll be available to help them out from time to time because some of the sections do require the gaming skills of a more experienced gamer.

Wayne Chamberlain

© 2006 One Voice Communications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.