Shorts
Ages: Everyone 10+

It's a game made from a movie about wishes gone wild - the mayhem results and how the kids have to set things aright. And then there is the power mad Mr. Black and his Black Box factory and his ultimate product, the Black Box. Sounds to me like he's making voting machines. The four characters: Toe Thompson, Nose Noseworthy, Loogie Short and Helvetica Black appear in different environments the house, the castle and finally the Black Box factory.

Don't know what the significance of the title Shorts is - from what I see, there is plenty of play to get through to the end. It is basically platformer with help. The four characters each have a method of avoiding the annoying double jump. Toe and Helvetica have hover jumps, Loogie has a flying Pterodactyl jump and Nose can grow plants tall enough to get him to high places. Another assist allows all of them to draw lines to make platforms, ramps or shields. Each of the four characters also have special abilities but they can only be activated after you have collected 100 energy balls. It's not a short game.

Nose's plant growth ray can be made into a shrink ray so enemies can be shrunk and stepped upon. Loogie has a special attack that will wipe out all the enemies on the screen. Toe and Helvetica can activate UFO's or wasps to surround them giving them invincibility.

It is an interesting approach - no guns, and enemies are mostly destroyed by jumping on them. This doesn't necessarily mean that it is easy - timing and judgment help. But it is interesting enough to make me want to go and see the movie.

Fun Factor: It's a different side scroller/platformer
Female Factor: Chasing boogers almost put this into Games4YourBrother(s) but Helvetica saved the day.

Reviewed by: Editor - 08/09