Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is the latest movie game to hit shore shelves and fortunately it is one of the better titles that has been released lately. One thing that should be noted immediately is that this title was definitely made with younger kids in mind who will have their parents take them to see the movie. It is a really great family game that everyone should be able to enjoy. The various platforming segments and everything else is very simplistic. I think the most complicated thing I did in this game was wall run while transitioning to wall jumps. The story is told through some cave drawings as Sid and Diego narrate for Sid’s “kids”.

The controls in this game are very simple and each time a new mechanic is introduced you get an explanation on how to use it. There are also times when you need to jump and latch on to something at which point a button prompt will appear on your screen. Simply push the corresponding button that appears on the screen as soon as you see it and you will be good to go. Throughout your adventure you will visit various locales from the movie and you will also get the chance to control some of your favorite characters. As you go through the game you will also come across a bunch of different colored crystals. Finding all of these crystals will not only unlock special items throughout the game but you will also unlock achievements as well. Some of the various things that you can get by finding these crystals is the chance to view some concept art and character art as well as have the opportunity to listen to some of the character’s voice tracks. You will also get the chance to listen to the music from the different stages without having to play them as well as having the chance to view any of the movies in the game that you have unlocked, any time you want. There is even a bonus clip from the movie that you can unlock and watch.

In addition to all of that there is also a local multiplayer mode. There are a whole bunch of mini games here that the whole family can enjoy. There are games where you can roll around on a big snowball and try to knock the other player off the ice or throw mud at each other to get the highest score. Then there are also games like where you have to mimic whatever Sid does as well as simple races to see who can cross the finish line first. As you progress through the game you will see that there is a bunch of fruit to pick up along the way. This fruit is the currency of the game and you can trade it in a store to unlock even more items. You can actually buy some crystals in there in addition to giving your character more health and even unlocking some of the mini games. Again, it is a very simplistic system but it works well here.

There is also a challenge mode for everyone to enjoy. The basic premise here is that you complete a level as fast as you can. Then another person goes through the same level and tries to beat your time with the top three times being displayed. It is another way to get everyone involved and could extend the replayability of this title for those who enjoy it. Overall Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a pretty good movie title. It is a great game that you can play with the entire family without having to worry about violence or anything of that nature. While the gameplay does tend to get a bit repetitive at the end kids should have fun controlling their favorite characters throughout the whole adventure. If you are a fan of the movie be sure to give this game a chance.

Score: 8/10

Originally posted on Totally Gaming Network