Amazon.co.uk Review
In a Mr. Men style variation on the old arcade classic Donkey Kong,
Mr. Noisy Presents Balloon War is a running and jumping platform game where you have to make your way to the top level, grab a balloon and then drop it on your opponent, whether you're playing against the computer or against a friend.
Each player starts the game with five lives and along the way you can snaffle bonus points by running over rabbits, cakes, ladybugs, carrots and aliens. The real fun starts when you encounter the various obstacles--there are worms that burrow through the platforms, knocking you over, and there's Mr. Noisy himself, who shouts so loud that should you be in the way he knocks you over as well. In addition, other Mr. Men pop up here and there, altering your character's behaviour, sometimes making you do things in reverse, slowing you down, or giving you an extra life.
As in the other games in this series, there are six characters to choose from, each with strengths and weaknesses that alter the way the game's played. Little Miss Late for example, responds to keyboard commands after a slight delay, but can jump higher than most other characters. Each game has five themed backgrounds, three levels of difficulty (within which you can set the overall level to easy or hard) and applies the basic laws of physics. Thus, should you grab a balloon and then drop down to a lower platform for a better shot, you can't jump back up again until you've dumped the balloon because you're too heavy. Similarly, if you stand still and throw a balloon, it falls straight down, but if you throw it while running, it moves in the same direction.
This is good, addictive fun for six to 10 year olds. It's easy to pick up and the various levels of difficulty, changes of scene and character variations mean that it'll stay fun. --Rob Beattie
Manufacturer's Description
Put your skills to the test! Be the first to reach the balloons at the top. Once youre there, try to stay up there. Watch out though, there are many obstacles to overcome, so winning the game might not be as easy as you think.