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[img width=420 height=588]http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-games-2006/3434-1.jpg[/img]
The history of licensed games has not been good. That is a generous way of saying it. Very few games based off movies or TV shows have a chance of being acceptable. I must admit that this game I will be reviewing is not a great licensed game like Goldeneye or Scott Pilgrim Versus the World, but I will say that it is certainly a good game, and it is worth your time. Also, it is a game you would never expect to be good, and exploring the nooks and crannies of the Gamecube library to find the diamonds in the rough is what this blog is all about. Well, it isn't so much of a diamond as... let's say a jade, shall we? Okay, enough with the metaphors; let's examine why KND is worth your time.
Gameplay
I have always maintained that for a game to be good, first and foremost, it MUST have solid gameplay. Very few remembered and respected games ever released have had universally-recognized poor gameplay. In fact, if done right, a game can be carried almost entirely by solid gameplay. Indie games have proven this time and time again. While this is not entirely the case for KND (it has a few other redeeming features worth noting), its solid play mechanics and tight controls are certainly the best part of the game. Throughout the game, you play as 5 characters, each with different abilities specific to them, and while none of them are particularly unexpected or new, they add a good level of depth to the game through skill-specific puzzles. The game as a whole is just very well-constructed and has a inexplicable addictive element to it, and is a case study in excellent execution of game mechanics over everything else. Most of the game switches between four genres through the aforementioned 5 characters: Third-Person Shooter, 3D Beat-Em'-Up, 3D Platformer, and the most interesting of the four, 2D SHMUP. The 3rd-Person Shooter is rather generic, but the levels are generally fun and challenging to even things out. The Beat-Em'-Up stages contain the most puzzles, and have enough variety in them to keep things fresh. The 3D Platformer stages are probably the least interesting, but put a large emphasis on exploration. This changes things up and makes you re-think your strategy about how you approach a level, but for some reason, these levels feel half-baked. The final level type is perhaps the best of them all. The 2D SHMUP stages are well-designed and present a good challenge and utilize a bullet-absorbation system similar to games like Ikaruga in which you use a shield to absorb enemy fire and release it later for a super attack. These levels are always the most rewarding and fun to play, and actually measure up quite favorably to other SHMUPs on its own. Finally, the final boss battle comes out of nowhere, and is a 3D giant robot battle on the surface of the moon. It's as fun as it sounds. The game actually plays more like an N64 platformer, if that makes sense. It has that "early 3D experimental" vibe to it that makes it feel rather charming.
I do have some criticisms about the game, though. As I said, the game certainly doesn't do anything new, but instead just does what has already been done very well. Also, many of the levels tend to drag on, and generally last about half an hour. In some levels, this means unnecessary waves of extra enemies that serve only to fill out the level. Also, two of the characters you play as have essentially the same type of genre, and could have stood for one more type of level to make things even more interesting. Other than that, I have little complaints with the gameplay.
Gameplay: 8.5/10
[img width=640 height=461]http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/662/662056/codename-kids-next-door-operation-videogame-20051031044150160_640w.jpg[/img]
Story
In the game, you play as 5 operatives in the worldwide military organization known as the Kids Next Door, who fight against various villains who symbolize the tribulations of childhood. For example, one villain, Stickybeard, is a pirate who "sails the seven suburbs" stealing candy from kid's houses. Another is Knightbrace, an evil dentist who controls an army of hypnotized retainer-wearing kids to do his bidding. You certainly can't fault the game for a lack of imagination in story, despite just being based on the TV show. When the game starts, you learn that all the villains have escaped from the KND's high-security moon prison, and you have to go recapture them all. Sure, it's a rather simplistic and silly story, but it suits the gameplay and the show it is based on quite well. As for the dialogue, most of the lines feel rehearsed and cheesy. There are a few good lines, and even two Star Wars references at the end of the game [I swear that I heard someone repeat "It's a trap!" in context during one of the last SHMUP levels set in space!], but for the most part, don't expect much out of the character's lines. Many of the villains are actually somewhat clever in their portrayal of things that kids hate. I named a few before, and even though they are from the show, and not made specifically for the game, they prove to be amusing and comical.
Story: 6.5/10
[img width=640 height=480]http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/662/662056/codename-kids-next-door-operation-videogame-20051031044157909_640w.jpg[/img]
Sound
The soundtrack in KND is nothing special at all. It sounds like stock tunes slightly remixed and repurposed for the game, and are few ear-catching tracks; the ones that you do notice are ones done in an intentionally gaudy, 60's spy movie style that actually feel pretty appropriate. Other than those odd few tracks, the soundtrack is uninspired and bland. Th sound effects are only a little better. Just like those few good songs, the sound effects are silly and overdone, but given the nature of the game, they fit very well. Try to think of it like the sound effects in an old Batman of Hanna-Barbera cartoon. I like to think that the developers did this on purpose, but I don't think I would go that far. Overall, don't expect any ear candy from Codename: Kids Next Door. One last thing; I wasn't able to find any of the music for this game uploaded anywhere, and I'm too lazy to rip the audio myself, so I was unable to put in a sample for you in this review. I hope that's alright; here's just another screenshot. Sorry.
Sound: 5/10
[img width=640 height=480]http://cdn3.spong.com/screen-shot/c/o/codenameki184468l/_-Codename-Kids-Next-Door-Operation-V-I-D-E-O-G-A-M-E-GameCube-_.jpg[/img]
Graphics
Another bland part of the game. The whole presentation is about what you would expect from a licensed game. The game runs in 480i in 4:3, the standard for Gamecube resolution. The character models are simple, but fluidly-animated. Everything looks smooth and cartoony, but that still is not excuse for a lack of detail. The framerate seems to dip when there is a lot of action on screen, which is pretty disappointing, considering the capabilities of the system. However, the game was also released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt, and assume that it was mainly programed for the lower-end PS2, and the GC and Xbox versions are ports. A little platform optimization never hurt anyone. Nothing really stands out about KND's graphics. There were only a few real "wow" moments, and they were all on the last few levels of the game. While they were really neat, it was because it was in contrast to the rest of the game. The graphics are certainly not bad, but they're not good. They're passable, which, as I said, is about what you would expect from a licensed game. No more, no less.
Graphics: 5/10
[img width=640 height=480]http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/662/662056/codename-kids-next-door-operation-videogame-20051031044152300_640w.jpg[/img]
Extras/Value
Hey, some good news! Codename: Kids Next Door has a ton of secrets and extras available in the game. In each level, you can collect things called Rainbow Monkeys (the game's equivalent of Mario's coins or Sonic's rings) which unlock various things once you collect enough of them. You can unlock concept art, training arenas, weapon upgrades, character costumes, and even the ability to play through certain stages as the villains and their minions! A game like this reminds me of early 3D platformers that had no end of secrets and extras; another reason why I believe this game plays a lot like an N64 platformer. There is a mountain of unlockables, and some do not come from collecting Rainbow Monkeys, and instead force you to scour each level to find them. Unlocking these can unlock entirely different modes, like boss rush, etc. While I don't think the unlockables are incentive enough to replay the entire game, they do entail some level of replay value, and certainly gives you a rewarding feeling to unlock them. As for the value, I found my copy of the game for $3. I don't believe any game is bad enough that it is not worth $3. Gamestop is currently selling it for $6, but I would wait it out for a better deal, if I were you. Six dollars is still a pretty good deal, but I did better, and you can, too.
Extras/Value: 9/10
[img width=550 height=686]http://images.wikia.com/knd/images/d/d9/B51a17.jpg[/img]
Overall
If you go into this game expecting greatness, you will be sorely disappointed. There is no reason to think that this game is a tragically-underrated beacon of quality. What you will find, though, is a perfectly good game that will entertain you for several hours, and keep you hooked until the end through steady pacing and fun level design. There are just times when a game is just supposed to be fun, and this really is one of those times. If you can spare some pocket change and a few hours of your life, then I doubt you will be disappointed with Codename: Kids Next Door. It has a charming personality and plays on and with the tropes of platformers in a very good way. KND is a game that you would probably have never have even considered picking up, which is why I reviewed it in the first place. What I am trying to say is, if you play KND, you will easily get your time and money's worth, and it will probably put a smile on your face, too. 
Overall: 7/10
This is Lisalover1, making high-level artillery out of soup cans and 2x4's.
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A look at the past, present, and even future of Nintendo's most overlooked home console. This blog will feature reviews, retrospectives, and investigations regarding the Nintendo Gamecube, or anything else that falls within this spectrum. |
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