Total Game Boy


Babe And Friends
By Crave Entertainment
Game Boy Color

 
Published in Total Game Boy Issue 08

One man and his pig!

Babe And Friends

With two hit movies under his belt, Babe - the little pig with a big heart - has had more than his share of adventures. From winning the national sheep dog trials through to facing perils on the streets of a big city, the little pink guy has led an exciting life - and it's not about to end there.

Not content with action on the big screen, Babe has nosed his way onto the Game Boy in a colourful puzzler which sees the loveable porker exploring a number of locations, facing numerous challenges along the way. As in the films, Babe's winning charm means he has plenty of friends ready to lend a hand too, and throughout the game you will get sound advice from the likes of Ferdinand the duck and chums.

Starting fairly simply with a little sheer herding down on the farm, the puzzles that Babe faces quickly becoming challenging as he heads to the storybook city. Your task is to steer the tottering little pig and his woolly friend around a selection of short courses, avoiding hazards and shifting objects. It may sound pretty straightforward, but some of the courses require some lateral thinking and careful planning if Babe is to take on the challenge of hazards such as moving walkways and sliding doors and come up trumps.

Babe And Friends

There are tonnes of challenges on offer here and the chances are it'll take you a while to get through them all. If you're not a fan of puzzles, you may find the whole thing a bit frustrating and repetitive - there's not too much in the way of variety and you have to consider just how much fun you think you can have herding a small sheep around some courses. For fans of the little big and the more logically-minded gamer, however, Babe's new found hand-held world is well worth a trot around.

Second Opinion

This game is definitely one for the younger Game Boy Color player. Cute little piggy graphics, puzzles that start off easy but give quite a challenge later on and lots of merry tunes make this a joy to play in short bursts. I wouldn't recommend a long playing session of Babe though - it'll eventually drive you completely round the bend!

Verdict

Graphics 80%
Clear and colourful.

Babe And Friends

Sound 40%
Plinky plonky tunes - yawn!

Playability 60%
Easy to grasp but frustrating.

Lastability 60%
Once played, forever mastered.

Overall 70%
A porky little puzzler!