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Now this is strange. Take a blockbusting Disney film and turn it into a game... Fair enough, we hear you say, they do that all the time. However, then take that game and turn it into a board game (but without the board obviously) and put it on the smallest screen imaginable, thus taking away any sense of it being a board game in the first place.

Bad move.

Following the strength of Mario Party on the Nintendo 64, the board game where different squares mean different challenges, Beauty And The Beast: A Board Game Adventure half-heartedly succeeds in copying this format. Choosing from one of the loveable characters from the film, you then take it in turns with your Game Boy Color to roll the dice and move along the board.

The main problem with Beauty And The Beast is the poor choice of games they have included. Card games are simple enough to translate to the small screen but a shooting gallery? The Game Boy isn't exactly known for its light gun compatibility or Point Blank conversions! Other games do work, namely the simplest ideas such as bouncing barrels... but once you've experienced them you no longer feel any need to carry on playing. It's not as if you gain any great satisfaction from beating a set of china and a French candlestick around an imaginary playing board.

This game is an innocent enough package though, and children will find some entertainment in its simplicity - it's very easy on the brain. Unfortunately, they'll soon be hankering after more action-packed games, namely those with a modicum of adventure.

Hats off to Disney Interactive - they've created a Game Boy Color game that is refreshingly different. It would have been so easy for them to come up with another tiresome platform game, but instead Beauty And The Beast is packed full of originality and has loads of well drawn and decent-sized graphics straight from the blockbuster movie.

A great game to while away the hours with!

Graphics 80%
Disney is always good!

Sound 80%
Very fitting with the film.

Playability 40%
A real bored game.

Lastability 100%
As long as you want!

Overall 68%
Will appeal to younger players.