There are many unwritten rules in video games. Platform titles will always have secret areas, beat-'em-ups must feature scantily clad ladies and kids titles are nearly always crap. The younger end of the market has long been patronised by games that fail to make the grade and offer scarcely more than the little uns' favourite characters locked inside hollow gameplay and shoddy presentation. But they're kids, what do they know about production values? Well, we're about to find out because Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure tums the rulebook on its head and grinds all over it like a staircase handrail.

The idea is simple. Grab the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 engine and replace the likes of Hawk and co with Buzz Lightyear, Simba, Tarzan and friends from Toy Story 2, The Lion King and Tarzan. But rather than just being a blatant marketing cash-in, this game shines thanks to great attention to detail combined with a brilliant gameplay balancing act that makes the experience highly playable, yet not technically difficult, for younger gamers.

The animation is superb. Each character can perform many of the same tricks but the movement is very different - with soundbites and mannerisms to match. Grind a wall using Pumbaa the warthog, and his little meerkat pal Timon will hang off his tail. Do the same with Lightyear and he'll stand smugly with his hands on his hips, wearing a cheesy grin. Woody acts as disjointed as a puppet should, Simba the lion cub claws and fidgets away on his board and Tantor the elephant (our fave) executes a grind by jumping up on his back legs while waggling his trunk victoriously. The characterisation brings the action to life and you'll often find yourself watching the player movement rather than making sure you land that 1080 degree perfectly.

The objectives have also had a generous spoonful of imagination poured over them. Alongside the typical Hawk fodder of finding letters like S-K-A-T-E, there's also a diverse array of things to do, from rescuing Army Men to delivering fast food in a Crazy Taxi style or performing a destructive supermarket sweep. Many of these objectives are offered by characters dotted around the maps that need to be interacted with (similar in style to Freestyle MetalX) which is better than simply having a checklist of tasks to tick your way through.

The maps are equally varied, with everything from oversized bedrooms to jungle levels and futuristic pizza restaurants. And with two-player options that offer three different games, including King of The Hill providing a split-screen version of tag, the action never gets dull.

The difficulty has been scaled down from the Hawk games, with the balance requirements for manoeuvres, such as hand plants and manuals, relaxed. Hardcore skater fans will be able to keep their feet until the cows come home, while little Johnny will be happy to land his first combo. But that's not to say there's isn't any depth - a huge array of challenges and the ability to still string high-scoring combos together makes sure you'll always have something to aim for, and the huge number of unlockables means your efforts will always be rewarded.

There are occasional collision detection issues where your character may suddenly go face-first into what should be a solid background, and the camera sometimes gets stuck behind objects, but it's infrequent and forgivable because, like a classic Disney movie, this game truly represents fun for all ages - and, most importantly, the kids finally get a game they deserve. Good work, Walt!

1. Looks great!
2. Plays brilliantly!
3. Plenty of depth for grown-ups.
4. Ace character creation function

1. Collisions/camera could be tidier

Power
Quick loads and good-looking, colourful visuals that really bring the characters to lie.

Style
Production values as high as a classic Disney movie and more fun because its playable.

Immersion
More challenges and unlockables than you can shake a Simba at. You can play for hours.

Lifespan
Easy to play but tricky to master - offering a great difficulty balance for both young and old.

Summary
The best kids' game on Xbox - and highly enjoyed by us adults too! Use it as a reward to make sure they behave.