There's usually something fishy going on when games are sent to us after they've been released; more often than not they turn out to be complete pap. Activision needn't have worried however, because the quality and top-notch presentation apparent in all of Pixar's cinematic releases has been applied to this accompanying videogame.

Aimed squarely at the film's target audience, Shark Tale consists of 25 fun-filled chapters, or mini-games, loosely linking together the plot of the animated flick. Nothing more, nothing less. And seeing as most young kids these days have the attention span of an anorexic gnat, this is only a good thing [Glass houses, Andy - Ed].

Grabbing lead character Oscar by the gills, players work through mini-games such as evading pursuing sharks and recovering precious pearls from tentacled bank robbers. Frantically dash through crowded underwater environments on the back of tropical taxis, fight giant conga eels and, erm, dance your way to fame on live TV - all in a day's work for a cocksure cod. These levels are actually very entertaining, and far from being simple kids' tasks, will still challenge gamers of all ages.

The latter mini-game in particular, where Oscar must dance his way to infamy, is particularly tricky. Compatible with both of the two dance mats currently available for Xbox, the frantic pace of the steps will have little Johnny bouncing round the living room in no time, without the aid of Sunny D and Smarties. Us? We were knackered within two minutes of aquatic aerobics, and had to resort to the humble controller to get funky with the fishes. The zany pace of these games is broken up by the occasional 'stealth' mission, invariably involving sneaking through Whale Washes (a fishy version of a car wash) and fancy Shark Restaurants. However, 'stealth' doesn't really work with 2D side-scrolling and, with a fixed camera whilst moving, gameplay often descends into a mad dash past foes. Perhaps Oscar should stick to his loud-mouthed, beastie- bashing antics. Other levels encourage us to explore lush environments (that really complement the look and character of the film), amassing totals of Pearls.

The presentation, as mentioned, is superb - just check out the way if you pause the game, the screen will flick to a newspaper article detailing your current level and predicament. Throw in loads of movie clips, stills and all the other staples of movie tie-in games, and Shark Tale should definitely keep the young 'uns entertained. Till the all-singing and dancing DVD comes out at least...

1. Entertaining movie tie-in that benefits from lush visuals and plenty of retina-burning colours to keep the kids enthralled.
2. The numerous mini-games are reasonably captivating and addictive, albeit a somewhat disjointed experience.
3. Great-looking visuals and brilliant presentation are marred by lack of actual voice talent from the film.
4. Dance mat capability adds an extra dimension (not to mention get-fit incentive) to the game. Hard work, though.

1. Not a massive title. There are plenty of movie goodies to unlock but you'll clock the entire game in a few hours.

A respectable movie tie-in with fun, addictive gameplay. Kids'll swallow this faster than the Captain's fish fingers.