The Muppets: On With the Show! (GBA) (The Muppets: On With the Show! (GBA))

Member Name: thole09

Product:	The Muppets: On With the Show! (GBA)
Date:	06/06/09 (4 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Accurate to series

Disadvantages: Gameplay, Graphics

"The Muppets: On With the Show!" is a video game released for the Gameboy Advance console in 2003 by TDK Mediactive. It is based on Jim Henson's film creations of the same name. In the United States, the game received a rating of "E" by the ESRB panel which deemed it suitable for all ages.

The gameplay of this title centres on the playing of eight individual mini-games. Each game sports a unique flair which does not seem to follow any sort of pattern. In one game, players will complete a game of memory matching but may soon find themselves in a short racing circuit. The games each feature tie-ins with popular Muppets characters such as Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. What hinders the experience for me is its very easy gameplay. One game I found especially easy featured the Swedish Chef. Here, the player competes in a typical fairground whack-a-mole, or in this instance "whack-a-rat", as the Chef defends his supply of food from Rizzo and his rat friends by swatting them with a large pan. The controls are very simple to master and are documented throughly in the instruction guide.

The graphics are presented from a side perspective and focus on the character in play. I didn't find this title to be particularly complimentary to the Muppets franchise. Each of the games suffer from high amounts of distortion and pixelation which makes it difficult to see who is playing under what scenario. Kermit the Frog in his river game almost appears to be a cucumber with eyes. The poor visuals are salvaged somewhat by the insertion of vocal cues from the respective Muppets characters and it is these cues which I found to be essential for distinguishing certain characters.

Overall, On With The Show is not a game I would recommend to prospective buyers. Its combination of simple gameplay and horrid visuals makes for a truly lackluster experience. It is likely that only early years who enjoy current Muppet offerings may enjoy the release.

Summary: Thumbs down