By Board You Mean Boring Game (Rugrats Treasure Hunt 64. (N64))

Member Name: scream4bruce

Product:	Rugrats Treasure Hunt 64. (N64)
Date:	26/05/09 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The Rugrats license

Disadvantages: Slow, poor AI, boring, bland, crap, rubbish, turd, devoid of reward and fun

*A review of Rugrats: Treasure Hunt for the N64.*

Didi Pickles hasn't played a board game in a long while. There's a reason why.

There are three game boards to pick from. In 'Angelica's Temple' the babies must hunt down their treasure pieces before (CPU controlled) Angelica finds hers. Whereas in 'Pirate Treasure Hunt' and 'Reptar Rally' the babies compete against each other to collect the treasure for themselves. The latter seeing to a highly linear board and highlighting atrocious computer AI - the CPU not only steal candy off human players but would rather walk away with nothing then take off other CPU whom have the candy they need. This might have been a measure to prevent the possibility of the game going on for too long (it's still lengthy), but it's perhaps proof that this was going to be a poor game.

It all happens so slowly. The graphics are no eye-candy. Sure enough there's the recognisable theme tune and authentic voice samples, but you have to endure end-of-turn animations again and again and you cannot skip the babies and NPCs making their moves. In 'Angelica's Temple' and 'Pirate Treasure Hunt', the babies needs sufficient rest, or they take a turn out to recover in the cot. Cookies can top up their rest, and vice-versa (we have to believe they become cookies in the latter!). But it takes a turn to exchange, or play a card, which does not help with the plodding pace of the game. The likes of the magnifying glass (so you can search twice) and the compass (so you can go backwards) only help with the speed somewhat. You don't need to play on the big boards and turn on the hidden squares for this game to send you into sleep.

It's much the same ending regardless of whom wins. I'm surprised the credits were not inserted at the end of the sequences. Instead, players can see immediately who was responsible for this atrocity. Whether you buy into games being for a target audience or not, there's no excuse for this steaming pile of turd - Rugrats: Treasure Hunt is truly the stuff of disposed diapers. A real stinker.

Summary: Rugrats: Treasure Hunt for N64