 |
| OVERALL RATING |
4.0 |
| Presentation |
 |
3.5 |
| Control |
 |
4.5 |
| Gameplay |
 |
4.0 |
| Fun factor |
|
4.0 |
| User Rating |
 |
3.0 |
 |
 |
Posted: October 31, 2006
Goth kids around the world are about to wet their black panties because just in time for the re-release of the cult classic film in IMAX 3-D, comes this new mobile game that puts you in control of the ever-charming Jack Skellington.
The game is an addictive puzzler where you must move Jack around a maze to collect Christmas presents scattered about Halloween Town. He must clear a path pushing objects out of the way while making sure not to block off a key route or another present, and once all on the map have been collected, Jack must then make his way to Santa’s Present sack to drop them off. Now I know this sounds simple, but what I’ve neglected to mention so far were all the obstacles that you encounter.
For example, there are little skeletons that can’t cross patches of snow, but if you cross the snow into their area, which often times is necessary to grab a present, and they touch you, you lose. Also, there are witches that can follow you and cause havoc unless you lure them into floor traps. One of the most annoying and challenging obstacles are jack-in-the-box toys that shoot out a ghost to grab you as soon as you cross their line of sight. In the latter stages, there are also other various types of puzzles that require you to rotate and place mirrors to clear paths. These, amongst other traps and gadgets, step up the strategy enough to warrant several tries per stage.
From the moment the game begins you will instantly recognize Jack in all his bony glory and the authentic Halloween/Christmas vibe throughout. The game even plays songs from the movie. There’s also plenty of replay value instilled because each stage has a Pro record corresponding to the number of steps and seconds taken to complete the stage. If you hope to complete 100% of the game, you’ll have to beat each record.
The Nightmare Before Christmas isn’t the end-all ultimate edition game of the movie, but it is entertaining. Sure, it could have just gotten a name brand slapped on it and without it would have worked out just as well, but you’ll find that the charm of this whimsical film adds just enough to make it a fun gaming experience. It’s worth a shot, especially if you are a fan.
