Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (video game)
Kirikou and the Wild Beasts is a video game developed by Wizarbox, published by Emme Interactive, and released in March 2007. It is an adaptation of the animated film Kirikou and the Wild Beasts by Michel Ocelot, released in 2005. It is a single-player platform game aimed at very young children, featuring various adventures from the film.
| Kirikou and the Wild Beasts | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Wizarbox |
| Publisher(s) | Emme Interactive |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 |
| Genre(s) | Platformer |
Gameplay
Kirikou and the Wild Beasts has thirty levels grouped into episodes of six. Each episode is introduced by Kirikou's grandfather. The game is mainly a platformer that also has different mini-games. Kirikou must navigate each level by jumping from platform to platform, collecting items, and avoiding dangers. The mini-games may include "Red Light, Green Light", memory games, or chase games. Players can select more difficult levels directly to match their skill level. Achieving a high score in a level can unlock an additional cutscene.
Reception
Critical Response
The game received mixed reviews from critics. The website jeuxvideo.com rated the PC version 9 out of 20.[1] The reviewer appreciated the faithful representation of the film's universe, the acceptable soundtrack, and the variety of mini-games, but criticized the graphics and animations as
very below current standards
, the repetitive levels, and the short game length (it takes about five hours to finish the game). They believe that the game might appeal to its target audience if children have not yet played more advanced games aimed at older players (like Super Mario). The site jeuxvideopc[2] gave the game a score of 6/10, feeling it
did quite well
, with an unusually good respect for the original work for this type of video game adaptation, well-managed difficulty, well-designed levels, and varied activities, along with acceptable mini-games for children ages 4 to 8. However, they regretted the outdated graphics and animations, stating
Kirikou... is not ugly, but it is far below what can be done today with some technological resources
.
Parental Rating
The game's publisher, Emme Entertainment, targets an audience of very young children starting from three years old. However, the PEGI rates the game as "7+", which means it is not recommended for children ages 3 to 7 for whom it was designed, after determining that "some images or sounds may scare or worry".[3]
References
- ↑ Review of Kirikou and the Wild Beasts, by Superpanda on jeuxvideo.com, April 20, 2007. Accessed July 18, 2015.
- ↑ Review of Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (PC version) Archived 2015-07-22 at the Wayback Machine, by Funambelle on Jeuxvideopc, March 23, 2007. Accessed July 18, 2015.
- ↑ « Young children barred from Kirikou », Liberation, May 15, 2005. Accessed February 16, 2011.