Rango the Videogame does a neat job of transforming players into the world of Rango, with great graphics and a fun mixture of gameplay elements.
For the Wii version, the game is controlled using the Wii-mote and nunchuk. Players will move around during certain parts of the game by using the joystick on the nunchuk, and at other times will need to point the Wii-mote at the screen in order to shoot. By shaking and pressing other buttons, players can jump, climb, reload and more. Although the controls aren’t overly difficult, they are definitely tailored more towards experienced gameplayers, and may be too much to handle for younger players as well as those that just want to keep their controls simple.
The game unfolds as Rango recaps his interactions with a mysterious stone. These are told either via text, or with spoken cutscenes. The graphics in the cutscenes especially are very impressive, but the gameplay itself also features excellent graphics that really help set the tone of feeling like you are in the magical world of Rango, which combines a Wild West theme with the feeling of being lizard-sized in a modern world. So for example, you may be on a train barreling through the desert, but you’ll see a fork in one of the cars. Or as you climb around a world, you’ll see trailers or other human artifacts in the background.
Rango is a single player game, but the story and gameplay are entertaining enough that we think there is a great opportunity for players to share their experiences via “over-the-shoulder” or “pass-the-controller” gameplay. So we think parents and kids will have fun watching each other play, and potentially could alternate levels with each other.
One of the things we didn’t like about Rango was the inability to save progress within levels. So if you have played through for a few minutes and make a mistake, you’re forced to go back and replay everything in that level up to that point. It can get repetitive and frustrating, especially if you are repeatedly struggling or getting frustrated at the same point.
Although Rango is really just designed for one-player, we think the graphics and story are compelling and interesting enough that family members will be able to watch each other play as away to enjoy this game together. The controls themselves are relatively simple – for coordinated and experienced gameplayers. This level of difficulty, combined with the game’s emphasis on shooting (even though there aren’t any violent consequences), make this game a recommended choice for older kids and tweens.
INFORMATION FROM COMPANY-PROVIDED PRESS MATERIALS:
Rango The Videogame is an action-adventure game inspired by the Paramount Pictures/Nickelodeon Movies animated feature film, Rango in theaters on March 4th. Set in the gritty, Wild West town of Dirt and filled with wily and whimsical characters, Rango The Videogame invites players to continue on Rango’s wild journey with all new tall tales, brimming with intense action and outlandish scenarios inspired by the movie.
Rango The Videogame lets players explore a wide variety of environments featured within and beyond the film and challenges them to achieve near-impossible feats as they work to uncover a plot that threatens the entire population of Dirt. Along the way, players will encounter Zombie rodents, Alien spaceships and even an 8-bit shootout inside an arcade machine.
This family-friendly title captures the spirit and humor of the movie, with an extended storyline that goes beyond the vivid world of Dirt. Some of the features include:
Rango’s All New Tall Tales – Play as the quick-thinking chameleon Rango, the best Sheriff the town of Dirt has ever known, and explore a variety of new missions and environments that expand beyond those seen in the film.
Ride Roadrunners and Desert Bats – Speed through the desert atop these unconventional chariots as players engage in extraordinary acrobatic gunplay and more.
Interact with the Dirtonians – From a group of mariachi birds that provide color commentary to a gang of wild rabbits, the townsfolk of Dirt will provide no shortage of fun and entertainment.
Wild West Action and Adventure – Face hordes of hostile zombie rodents as you show the town who’s boss in good, old-fashioned shootouts where fists are flyin’ and spurs are shinin.’
Developed by Behaviour Interactive, Rango The Videogame is ESRB rated “E” for Everyone on Nintendo DS, and “E10+” on Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 console systems.