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by Titus

s2-01.jpg (10132 bytes)Planet Monsters-- never heard of it? Neither had I when it was presented to me. I sat there and pondered while reading the information about it when I noticed an image of a rabbit wearing a carrot suit. That suit had a symbol of another carrot with a circle with a slash through it proclaiming down with carrots. Right there I was hooked on playing it. Not to be outdone by the quirky nature of the design, Planet Monsters packs solid game play that will keep you challenged as you progress.

s7-01.jpg (10588 bytes)If you have ever played the Bomberman games, Planet Monsters should be somewhat familiar to you. You play a furry little creature competing against four others of your species to be the last one standing at the end of a level. There are eight worlds to play through in order to beat the game. Not only do you have to worry about the other three players, but also the constant generation of animals as well. Each stage of a world is laid out with a labyrinth of blocks which you can kick in order to either move them out of the way or to dispose of your enemies. At the end of each world you have to fight a boss in order to proceed to the next world. The bosses consist of mutated animals.

s3-01.jpg (11036 bytes)To add some elements of strategy there are some weapons and items added to the mix. There are goo guns and bombs for attacking. For more defensive strategies there are springs to jump over the blocks and crevices and clocks to stop time. Getting the hang of the game can take awhile; those who are easily frustrated might not make it that far. Those with patience will be rewarded with forty levels of strategy to play with.

s5-01.jpg (11337 bytes)There are some multi-player functions to play if you can find people with their own copies of Planet Monsters. First is the single level and the other multiplayer game is a championship mode. In the championship mode you select a number of levels, how many rounds that will be in each level, and finally how long a round will last.

s1-01.jpg (11465 bytes)In keeping with the whimsical and cartoonish elements of the game, the colors are bright and rich. The character designs themselves would make Hanna Barberra proud. Each animal shows a transition from the cute cuddly one that you meet in the first levels to the monstrous bosses at the end of the world. The game also moves at a nice speed that does tend to slow down a little when too much is happening on screen at one time. To keep the pace going is a soundtrack with a fast beat to it. The music is lively, so it fits with the theme of the game. Some of the bells and whistles, while adding another depth to the game, can become annoying after a while.

s4-01.jpg (13104 bytes)Even though the game is complex when adding in the various strategies that will be used, the controls themselves are set up for ease of use. Its very simple; the A button is used to kick blocks around, the B button is used to activate the various items and the shoulder buttons being used to cycle through your inventory. Planet Monsters is a game that is easy to pick up and the controls are easy to use.

s6-01.jpg (13120 bytes)Planet Monsters is a pleasant addition to the Game Boy Advance library. With easy controls and deep game play, any age should enjoy picking this game up and playing for a while. For some this game will be short lived, but for others it will last a lot longer. Planet Monsters should be given a good look--and not just at the characters--but the whole package. Just because a game might look kid-like does not necessarily mean that it is a game just for kids.

Jake Carder   (01/22/2002)

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