LILO AND STITCH’S ISLAND OF ADVENTURES
Reviewed January 5th, 2004 by David Nusair
Well, this must be a first. Disney’s gone ahead and created a board game that you play with the assistance of a DVD, though the board itself still exists. Instead of spinning dice, you hit the “enter” button on your remote and the amount of paces you’re to move is determined by an on-screen wheel. It’s certainly an interesting idea that will undoubtedly appeal to children, but what about adults? Read on.
In addition to the game, the disc also includes two episodes of the Lilo and Stitch television show: Clip and Mr. Stenchy. And though the animation isn’t even close to as impressive as that of the movies, there’s a lot of wit and surprisingly funny moments to be found in the two episodes. The first, Clip, involves a new experiment (Stitch, in case you don’t remember, was an experiment created by an alien named Jumba) called Clip. Clip looks like one of those Tribbles from the old Star Trek show and enjoys cutting people’s hair without getting their permission. This leads to a sequence where Lilo decides to unleash Clip on one of her schoolyard arch-rivals. The second episode, called Mr. Stenchy, deals with yet another experiment – this one’s named Mr. Stenchy – that is unbelievably cute but also emits a foul and unpleasant odor. The two episodes are obviously geared towards kids, but there are a number of jokes that are clearly meant for adults. They most likely represent the best of the series, and will probably encourage those who’ve never seen it before to tune in at some point.
But really, the only reason anyone’s going to buy this thing is for the game. Packaged in an oversized DVD case, the set includes an actual board on which to play, six game pieces, and fifty experiment pogs (which you’re supposed to collect as you play the game). For those that don’t like to read the instructions, you’re in luck: there’s a feature that allows you to have the entire game explained. The object of the game is to reach the finish line first, which takes a lot longer than one might think (with two people, it takes at least half an hour to play an entire round). As you make your way across the board, you land on different symbols that require you to hit the same symbol on the screen. Some of them are for mini-games – most of which are aimed towards the kids (ie one involves having a shouting match with a character) – while others either advance you on the board or take you back a few paces.
Admittedly, the game will probably work best if played with at least one child. They’ll no doubt get a kick out of the way the various characters occasionally pop up and talk to the screen. Lilo and Stitch’s Island of Adventures, with it’s low suggested retail price, is pretty much a no-brainer.
Audio: The disc is equipped with DD 5.1 surround sound, and it’s quite impressive. The menu screen alone is chock full of surround elements, from birds chirping to waterfalls. This is a lot better than one would expect.
Video: Both the game and the two episodes look amazing. They’re bright and colorful, with no artifacts noticeable.
Extras: Depending on your point of view, either the game or the two episodes is an extra. But other than that, the usual Disney sneak peeks is all we get in this department.
Conclusion: Lilo and Stitch’s Island of Adventures just might represent the next big thing in the world of board games.
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