Twitch:
Who let the dogs out? Woof, woof, woof, woof.

Spaz: Dude, why
are you singing that song?

Twitch: Because today we’re reviewing
Eidos’ newest adventure game for children, 102 Dalmatians. And besides,
I wrote that song!

Spaz: You didn’t write that song, a reggae group
called the Baha Men wrote it.

Twitch: No way, man, I wrote it years
ago.

Spaz: Uh, right … and exactly what proof do you have?

Twitch:
A long time ago I had these two dogs, Pooper and Scooper, and one day I came
home from school and they weren’t in the house. So I asked my Mother, “Who
let the dogs out?” and in the back yard I could hear Pooper and Scooper going …

Spaz:
Let me guess … woof, woof, woof, woof.

Twitch: Right, anyhow
I started to lay down a rap …

Spaz: All right, that’s enough,
let’s get on to the game. 102 Dalmatians is a fun adventure romp for kids
and adults, like Twitch, who still have a child’s mentality.

Cruella De
Vil, archenemy of puppies worldwide, is in a tizzy due to the failure of her high-tech
toy line. Her impending financial ruin inspires a mad plan to dognap all of the
Dalmatians in England in a belief that if children don’t have puppies to play
with, they will then purchase her toys. Now it is up to Oddball and Domino to
rescue their one hundred brothers and sisters and thwart Cruella’s scheme.

Twitch:
Each level has six trapped puppies that must be rescued, and each level represents
a different area of Merry Olde England, be it Regent Park, Big Ben, or Piccadilly
Circus. Freeing all of the puppies on a level opens up the next area for exploration.

Spaz: Fear not, though—any time you are stumped, there are
talking animal friends like squirrels, parrots, or turtles who will provide clues.
Your puppy also has the ability to run and jump. But even more fun is making the
puppy bark to shatter attacking toys or sniff around and then dig for clues.

Twitch:
Ingenious methods, like trampolines and air drafts, must be used to reach
higher levels. Plus if you find yourself in water, you can do (what else?) the
doggie-paddle. In fact, these puppies are easily the Lara Crofts of dogdom, only
with more nipples.

Spaz:
So far we have made 102 Dalmations sound like an action game, but in
truth it is much more of an adventure since each level must be meticulously explored,
enemies must be lured into traps, and the environment must be manipulated to gain
entrance to hidden levels and out-of-reach areas. There are even the now-standard
turn-a-switch and push-a-box puzzles. A rotating camera allows for easy navigation.

In
fact, if we have any complaint with the game, it is the inclusion of four “boss
levels” so familiar to console gaming. The final boss level forces you to
use a giant laser gun to destroy the platform that protects Cruella. While the
weapon is nonlethal, it is still incongruous is such a nonviolent children’s product
and should have been eliminated.

Twitch: And besides, what good is
it having a gun in a game if you can’t blow off someone’s head?!

Spaz:
As an added bonus, there are numerous mini-games included, such as golf and
tilt-maze, but even without these, 102 Dalmatians would still be a recommended
purchase. The graphics are top-notch, and Domino is voiced by Frankie Muniz of
Malcolm in the Middle fame.

Twitch: I have no problem awarding
this game two paws up!

Spaz: Nor I! Be with us next time as we …

Twitch:
Wait! Did I tell you that I now have two cats?

Spaz: I don’t
even want to know.

Twitch: One day I came home from work and neither
of them were in the house so I yelled, “Who let the cats out?”

Spaz:
Don’t even go there.

Twitch: Then from outside I could hear the
cats …

Final Grade: A-