The Polar Express, Nintendo GameCube

While films based upon games rarely turn out to be anything more than a low-budget mediocre flick, games based upon films can be a different story altogether. And next up in the ongoing movie-cum-game line up is THQ's Polar Express, released the very same day as the film itself. Unlike its handheld counterpart, the console rendition of Polar Express is a fully 3D and much more convincing offering that puts players onboard the fantasy train as a young boy in search of the lost tickets. It's essentially a free-roaming platform game, and Bringing the Zemeckis masterpiece to life, players are generally charged with the usual run, jump, dodge shenanigans as they wander the vast carriages of the mysterious train. From the outset, those familiar with the visual style and theme of the film will notice just how faithful the video game port of Polar Express really is. The varied locales are just as vibrant and colourful as those in the film and are all tied together by a series of respectable FMV sequences and in-game cut-scenes. The complete adventure isn't as long as some, but the addition of mini-games, vehicles and puzzle element helps to break the routine and at least offer a mixture of fun and indeed challenging playing styles. Like the film, the video game port of The Polar Express is clearly geared towards a younger gaming audience, and has a difficulty level to suit - for the most part. It's a well-timed offering from THQ that kids will mostly likely enjoy in its entirety.

Buy The Polar Express for 12.99 GBP

The Legend of Zelda - Twilight Princess
KEY INFORMATION When an evil darkness enshrouds the land of Hyrule, a young farm boy named Link must awaken the hero...and the animal...within. When Link travels to into the darkened land of Hyrule, he transforms into a wolf and must scour the land with the help of a mysterious being named Midna. Ride into battle against troops of foul creatures with an incredible horseback combat system, then tak...
NBA Live 06
It's about this time of year that EA like to release all the sporting titles they've been crafting during the off season. Both types of football - Madden and FIFA - have already hit the streets, as has their NHL game which looks as reinvigorated as the hockey league itself does after missing last season. If you've been waiting patiently for the new NBA Live game, well...here it is, and as usual it...
Battalion Wars
Ever wondered what it would be like to be a War Room General leading a loyal troop, or a soldier battling for king and for country? With Battalion Wars, Nintendo takes military command out of the Pentagon, away from the UN and brings it to your living room. Following on from Advance Wars: Dual Strike in full 3D glory, Battalion Wars is set in the 21st century where a minor border dispute between t...
Tony Hawk's American Wasteland
The first of a the new generation of extreme sports titles, Neversoft's first Tony Hawk game quickly won a legion of fans as a way to skateboard without all the sweat, blood, pain and injury, as well as attracting the attention of 'hardcore' gamers as a thumb trainer par excellence. The game has spawned a string of sequels and an even greater number of imitators as the franchise has gone from stre...
Judge Dredd: Dredd vs Death
2000 AD's Judge characters, despite their huge popularity in the long-running comic, have never really made their presence felt across the games industry. In fact, until now there have been only a couple of videogames based upon the formidable Judge Dredd. However, Dredd vs Death for GameCube marks another outing for the merciless law enforcer, developed in-house at Rebellion. It is the 22nd centu...
Donald Duck PK
Already available for the PS2, this 3D-platform game tells of the adventures of Donald Duck's superhero alter ego. Power Duck, or PK (Power ducK, geddit?) is just the guy, going from lowly geek to mighty world-saving hero in a kind of Clark Kent/Superman metamorphosis. Bored with his everyday life working in Ducklair Tower as a security guard and sick of being put upon by his girlfriend Daisy, thr...