Charlotte's Web

E3 2006 First Look Preview

Action and adventuring are expected in a game like this. However, Charlotte’s Web also includes one element you wouldn’t expect to find in a Nickelodeon property: stealth. Apparently Wilbur and Templeton will have to perform some seriously sneaky moves if they want to make out of the adventure…with smiles on their faces. See, I couldn’t say “make it out alive” because that’s not an issue here. Which is great for parents and grandparents looking to get the young ones something that’s completely non-violent.
 
Kids will also have to solve puzzles to make it through the adventure, and explore levels that are based on the film’s scenarios. They include several farms and country-oriented environments.

Graphics are cartoony, two-dimensional, and should be appealing to fans of the classic story, whether they’ve seen the movie or not. To get you pumped for the film’s release, the developers are including “high-quality movie stills” (Sega’s words). I guess that means animated sequences are out of the question. Though disappointing, that shouldn’t have a negative effect on the gameplay experience. As long as it delivers good puzzles, exploration, and some entertaining stealth missions, players will be happy.
 
Though the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS versions are very similar, the DS version will include some exclusive features that take advantage of the console’s unique abilities. Fern, an integral character in the story, will be playable as characters take on the role of feeding, bathing, and petting Wilbur. Several mini-games will be hidden in the game, some of which will incorporate Wi-Fi multiplayer and touch screen controls.
 
Due for release just before the launch of the film, Charlotte’s Web is another diverse selection from Sega’s massive lineup. Look for it to hit stores sometime in November.

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