Based on a character that originated from the British stop-motion animated children’s show, Wallace and Gromit, Shaun was propelled into the limelight of his own television series in 2007 appropriately titled Shaun the Sheep. Even with having a lustrous past, Shaun isn’t exactly the most renowned character here in the states. So could this title possibly be a diamond in the rough? For starters, it’s not half bad.

Following the characters that live on the farm with Shaun, the DS title asks players to take control of Shaun as he tries to find all the sheep that have escaped. For the most part, you’ll be participating in mini-games to coax the sheep out of hiding. These mini-games, such as whack-a-mole, become repetitive over time, but this shouldn’t ruin the fun for the younger audience as the game is entertaining in short bursts. There are eight mini-games in total and are accessible outside of the storyline after they are unlocked.

Searching for the sheep across the farm, players will notice that the map on the top of the screen displays where all the sheep currently are located. After finding the sheep, players will then have to find the proper item to rescue the sheep – a formula that is tiring. Of course, the items will also appear on the map as a red star so there’s a lot backtracking between the areas. Nothing too complicated, which is a good thing for children who become frustrated with complex puzzles.

Shaun the Sheep uses the DS’ stylus for the controls. Tapping on objects around the world to interact with, the game basically boils down to a point-and-click adventure. If players become exhausted from the stylus controls, they can opt to use the D-pad but this isn’t the optimal way to play through Shaun the Sheep. Outside of that, you can expect to be blowing into your microphone for a few mini-games and a few other quirky controls that mixes things up from time to time.

Using a similar style that the television show uses, Shaun the Sheep employs claymation for it’s animation. If you’ve ever seen Flushed Away or any Wallace and Gromit production, you’ll know right away how the graphics are presented. With its unique look, Shaun the Sheep is better looking than many will expect. The character models are well detailed and have charming expressions on their faces to the point you’ll fall in love with some of the key characters from the show.

Coming away impressed with Shaun the Sheep, it’s definitely a title that someone shouldn’t judge by its cover. While it is catered to the younger audiences, Shaun the Sheep has a little of something for everyone. The difficulty is on the easier side and players will have no trouble breezing through the game if they have experience with adventure titles.

Gameplay: 6.9
Not deterring too far from the blueprints of great adventure titles of the past, Shaun the Sheep is often entertaining while being repetitive.

Graphics: 7.0
Not judging a book by its cover is required for playing Shaun the Sheep. The character models are quality looking while the environments are bland.

Sound: 6.5
The sound effects do their job, but they’re not going to win any awards at the end of the year.

Difficulty: Easy
Aimed at the younger audiences, players should have no problem running through Shaun the Sheep in record time.

Concept: 6.8
A television license isn’t too high of a concept, but players should appreciate the graphics and charming characters from the title.

Overall: 6.7
Recommended for children and adults who love humor, Shaun the Sheep is an appealing title that’ll hold your attention for a few weeks of your time.