Inspector Gadget

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Inspector Gadget is a platform game by Namco Networks. $4.99

I was quite looking forward to playing this game. What really attracted me to this game was that it was Inspector Gadget, so there would be alot of different gadgets to use. There are a few issues that let this game down though, but could easily be fixed as just a few tweaks need to be made for a 'great' experience instead of just a good one. The biggest turn off factor I found in the game is that you can save your progress, so unless you are doing a quick play level it is a game that must be finished in one sitting. That aside and a few other tweaks that I will address later on, this is quite a challenging and addictive game. There are six levels filled with action and danger. These are played in the same order in the main game and are then unlocked for quick play once you have reached that level. With alot of practice the very last few levels can be unlocked for quickplay.

This game looks and feels exactly like a 2D platformer, which it is. There is alot of detail in this game with all the various obstacles and treasures. The graphics are sharp and bright and provides a very enjoyable experience. Namco didn't take the back door out either and have a different theme for every level. The controls for this game are not what I would have liked. While they work I find that there are too many buttons on the screen if that is the option you are using, as they can be hidden. To walk you must touch the screen in the middle left or right of the screen. To jump there are two buttons in the upper corners which when pressed make you jump that way and both at once lets you jump straight. Two buttons at the bottom let you crouch to avoid enemies and to crawl through small openings. Two buttons are next to the walking arrows and let you use your weapon if you have one. Lastly you can change your weapon in some of the later levels down the bottom. A few changes I would like to see to these buttons are involving jumping, crouches and weapons. Jumping I would like to see no button except you press the left corner to jump the way, same to the right and the middle to jump straight up. Crouching should just be touch anywhere on the bottom of the screen and weapons should be just in the middle of the screen. These are just my thoughts but with its current set-up I am happy playing with them.

The game has some sound effects while playing and a tiny ounce of in-game music. These are pretty basic but give the cartoon feel quite nicely. I would have liked to voice effects like 'Go Go Gadget Umbrella' for example. Overall it is alright, but there is nothing spectacular so I generally jam to my own tracks.

As I said above the game has two games mode, normal 'level' play and quick play. Normal play involves playing up to six levels to save Inspector Gadget. The game ends when you lose all of your 3 lives that you can't get any more, but I found that you can replenish your health somewhat when you find love hearts in the levels. Each level is loaded with many items which boost your score. These aren't needed to finish the level, just to get high scores so if you want to survive I will generally will forget all about collecting them all. In quick play mode it is a good time to collect these items. The six levels vary in what you must do in them. Some of the levels are your classic platformer to escape with some twists. For example one level you must get through the level using two characters in that level, and another lets you change your weapon of choice. There are shorter yet more challenging mini-levels which involves some of Inspector Gadget's cooler gadget's such as the helicopter hat and roller skate shoes. Quick play mode lets you play any already reached level on normal mode. The object of this game is to get the highest score possible.

All in all this is a very fun game, while there are some tweaks I would like to be fixed, most importantly the auto save feature, it is still an addicting game. I found Inspector Gadget very challenging and will keep you coming back again and again for quite a while. The different gadgets are very cool and really make this stand out from other platformers. While some other games like Toy Bot Diaries may be better in my eyes, fans of the series will enjoy this game alot and see similarities between the show and the game. For those not into Inspector Gadget you may find this game less enjoyable but still a good challenge.

Gameplay- 6.5/10
Graphics- 8.5/10
Sound- 8/10
Overall- 7.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Archibald's Adventures

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