Surpirsingly amusing, but drawbacks restrain it from being more then rental-worthy.
I started Kung Fu Panda with low expectations. It was one of two free games included in a X-Box 360 bundle, and is based off of a children's movie. When I popped it in for the sake of trying it, I was instantly surprised with what the game had to offer. The controls are simple yet functional, the scenery is great, and the game play itself serves as an entertaining fighter.
The game starts with Po the Panda dreaming about being a kung fu master. He is snapped out of his dreaming when his father calls him to help clean their store. Po soon hears about a fighting tournament nearby, and travels to the stadium. He arrives just as they are closing the doors and doesn't make it in. Instead of returning home, he tries to find an alternate way in. He gets an idea to strap a bundle of firecrackers to a chair and blast himself in. While searching for the firecrackers, you are put through a warrior training obstacle course with swinging hammers and crushing hands. You also have a quest to rescue bunnies from the thugs pushing them around. When you save a bunny, an amusing mini game crucial to your progression is unlocked. When you finally reach the chair, you're blast into the sky. You land in the middle of the stadium where you are (accidentally) chosen to be the Dragon Warrior by a retiring turtle.
As you delve deeper into the game, you learn how to execute new moves. The moves stick to the basic controls, which initially isn't a bad thing. Each level is packed full of obstacles and baddies, side quests, and exciting boss battles. When you defeat the boss the level ends, giving you a rating and a chance to upgrade your stats (which you can also conveniently do throughout the game).
Although this game has a lot of good things going for it, it also has some disappointing drawbacks that prevent it from getting a higher score. The game gets repetitive quickly, especially when you stop learning new things and max out your stats. The game also froze on me every forty-five minutes to an hour and provided only an auto save, forcing me to fight the boss I had almost defeated again or relocate the eggs for the side quest. Installing it onto your hard drive isn't a bad idea.
Kung Fu Panda surprised me, but I wouldn't buy it if I didn't get it free. This game is definitely one to rent when your younger cousin is coming to visit or when you just want a more relaxed fighter.