Yes, The Backyardigans in all it's wonderful, wonderful glory. So much so it takes 30 minutes to see it all!
Now that that is out the way with, I can tell you how much of a wonderful little game this is. Sure, it only took me under half an hour to complete 100%, but that's because it's not meant to be difficult. It is an educational tool, which older gamers may pick up for a quick bus journey, or just for a laugh. I used to watch this show when it first came out (which was only a few years ago), and I used to love it. Thankfully, playing this game didn't tarnish the memory. It's an incredible little game, and I believe the time I spent playing it to be way more fun than I had ever expected any game like it to be. Lamentable in brevity it may be, but "The Backyardigans" is a great game, and I had a great deal of fun playing it, which is what video games are about. Not the achievements points or trophies; not the DLC; not how difficult it is; not how much of an accomplishment finishing it 100%, or finding a glitch or doing something special is; not even the license it's based on; but the overall fun factor, and how enjoyable your time with it was, and I enjoyed it a lot.
The game has very little to it, as there are 3 different story modes which consist of minigames, and can be easily completed 100% in 5 minutes each; and a remixes mode which is basically 3 lots of random, jumbled up minigames, which can be completed 100% in another 5 minutes each. Added to this are a band free play mode, where you can pick an instrument and make your own song with it, and a minigames mode where you can choose to play any game you like. There you have it. The Backyardigans described in its entirety; yet it is still brilliant. The story modes are based on actual episodes of the show, of which I can actually remember watching two out of three of them. The first is a pirate themed adventure, the second is a space themed adventure, and the third is a superheroes and villains based adventure, which was actually one of my favourite episodes of the show.
Seeing as this game is comprised of minigames, I feel that I should review them all.
Pirate Adventure
1) You have to raise the flag by putting jewels into the holes of the same shape. A fun game to some very Dora the Explorer-esque music. A cute little game that teaches children to recognise shapes.
2) You are steering a pirate ship towards the treasure island, weaving inbetween the obstacles with the up and down buttons. A decent game, although quite long and drawn out, which can get a little boring if played too many times.
3) You are dancing on the deck to pass the time while heading towards the island. Tap the footprints and trace over the lines in numerical order. None of the numbers go past 6, so it shouldn't be too difficult for your little one, and should act as a good learning tool, to help them practise their counting. Some parts are slightly off, and tracing the lines is often quite difficult.
4) Row the little rowing boat to the island, by pressing the right coloured flags in the order shown. A little unresponsive sometimes, but still an ok game that helps teach kids their colours.
5) The Pirate duel, which is really less of a duel and more of a game of Simon says. If there is a microphone, shout: "ARGH!" and when you see a spyglass press the button. A cool game that helps children to recognise what things are.
6) A little music game. Tap the coloured drum pads as shown; blow into the microphone to play the recorder; strum up and down to play the guitar; blow into the microphone to play the trumpet; and tap the coloured keys in the order shown to play the xylophone; and then march in time to the song you just played towards the treasure. Helps teach hand-eye co-ordination.
7) Trace over the x mark on the touch screen and then blow away the dirt via the microphone. A bit tedious and repetitive, I personally didn't enjoy this game at all, although it appears slightly representative of the real thing for kids to feel like they really are a pirate.
Space Adventure
1) Exactly the same as the pirate ship game only set in outer space, with a cluster of asteroids you have to tap the ship to manoeuvre under. Just the same pressing the arrows game, but with a different skin.
2) Drag the garbage to the container of the same size. Basically the same as the jewels game, only matching up sizes instead of shapes. Slightly inaccurate and unresponsive at points, but still a decent game overall.
3) You're now playing as the space garbage collector's enemies, who want to steal their garbage, but it's going to take them a while to reach them, and they're so excited they have to dance on the way. Basically the same sort of tap the footprints and trace the lines game as in the first adventure only slightly trickier.
4) Now the garbage collectors are aware of the thieves' presence, so they power up zip speed by scribbling over the crystal and pressing the button, much like the dig up the x game in the first adventure, only without blowing into the microphone.
5) You're now singing on your way towards the garbage drop-off. Another Simon says style game, where you shout: "Zip Speed!" when you see the microphone and tap the button when you see the hand.
6) Drop off the garbage by tapping the numbers in the order shown on the top screen, just like the rowing game, only a lot more responsive.
Superheroes and Super villains Adventure
1) Construct a gadget to help capture the key to the world. Drag the objects the hole of the same colour. Just the same as the jewel and garbage ones, only this time working on colour.
2) They're excited about going for the key, so it's time for another little dance game. Harder than the other two yet the numbers still go no higher than 6.
3) Scribble over the sensor to charge the gadget and then press the button to raise its arm towards the key.
4) The superheroes are after the villains, so they must play their musical instruments in order to run away. A little bit of a strange idea, but why not? Just another little music game like the one in the Pirate adventure.
5) Trace over the lines to help the superheroes escape. One of the least responsive games on the cartridge, yet probably one of the most fun.
6) A super duel of Simon says, shout: "Super Power!" into the microphone or press the button, as mentioned earlier.
7) Deactivate the gadget by pressing the buttons shown, much like the number and rowing boat games. Slightly more difficult, but still easy and fun.
Graphics: The graphics are pretty basic, and although it's a kids game, it probably shouldn't be given the amount of leeway it has been, as the character models are basic - although they look like the television characters they are based on – and a lot more effort could have been put into making them move, as their movements are few and far between, and when they do move, it's very jerky and shoddy. Despite this fact, the graphics team were clearly focused on the minigames, as they look as good as you would want them too really.
Sound: No matter how refreshing it is to hear the theme song after so many years, and some of the songs captured directly from episodes of the show, it doesn't make up for the fact that: a) the theme song does not have lyrics with it! All the space left over on the cartridge from the size of the game itself, you would at least expect them to put the words to the theme tune, and the full one at that, as opposed to the small clip given. And b) the character's voices and even the background music can get a bit tinny and blocky at times, the voices especially.
Gameplay: About what you would expect from a kids game. The minigames are fun, and not at all fast-paced or frantic, so your child, niece, nephew, brother, sister, cousin, and so on and so forth, would be able to enjoy learning at their own pace. The games are all simple, and numbers never go higher than 6. The puzzles are mostly smooth, and easy to do, although a couple may frustrate at points through slight inaccuracy. A nice little bit of fun for the kids and a bit of a guilty pleasure for anyone slightly older.
Overall: The Backyardigans is an excellent, although lamentably brief offer to the gaming world, and although it may lag in some parts, overall it's still worth a buy, and I think you really should try it out.
Recommendation: I truly would recommend this game to almost anybody: children; adults who know of the show; people who liked the show a few years back and are looking for a refresher; people who are still fans of the show; people who are looking for something different; people who need something short but sweet for a brief journey; even hardcore gamers who just want a break. Anyone! If you see it cheap anywhere, or even if you don't but you really want it anyway, I heartily recommend buying it!