Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg Impressions

One of the titles in Sega's E3 lineup that's sure to garner attention is the recently announced Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg. The game is the first action title from the acclaimed team to star an original character since the 32-bit era. The upcoming GameCube-exclusive game will feature a mix of traditional platforming and puzzle elements that will revolve around the use of eggs.

You'll assume the role of the title character, Billy, a young boy charged with returning light to a magical kingdom under siege by an evil crow king. In order to defeat the surly crow, Billy must journey through seven different themed worlds, free locals trapped by the crow's minions, and take out assorted bosses on his way to face their leader. To make that possible, Billy is supplied with an enchanted rooster suit that will allow him to control and hatch the magical eggs he'll find on his adventures.

The game features a standard mission-based structure that is given a twist thanks to the unique gameplay mechanics. Each world you'll venture to will be broken up into different levels that present unique challenges for Billy to overcome using his wits and his eggs. The eggs you'll find in the game will come to serve a variety of purposes as you progress through the levels. You'll be able to control only one egg at a time, but you'll find them to be pretty versatile, as eggs go. You'll use your egg to defeat enemies by attacking them in a variety of ways, such as rolling or throwing your egg at them. You'll also be able to bounce on your egg, which will provide you with another way to attack your enemies and the ability to reach new areas in a level.

The other key feature to egg handling in the game is hatching them. As you defeat enemies, they'll leave behind bubbles containing fruit that your egg will absorb as you roll it over them. An onscreen meter will fill up to varying degrees depending on the type of fruit the egg has absorbed. Once the meter is full, you'll be able to have Billy crow at it, which will hatch the egg and release one of more than 30 magical critters. Once you've hatched your egg, you'll be able to have the assorted newborn animals lend a helping hand in your adventures by commanding them to attack your enemies with their unique special abilities. There's a certain degree of strategy that will come into play as you manage your newborn menagerie, due to the fact that you'll only be able to have a single creature with you at all times. In some cases, you'll need to use specific creatures to deal with certain enemies and hazards. In some cases, you'll encounter areas that are impassable or unreachable when controlling an egg, which will require you to use your head to find a way through. Exploration will usually yield an alternate route or lead you to launchers that will send you and your egg on your journey.

The graphics in the game have a subtle charm and may be underwhelming at first since there isn't anything terribly flashy going on. The polygon counts are modest by GameCube standards, but if you scrutinize the visuals, you'll notice a bevy of little touches such as reflective surfaces, enormous areas, and an abundance of color.

The audio in the game is a bouncy assortment of chirpy sound effects and voice work for Billy and the characters he encounters. The game's sound effects match its cartoony appearance and fit the eclectic cast of characters. The game's soundtrack follows suit and manages to offer an infectious collection of tunes that hark back to the insanely catchy tracks heard in some of Sonic Team's early work.

Based on what we've seen so far, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg is shaping up nicely. The game features solid graphics and potentially addictive gameplay. The game will also feature a multiplayer mode for up to four players that should add to its replay value, though we've yet to see it in action. Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg is currently slated to ship this fall for the GameCube.