Shrek Superslam is not just a lousy cash-in like most movie-related games- its actually a decent game in its own right.
The basic gameplay of Shrek Superslam is similar to games like those from the Super Smash bros series. You play as one of 20 characters from the Shrek universe and fight it out with up to 3 other characters. Your goal is generally to beat up your enemies until you can power up your special slam attack. You must unleash this special attack successfully upon as many enemies as possible in order to gain points. The characters in the game are amply varied from one another with unique slam attacks and differing combos, though some characters share these combos with each other.
Shrek Superslam offers several modes to go through when you first go into its single player. There is a Story mode, a mega challenge mode, and a mode for single battles. Most people will probably start with the story mode, which serves as a good and gentle introduction to how the game works. The premise is quite simple- Shrek and his friends arrive at Donkey's house to find that Donkey's siblings- the Dronkeys- are causing havoc. To calm them down, they decide to tell the Dronkeys bed time stories- which set up some interesting and silly encounters between the characters. For example- the first level has you play as the Ginderbread man, who is dressed as a sheriff, fighting against a cowboy Puss in Boots.
The main problem with the story mode is its length and difficulty. The story mode is incredibly easy- even when it throws you into some 3v1 battles at the very end. Its also very short, for you can easily complete the story mode in one sitting. But its still a good introduction to how the game works, and offers plenty of the classic Shrek humor with its funny matchups.
Then there's the mega challenge mode, which has you completing tons upon tons of tournaments, one-off battles, and mini-games. While the tournaments and battles are standard fare, the mini-games that are thrown in are quite interesting and can get quite challenging later on. Most of the mini-games are actually quite simple, but their still a nice diversion from the standard battles.
Of course, being a brawling game similar to Super Smash Bros- Shrek Superslam should have some hectic multiplayer modes right? Well, yes, the multiplayer can get quite hectic when you've got a friend to play with or against... But the multiplayer suffers from a severe lack of modes- of which there are only two. You can play standard battles or you can play king of the hill, and you should know what king of the hill involves... Fortunately, the multiplayer is still fun since the standard battles are quite enjoyable. Their also fun to play against the AI as well, which ranges from brain-dead at the lowest difficulty, to very good at the highest.
Graphically, Shrek Superslam looks decent enough. The look of the Shrek universe is captured effectively however, as the characters and environments all look nicely detailed. There's also some nice destruction effects with the environments whenever a slam attack is used successfully. Sound wise, the game is also adequate, but a bit repetitive. The voice acting in the story mode is excellent as the Shrek characters all have their classic voices. The music is also fairly well done. The announcer however, is a bit too bland, so you'll quickly get annoyed when you hear him at the start and end of every fight.
All in all, Shrek Superslam is a decent fighting game that will appease those who like the Shrek Franchise. It won't impress anyone who's been spoiled by other- better fighting games of this type (Such as the example I've already mentioned at least twice...). But if your looking for a decent licensed brawler, this one's worth a look.
Pros: Enjoyable battles. Story mode has several amusing matchups. Decent graphics.
Cons: Story mode is way too short. Multiplayer only has two modes.
Recommendable for: If you like the Shrek franchise, you'll probably enjoy this game. And if your want a decent licensed brawler- this one is worth a try.