Buena Vista Games has come out with a little gem for the Game Boy Advance, which faithfully recreates The Little Mermaid movie.
The Good
- Gorgeous and colorful graphics. Features stills that appear to be animation cels taken directly out of the movie.
- A variety of fun mini-games keep things fresh.
- Storyline closely follows the movie.
- Excellent difficulty for the young novice gamer.
- Level select allows you to jump directly play your favorite mini-game again without going through the entire game.
The Bad
- The overall game is extremely short. No way to increase level of difficulty.
Story
If you've seen the movie then you know the story already, and its all here. The treasure hunting, big musical numbers, eel chasing and a huge climatic battle with Ursula the sea-witch. For those that haven't seen it; a free spirited young mermaid named Ariel saves a prince named Eric from a sinking ship and falls in love with him. She makes a deal with a sea-witch exchanging her voice for a pair of legs. Things go well at first and the couple fall in love, but the sea-witch has other plans in store for them. Will love overcome evil? Of course it will! It is a Disney movie after all.Features
- Eight different mini-games.
- Play as Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian and Prince Eric.
- Extremely faithful to the movie.
The Game
I hesitate to call this a game as it is more of an interactive movie experience, with each level being a mini-game. It opens with a beautiful introduction with what appears to be actual screenshots taken from the film. A concert is being held and King Triton's youngest daughter, Ariel, is scheduled to sing but alas is nowhere to be found. Ariel has lost track of time hunting for treasure, and the first mini-game begins.Mini-Games
Screenshot © Buena Vista Games
- Treasure Hunting - You play both Ariel and Flounder searching a sunken ship for treasure. Ariel can't fit into the many small rooms so the bulk of this mini-game is as Flounder. Push crates and blow bubbles around the treasure in order to move them, but if you dilly-dally too long, a shark will appear. Flounder will always get away though, so you can just re-try the room until you get it. Once all the treasure has been collected, a memory puzzle must be defeated in order to open the last treasure chest.
- Ascension to Destiny - With the hard earned treasure, an old spyglass, Ariel spies a sinking ship in a storm and a sailor in dire trouble. She must swim towards the surface while avoiding debris, fishing nets and puffer fish. The timer can be extended by catching treasures. Once you reach the sailor, you must carry him to shore by rapidly tapping the B button.
- Under the Sea- Ariel falls heads over fin in love with the sailor who turns out to be a prince named Eric. She longs to join him in the world above. Sebastian takes note of this and tries to convince her that under the sea is the place to be. You play Sebastian conducting an underwater symphony. Bubbly prompts appear and you must hit the corresponding button before the bubble reaches the top of the screen.
- Chasing Eels - Sebastian's song doesn't work, and a couple of slimy eels beckon Ariel to follow them if she wants to make her dream come true. You must keep pace as they zip along the ocean floor and through sea caves. They swim faster than Ariel so you have to swim through rings that boost your speed and eventually reach the cave of Ursula the sea-witch.
- Escape the Chef - Ariel has traded her beautiful voice for a pair of legs and joined the world above. Prince Eric befriends the girl and invites her to dinner. On the menu is... stuffed crab! As Sebastian you must jump through the kitchen, releasing fellow crab prisoners before the chef can catch him.
- Kiss the Girl - My favorite mini-game of the bunch involves trying to create a romantic atmosphere as Eric and Ariel take a trip in a rowboat. You control a spotlight and have to keep it focused on the couple to get them in a romantic mood. There are also button prompts in the right corner that if you follow add extra touches to make the scene even more romantic. It is possible to beat the level with the spotlight alone, but it's really worth trying to hit the prompts to get extra animations such as butterflies, bubbles, and fish leaping out of the water. The better you perform the better the scene will be.
Screenshot © Buena Vista Games
- Breaking the Sea-Witch's Spell - Ursula has put a charm on Prince Eric and intends to marry him! It's up to you to help Ariel's animal friends distract the sea-witch while you break her seashell charm. This mini-game is very similar to the "Under the sea" segment. All you need to do is hit the corresponding button for each on-screen prompt.
- The Epic Sea Battle - You control Eric as he shoots a cannon loaded with nets at Ursula's tentacles, which if hit, sink like a boat. Sink enough of them to deplete her health, win the game and find out if Ariel and Prince Eric live happily ever after.