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Sale Price: $19.99
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I have been playing video games since I first obtained the original NES (which I still have and play) back in the early 90's, and never have I had such a wonderful time playing a video game! There were many times I literally squealed out loud in delight at elements taking place within the game. I will not rehash the details of the game (which you can find above in the item description), but I will tell you on my first foray in Toy Box mode I played for four hours straight and would have played even longer had it not been for the late hour and work in the early morning.
The options and elements to customize are vast...you can alter the appearance of buildings (and townspeople by giving them the heave-ho into any building you have customized), as well as purchase and place new buildings (some allow for placement options and others do not) so you are altering the landscape of the entire town. Customizations are easy and hilarious (giant Nemo fins are on the sides of my jail right now).
Everything is an event, from completing a mission (it's a party!) to the arrival of new toys (it's actually really excitement-inducing to see the stagecoach coming with your huge "present" even though you know what it is), to mining for gold, to riding Bullseye around and hearing the wonderful sound effects. As expected, the graphics are amazing with only a hint of jerkiness here and there. Sound effects are spot on and the game features most of the original voice cast from the films (another major bonus).
The reward system seems very balanced; they make it easy enough to earn gold coins to purchase new items (buildings, toys, etc.), but you are never sitting on all that many coins because so many new items are being unlocked for purchase all the time. Each new toy you purchase comes with new missions you can complete and the open world format is just a joy to tromp around in to complete them. The mission log is also very helpful, as is the compass feature which can be a real boon if you are stuck trying to complete any one task.
I can honestly say I can not wait to play this game again. Some games when purchased have a shelf life, but Toy Story 3 will live on my shelf forever. I can not recommend this game highly enough...and I haven't even touched Story Mode yet!
Viva Toy Story 3!
*** In addendum ***
A few things I have noticed after several days of gameplay that I felt were worth noting are the time consuming loading screens and the difficulty maneuvering motorized vehicles (although this could just be a lack of coordination on my part). For a game such as this, it seems the loads are far too frequent and of too long a duration. I'm not sure if this is only on the PS3 version, but it is a bit of a frustration at times.
As for the vehicles...like I said, I don't know if it is just my lack of coordination, but I seem to have a real issue getting the cars to go in the direction I am trying to go. Any of the creatures I am just fine with (Bullseye, the Dragon, etc.) but those dang cars...
Also, the robbers at the bank and the attacks on the town can be a little random. Even if you are standing right next to the bank you can miss some of the bandits and lose some of your gold coins which is nonsensical to me. Fortunately my bank is right across from my jail so I just turn around and toss them in. :)
Despite these additional issues, I am still loving the heck out of this game. Truly a grand time!
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program + PROS:
+ Infinite lives
+ Reduced difficulty after 7 deaths in a row
+ Co-op play
+ The voice acting and music are SUPERB
+ Free roam Toy Box mode offers lots of fun and creativity
+ Only the PS3 version offers the ability to play as Zurg
+ Compatible with the Playstation Move
CONS:
Some platform jumps are very difficult for younger gamers
The game and the instruction manual do not explain the reduced difficulty option
No instructions on how to switch 1P and 2P camera angles
Zurg is NOT immediately available; he has to be unlocked.
There is only one shooting stage that works with the Playstation Move, NOT Story Mode or Toy Box Mode.
I played this game with my child and we decided the only way to do a proper review was to offer both our viewpoints. So without any further ado, here's what we thought!
CHAPTER ONE: Train Rescue
My thoughts: Woody played the action hero to a T, as he raced off to save a train full of orphans from the evil Dr. Porkchop. It fit the overall mood of Toy Story and I was very impressed. The jumping puzzles weren't too difficult to figure out here.
Quotes from my child: "When I first played Woody, I thought the game would be easy and hard too. I died a lot, but when I figured out how to jump and move around, I liked trying to help the orphans. Those orphans needed to be saved. I felt happy not leaving any of them behind and getting a trophy."
CHAPTER TWO: Andy's House
My thoughts: Unlike the first level's imaginary setting, our characters are set up in "Toy Reality" we have to move around the room/basement with the limitations that a toy would go through. This level is designed to get us used to each character's strengths and weaknesses like Jesse being able to land on small areas, Woody using his pull string as a lasso, and Buzz throwing each character across long distances.
Quotes from my child: "When I was trying to get the cell phone, I knew this would be hard. My dad helped me when I got frustrated. When we got to the basement, my dad had to explain how the paratroopers flew. It was tricky getting to the cordless phone, but we figured it out."
CHAPTER THREE: Buzz Videogame
My thoughts: This level was a lot harder than the previous two levels. It involved platform jumping, but unlike games like Super Mario Bros., this added the dimension of depth. The jumping goes from being challenging to extremely frustrating, especially for younger gamers.
Quotes from my child: "There were 3 parts to this level. The first was the shooting part the game told me how to shoot the boulders, but I had to dodge rocks while flying and that was hard. The next part was jumping around on moon rocks and I thought that was hard too. There were so many broken pieces and I fell a lot. I didn't understand the part with shooting the crystals at first. The 3rd part was Zurg's fortress, and when those big spikes came at me I knew I would die, I had to run towards "me" which was confusing."
CHAPTER FOUR: Sunnyside Daycare.
My thoughts: This level was fun, but it's another one based in "Toy Reality" you have to do a lot of platform jumping to get to the lights, and if you have brought the wrong character, it wastes time. Getting the special cards is not easy because you have to complete carnival games, which are tough for an old gamer like me, and extremely frustrating for younger gamers.
Quotes from my child: "I needed my dad's help to play this level because there were hard games like hitting all the aliens without missing any. I got angry when I would miss a jump and fall off the lights. There were lots of jumps."
CHAPTER FIVE: Bonnie's House
My Thoughts: This level introduced some hard elements up until now, we had platform jumps that were difficult, but on this level, the jumps have time limits. Instead of playing the game at a relaxed pace, now we have to run and complete jumps before we drown in coffee or fall to our deaths. This stage includes rail sliding on the spaceship, which reminded me of Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction. We also had to pick up batteries...one false move and we had to go back and get the battery again.
Quotes from my child: "I drowned. A LOT. This level wasn't easy, I couldn't figure out where to jump. The rail sliding on the spaceship was super fast and tricky. The part with the peppermints made me angry because I fell a lot. I told my dad I'd have to be at least 15 years old to get past this part. I wanted to take breaks from playing because it kept getting harder with every level."
CHAPTER SIX: Prison Break
My Thoughts: As if the game wasn't hard enough, now a stealth element is added. We return to Sunnyside Daycare at nighttime, and the main goal of this level is to rescue your trapped toy friends. Buzz is not selectable, and you have to avoid searchlights while you wander around. Michael Scofield would be proud that I got through this level without being spotted.
Quotes from my child: "I kept getting caught! This wasn't as hard as Bonnie's house but I still needed help. I got mad when the lights found me but at least I wasn't drowning in coffee!"
CHAPTER SEVEN: Junkyard
My Thoughts: The first part of this level is saving 3 aliens from a chop-o-matic trash machine. Two player assistance is recommended but not required. If you haven't gotten used to switching between characters yet, this next part forces it on you. We have to save our friends before they are melted, crushed, and sliced into fish bait. Each character has a specific task that must be completed for the other two characters to move forward.
Quotes from my child: "I kept getting sad on this level because I didn't want Slinky or Hamm or anyone else to get hurt and when we didn't know what to do quick enough, I knew they wouldn't make it. My dad had to play most of this level."
CHAPTER EIGHT: Haunted Bakery
My Thoughts: After all the previous stages, this level was a well-deserved change of pace. The level consists of running around and shooting an army of muffins and evil witches (yes, you read that correctly). There's no platform jumping to worry about: just shoot, shoot, shoot, and shoot some more.
Quotes from my child: "Finally, an easy level! My dad kept getting the toy balls and I played as Buzz, shooting the witches with the cannon. We got all the cards and hidden things and I smiled a lot."
TOYBOX MODE:
My Thoughts: This is a free-roam level that has no time limits. Players can unlock new townspeople, go on quests, compete in races, take pictures, buy cars and houses and shops from the Toy Store, it's very fun. Some areas can't be unlocked without performing certain tasks, which is a little confusing for younger gamers.
Quotes from my child: "I like Toy Box. This is a fun part of the game. I can wander around, get lots of gold, buy things from the toy store, and I want to get the little tuba guy who goes under water, he looks cute. I like watching the guy on the construction site when buildings are building. If I get lost, I talk to Mission Pig. If I want a new mission, I talk to Mayor Pig. I don't have to worry about coffee here!"
CONCLUSION?
The music, storyline, voiceovers and character models are extremely faithful to the Toy Story universe.
While it is rated "E" for everyone, that doesn't mean that everyone will have an easy time playing it. For example, In two-player mode, player one is on the left and player 2 is on the right. If you want to switch those camera views, both players have to press the L1 button at the same time. This is not explained in the instruction book or anywhere in the game itself.
If your child gets frustrated by platform games like Super Mario Bros., they'll need your help with Story mode, and that's where the 2-player option really shines. In Toy Box mode, younger gamers will enjoy roaming around and creating their own little town.
Recommended, but not for children who have difficulty with platform games.
P.S. I quit drinking coffee.
Buy Toy Story 3 The Video Game Now
The first thing that fans of the "Toy Story 3" videogame will say to me is, "It wasn't made for you. It's for a different audience." Oddly enough, though, those people would be wrong. I love the movie trilogy. I like action/adventure platformers. I like open-world sandbox games.
So, why not a better score?
Well, it basically comes down to this: The Story Mode is decent but way too short, and the Toy Box Mode (while pretty good) isn't enough to keep me playing.
The 8-level Story Mode has some brilliant stages that step off the beaten path. But a couple of the levels are just lazy, particularly the Sunnyside Day Care levels. Honestly, parts of this Story Mode are so amazing that the weaker parts felt like insults to me. Considering how dramatic these movies are, I was surprised they didn't try to take advantage of those thematic opportunities. At least there are a few surprises in store.
The Toy Box Mode is sure to be the favorite aspect of the "Toy Story 3" videogame, and rightfully so. It takes a while to get going, because there isn't much to do while you're learning to play the game. But then there are all sorts of toys to buy, places to explore, neat missions to accomplish, and it eventually feels like a living breathing world of toys. I think what I missed from this Toy Box Mode, though, was a sense of urgency to continue. Other open-world titles like "InFamous", "Grand Theft Auto IV", and "Fallout: New Vegas" had a narrative that compelled me to keep playing, even if I wasn't sure I really wanted to. But with this game's Toy Box Mode, it starts to feel more like a checklist. An amusing, colorful checklist to be sure, but because there's nothing extraordinary about the gameplay mechanics, it's just not enough.
The best compliment and harshest criticism to give to the "Toy Story 3" videogame is that it makes you feel like you're playing with a whole bunch of toys. When you're in the right mood, the game can be a lot of fun. But after a while, playing with the toys isn't enough. There has to be something more to draw you in. Because the Story Mode doesn't use the film's drama, it's simply 8 action stages that aren't worth playing more than twice. And the Toy Box Mode, for all of the unlockables and customization available, didn't make me feel like I'd accomplished anything.
Don't get me wrong, "Toy Story 3" is one of the better licensed games out there, and it's surprisingly solid. But I still don't think it's worth owning. Just because it's better than most movie-based or TV-based garbage doesn't mean you should fork the cash.
Read Best Reviews of Toy Story 3 The Video Game Here
This is a great game for children and adults alike. If you like the Toy Story movie series, you will enjoy this game. My 4 yr old son and I enjoy playing this game for hours, and we have not even gotten into all the areas. I would recommend this for both children and adults with children. I also see they are coming out with DLC on the PSN for it..minigames moderatley priced at $0.99 a piece. Plus when the Move controller is released later this year..it will be patched for even more fun.
I will add more after we play the game more, since was just released yesterday.
I have played many movie based games, and this is by far the best one so far. Especially with all the original Pixar animations and voices from the movie!
Highly Recommended!
Want Toy Story 3 The Video Game Discount?
Yeah yeah, we all know how people review games based on movies. They start out with how the track record for them isn't very good, then tell you that the product in question is either just another waste of money, or something surprisingly good. Usually it's the former. Toy Story 3 here isn't one of those games, and the reviews have mostly been in its favor since it came out. It surprised me, and what surprised me even more was when I played it for the first time, and seeing how solid it is. But playing through the game, I noticed a few things that keep this from being up there with the likes of the SpongeBob Squarepants Movie game, Ghostbusters and several others. But even then, this is something that younger kids and adults can enjoy, and definitely a fun game for families to play together and help eachother out with.
Chances are, if you're interested in the game, you've seen Toy Story 3, or at least know the plot summary. Woody and the others are worried about what's going to happen to them now that Andy's moving out and going to college, and they don't want to end up in the trash, but still don't want to be stuck in the attic for who knows how long. They end up being donated to a day care where things aren't as nice as they seem at first, and the whole thing turns into yet another prison escape kinda deal. The game is a platformer, meaning you'll be doing tons of running, jumping and collecting things. Most of the time you'll be able to play as Woody, Buzz and Jessie, each with their own unique ability to help you progress to the next level. Woody can use his pull-string to swing around, Jessie can do...some weird spin jump that lets her reach certain areas, and Buzz can do a cool tackle move and fly around in some levels and shoot his laser. Some levels will let you ride around on Bullseye, others have a kind of roller coaster design as you slide around on rails to get key items, and then there's the Toy Box mode, which almost counts as a second game. It's a separate area from the main game that you can select on the menu, and here you can customize a toy town, go on tons of little quests for other toys, earn new characters to populate it with, and unlock numerous trophies. It's very well made, and I spent way more time here than I did with the story mode.
All in all, the story mode is pretty good. It tells the story of the movie with a couple of big parts taken out, or characters removed probably due to copyrights (the cymbal monkey is nowhere to be found in ANY TS3 merchandise, and the game continues this trend). A lot of the levels are based on things in the movie, like the first level being from the imagination/pretend opening in the movie with Woody trying to stop Dr. Porkchop. They're fairly simple to navigate through, but the camera is what'll screw you over more often than not, usually when you have to time a jump just right to a moving platform. It got so bad in one level to the point where I had to just stop playing for a while, cool down, then return a few hours later and try another 30 times before I made the jump. This doesn't happen -toofrequently, but when it does, it ruins the flow of the game. The camera will be positioned a little too high or low, and since you can't move it around with the shoulder buttons of right analog stick, there's no fixing it. The other problem I have with the game is that a couple of levels drag on for way too long. The roller coaster rail one where you play as Woody comes to mind immediately, and I slunked in my chair when I found out I had to collect more batteries to finish the level. Luckily everything in the Toy Box mode is problem-free, and like I said, I enjoyed this part of the game a lot more than the story mode. Time flew by when I first started my town there, and kids will have a lot of fun with this portion if they get sick of the couple of long levels in story mode.
The graphics are as good as you can get for a game like this, and everything fits the Toy Story style perfectly. I rarely noticed any slowdown, even in some of the faster paced levels like those where you fly around as Buzz. The voice actors all did an excellent job with their characters too, and the music is recognizable from the get-go. No generic background filler here.
I know I might sound like I'm contradicting myself by saying that the story mode is pretty good, but has big problems. But compared to a couple of other movie-based games I've played in the last year, I won't let those ruin things for me. As you can see, I'm giving this game 4 stars for fun, with the Toy Box mode being the main thing that kept me coming back for more. But that awful camera at the worst times takes off a star from the overall score, as does the overly long levels. If I could, I'd give Toy Story 3 a 3.5/5 instead of just a 3. It's definitely worth the money, especially with the recent price drop, and a good platformer for all ages, but it could've used a little more polish. At the very least, rent or borrow this one.
