First Look: Shaun the Sheep for Nintendo DS

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:04:00 GMT

Your kids may already be hooked on Shaun the Sheep, the Disney Channel's stop-motion animated series from Wallace and Gromit/Chicken Run creator Aardman Animations (and if not, here are some clips to get you started). Assuming you let them access video games as well as TV screens, you'll want to leave some room in the budget this fall, when Aardman and D3Publisher team up to bring Shaun and his world to the Nintendo DS.

Shaun the Sheep encounters his naughty nemesis, Pidsley the farm cat.

The game finds our hero working to round up his escaped sheep brethren before the Farmer comes home, and in addition to playing as Shaun and interacting with familiar characters from the series (including Pidsley the feisty farm cat and Bitzer the slacker sheepdog), you'll make your way around new obstacles, access hidden areas, and take a whack at eight unlockable minigames and eight collectible slide puzzles. If mini isn't enough, the game also packs five "micro" games that put you smack in the middle of some of the show's more memorable moments.

Above: a shot from the "Flock 'n Roll" minigame. Below, "Tap a Mole."

Whereas many kid-oriented DS games seem aimed at the youngest players but upon opening require either extensive reading or a steep learning curve just to understand the logic behind their controls, Shaun the Sheep promises an intuitive, "pick up and play" experience, as well as sound, graphics, and character animation that stay true to the show's idiosyncratic style. The jury's still out on both of those claims, but what we've seen so far has us ready to hit the farm for some quality game time with Shaun and friends. At least that's how my 5-year-old seems to be interpreting the buzz...

Rated "E" for Everyone, Shaun the Sheep will retail for $29.95 when it hits stores this fall. For all the latest, keep your eye on D3's website.

droolicious : aardman studios

First Look: Shaun the Sheep for Nintendo DS