2nd August 2009 - Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess is obviously based on the Dora the Explorer kids TV show. In this Dora Adventure Dora along with her monkey sidekick, Boots are wandering through a mysterious icy landscape to save the Snow Princess who after finding a gem and smiling into it to bring snow to the forest, was captured by an evil witch who wants the snow to melt. Is this game perfect for Dora fans?
Gameplay
Whilst this game is definitely aimed at kids, even kids won’t get much from this game. The gameplay is very simple, even for kids. It will teach kids how to use the Wii controller, but there are only a few actions in the game that you do over and over again. For example, when you need to climb a ladder, sweep aside snow to find an object or have Boots search somewhere, all you need to do is perform a simple controller motion that is shown to you on the screen whether that be to shake the controller from side to side or up and down.
The only puzzle solving that requires the player to do any thinking are when you have to pick the correct item from a group of three to use to get past a certain obstacle. The other is when you finish a level and go to travel to the next one, a Map will show up and tell you where you need to go, and then you need to pick the picture that matches the description. Besides this, there is not much else to the game, as all the levels are basically the same. This becomes very repetitive, even for young children.
Graphics
Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess looks very simplistic. What I found astonishing was that almost every level had the same looking background. Although each level you pretty much do the same thing, they could have made the levels look a bit different. Yes the game has a similar look to the TV show; it just looks poor on the Wii.
Sound
Along with simple graphics comes simple sound. Dora does talk to you sometimes, but it is just the same dialogue telling you what to do all the time. What is said is done well and is true to the TV show. The sound affects are plain and boring and the music is what you would expect.
Overall
Unfortunately Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess is an overly simplistic and repetitive platform game that won’t even entertain the kids for more than half an hour. Your so called “Dora” money would be better spent on DVD’s of the TV show.
AAG Score: 3/10
Reviewed and Written by Craig Cirillo