Console: PS2
Publisher: Midway
Release Date (US): November 5th, 2007
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Zombie Ninja Pro-Am (ATHF:ZNPA if you’re a forum junkie) is a PS2 game based on the Adult Swim TV series of the same name. The game has the fortune of being written by the series co-creators David R. Willis and Matt Maiellaro. They bring the same surreal and ridiculous sense of humor from the TV show to this game. This odd humor is captured throughout playing the game, as well as, in the games numerous cut-scenes which take place before and after each of the games 12 levels. They also incorporated some retro video gaming jokes in as well in the form of dialogue in the game as well as the loading screens which look like they were from an NES. As far as what type of game this is, well it’s a few things. First off it is a golfing simulator, a button mashing combat / action game, a cart racer and finally has a mini-game based on Freeway from the Atari 2600.
The game play for the golfing simulator is a rudimentary sim at best. It uses the standard tried and true “x,x,x” gauge familiar to anyone who has played a golf game from any number of consoles back. The controls are loose but the timing required to make your shots is not difficult. The putting game in golf sims tends to be the most intricate and difficult, yet in ATHF:ZNPA they elected to make it simple. The hole is enormous and greens are flat. There are a few tricks you can pick-up during other phases of the game that allow you to use one of the characters (Meatwad) as a user controlled golf ball and you can pickup mulligans to be used on the current hole that you are playing. The rest of the controls for this portion of the game are almost non-existent. There is no overhead view; the only way to plan your shots is by a small HUD map that does not provide you a clear picture of the course. Your best method to figure out the topography on each hole comes from the next part of the game play: combat.
After you have driven the golf ball, the game switches modes and allows you to play as either series stars Frylock or Master Shake. The purpose of this is to get from where you hit the ball, to where it has landed. On the way you are assaulted by a who’s who of villains from the TV series. Once you have defeated the enemies and are on top of your ball, you may return to the golfing mode. Frylock has distance attacks and Master shake uses melee attacks (mostly). There are various power-ups in this stage that can add some firepower to either character. Some of these, like the crab lice shampoo are timed, while others like the sword are permanent additions to your arsenal. Also during these portions of the game you are free to roam the entirety of the stage that you are on. This is encouraged not only by finding power-ups, but there are also pieces of a Broodwich to collect and film reels which give you some extras from the main menu. It is in this mode where there are boss battles that permit you to putt.
The cart racing is a one-on-one team match with the Aqua Teens in their golf cart against one other team. These stages take place on a golf course that has different available power-ups, bazookas, speed-boosts, film reels and the collectable pieces of the Broodwich. Once again the controls are simplified to accelerating, braking, steering, and shooting off the bazooka rounds.
The Freeway mini-game surprisingly pops up in the middle of the final stage. It looks almost exactly like the Frogger clone and combines elements from both games, yet graphically looks just like Freeway. You must move each of the 3 characters from one side of the freeway to another, while dodging traffic. Your controlled characters can move left, right, up and down. The other side of the freeway only has so many safe spots to land your character (think Frogger).
Every play mode has simplified controls. The only mode this felt right for was the “Freeway” mini-game. The rest of the modes were frustrating at times, but boring and repetitive which is the bigger problem. The golfing is so basic that it is bland, the combat breaks down to button mashing from near your enemies or far away depending on which character you prefer, or you can switch on and off with a simple press of the square button. The cart racing is insipid and feels like an afterthought. Only the mini-game played and felt exactly like it should. The load times between each level seem to be far too long for what is transpiring in the game. The in-game graphics accomplish exactly what they need to, yet the cut-scene graphics seem are odd and make the characters appear strange.
While I was entertained by the humor of the game, and I am admittedly a fan of the series, if I did not have a review to do I would not have completed this game. The game itself is a love note to the fans of the series, but not a love letter. I state this because while both contain similar qualities, a note is usually simple document, while a letter takes time, effort and thought and is more complex. There are extras (art work, series episodes, and scenes from the show) and in jokes throughout the game that will entertain fans of the series to a point, but as a game it has too much room for improvement (I fell through the screen and had to reset the game on levels 2 and 11). Game play is redundant and the controls are sluggish. The voice acting is perfect, but so annoyingly repetitive in the cart stages that I shut off that portion of the audio.
I would be remiss if I did not share a feeling I got from the final cut-scene of the game. Certain comments are made by one of the characters about their true feelings about golf. After seeing this, I am not sure if that the creators intentionally created a ridiculously bad game, to mess with people. Upon completion of this game I would have to say avoid it, the only caveat would be to collectors of ATHF memorabilia who will probably already own it anyway.
Popularity: 3% [?]
2 comments