Goosebumps Horrorland Review for Nintendo DS

System: DS, Wii, PS2	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Scholastic Media	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Elastic	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Nov. 07, 2008	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

However, even with HorrorLand’s challenge barriers, the game can be completed in just a short time. Still, the presentation and fan service should prove satisfying for lovers of the Goosebumps franchise. Most of the mini-games offer a quick burst of fun, and once you’ve played through them in story mode, they’ll be unlocked for you to play in the game’s arcade. Games such as Calamity Canyon and Roller Ghoster are on par with the very best we’ve seen in any DS mini-game collection.

Goosebumps Horrorland screenshot

The presentation in HorrorLand, though a bit barren in its overall feel, offers an entertaining package. The graphics lack a bit of polish, and characters don’t look great when zoomed-in on, but as a whole, the game is fairly attractive. The art style is decidedly macabre, but it’s also playful in a Saturday morning cartoon kind of way. The framerate is smooth, both when traversing the overworlds (park areas) and during each of the mini-games. There’s also a lot of variety in the appearance of each mini, and the game pays campy tribute to classic American horror flicks.

HorrorLand’s audio does a fine job as well, offering a good variety of park themes and mini-game sound effects. The aural elements exhibit a kid-friendly spookiness that fits perfectly with the whole Goosebumps vibe, and collecting tokens is oddly satisfying. There’s also a healthy dose of voice work that adds a little extra something to the game’s overall presentation.

The Goosebumps franchise has been chugging along since the early 90s, and though other series have surfaced to steal much of its thunder, there’s sure to be at least a small fan base still in place. Both the Wii and DS are already saturated with mini-game collections, but HorrorLand manages to carve out a respectable niche with its premise and gameplay progression. It’s not a game that’s going to impress on any particular level, but the collection of games are, for the most part, fun and well-crafted. Long-time fans should get a kick out of the game’s atmosphere, and anyone looking for a good time-waster might also find satisfaction in this silly, though not very scary, adventure.

By Tony Capri
CCC Freelance Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.5

Graphics
Character models don’t look great up close and there’s an overall lack of polish, but the game is generally attractive and fits the Goosebumps vibe nicely.

3.8

Control
Many mini-games work surprisingly well and are a joy to play; others are hampered by poor control implementation. When traversing the park, movement of your character is easy, though there are some minor issues with collision detection.

3.9

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Though there isn’t a ton of variety, the music is fitting and fun. Voice work adds a nice touch, and sound effects work well.

3.2

Play Value
A good job was done incorporating a story into what is truly just a small collection of mini-games. It won’t keep you glued for long, though, and HorrorLand likely makes for a better rental than a purchase.

3.4

Overall Rating - Fair
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

A true Goosebumps adventure comes to life! Start out by heading to HorrorLand, a scary theme park where the frights are fantastic.

Play your way through 30 different terrifying rides in five separate areas of the park, each unlockable as you gain more fright points.

Play through the story to reach the jaw-dropping finale, or play one of the rides for some scary fun in Arcade Mode!