Small Soldiers: Globotech Design Lab

Description:

The Small Soldiers are back! In this game, Globotech Design Lab, your child can design the toys. In a design lab-like setting, the user chooses the type of head, torso, arms, and legs that go on a toy. They can then choose a skin color, three different taunts ("You might run, but you can't hide"), and a microchip that programs the toy's moves. The game also gives you more toys to choose from.

Once the toy is built, your child can use it to battle other toys as a one-player or two-player fight. In a one-player fight, the computer controls the moves of the opponent. The fight will be between a Gorgonite and a Commando Elite Soldier. In a two-player fight, two different users control the soldiers. The fight will be between the children's choice of toys. They can even choose the same toy (i.e. Gorgonite vs Gorgonite) to fight each other with. Without a Microsoft sidewinder game pad, the moves are conducted using the keyboard. The child chooses which part of the keyboard he feels most comfortable using by clicking on the Options button before the fight begins. To control the toy, they will punch different keys, one at a time, or in a combination with another one.

Features:

• Different Levels of Play
• Customize your favorite small soldier
• Design a soldier from scratch
• Realistic 3D graphics
• Combat areas are fully accessible
• New soldiers, not in the movie
• Parts of the toys are interchangeable

Technical Aspects:

My initial install was a minimum install, however the game moved REALLY slow and locked up. I decided to uninstall, and then do a maximum installation. This helped make it faster, but the game seemed to lock up still. I decided to do a final installation, choosing the standard install and living with the locking up, because I found that if I just waited and gave the computer time, it would unlock itself.

Once we overcame those obstacles, it was fun to build the toys. I especially liked the opportunity to try different body parts together, like putting Nitro's legs, with Chip's head and torso, and Brick Bazooka's arms. The most important aspect of the design, though, was to get the correct chip in the toy, so that you could program the best moves.

Our initial fight was a disaster! The computer tore us apart. Using the keyboard is not the ideal way to play a game like this, and I am sure a game pad would have made the fight more fair. Practicing with the two player fight mode and moving the toys one at a time will make this process easier. I eventually was able to beat the computer with my creation named Claws.

Report and Conclusions:

I am not a Gamer, but my stepson, Eric, is. We both had a lot of fun with the first Small Soldier's CD we reviewed, so I assumed this would be a good one to review. It was fun, but I believe it would have been more enjoyable if we had had the 3DFX video card and game pad. My second observation is that it may be better as a platform game, such as Nintendo or Playstation.