Game Title: The UnderGarden

Release Date: 11/10/10

Genre: 3D Scroller/Puzzler

Developer: Atari

Available Platforms: Xbox Live Arcade

Players: 1-2

MSRP: 800 MS Points ($10)

ESRB Rating: E

Website: http://www.atari.com/undergarden



OK, I am going to say some things about this game, and I need you to stick with me for little bit. Don’t worry, it’s worth it. To start, in The UnderGarden, you play as a creature that vaguely resembles a floating Teletubby. Stay with me! You play as a Teletubby-esque creature who floats around a world that seems to be both a subterranean garden and an underwater cave, collecting pollen that you use to grow different kinds of phosphorescent plants in your environment.

Along the way you’ll have to figure out how to overcome the obstacles in your path and how to access the hidden crystals that are somewhere on every level. As you move through unexplored sections of the levels, the flowers and plant life spring to life in a brilliant explosion of color and movement, encouraging you to visit every part of the area so as not to overlook a particularly spectacular bloom. You’ll need to double back in some areas, since some places have winds that sweep you in one direction or another. Keep an eye for those little passages that let you sneak back from whence you came.

The music is also great and can affect what you see and hear. I hesitate to use the word “zen”, only because it is the one word that people seem to use when describing this game, but it’s true that the music creates a very laid back, trance-like feeling as you go. Add to that roving musicians that you encounter and can bring along for the ride (if you’ve ever driven a van around Athens, Ohio, you know what I’m talking about) and you’ve got a very serene but engaging experience.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J0S6mtlch0

The controls are very intuitive and easy to manage. There’s no manual camera control, but the game does a good job of zooming in and out to help you see what it is you’re trying to achieve at the moment. The puzzles are mostly straightforward and often involve carrying fruit to different pressure plates to open up new areas. Others require a more explosive solution, which can be pretty amusing if you’ve brought your musician friends with you. Don’t worry, you can always drop musicians off somewhere, especially if they start trying to get you to buy their homemade jewelry.

There are fourteen levels of varying difficulty so you really get some mileage out of the game. My six year-old daughter also loved playing it, so it’s one of those rare charming and enjoyable titles that lets both you and the wee ones have some fun, which you can even do together in the local multiplayer. To be honest I didn’t expect to enjoy this game as much as I do, but it’s the perfect way to just kick back a little or unwind after a 3-hour frag-a-thon with your buddies. I give it four out of five thinly veiled hippie references.

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