Even the Furious Five would eventually bow to the might of the Dragon Warrior. Check out the adventures of Po the Panda in our game review.
Long ago, in a time of ancient timeless time, when mystical warriors roamed the land, the most awesome kung fu fighters in all of China, the Furious Five protected the Valley of Peace. But even the five would eventually bow to the might of the Dragon Warrior. Panda style Kung Fu kicks it your way with Activision's new Kung Fu Panda game as it lays the beat down on all major consoles including the Xbox 360, Wii, Playstation, Nintendo DS, and PC. We spent some time with Po and his friends recently. Check out what we found out.
Story Mode Summary
Po the Panda dreams of being a Kung Fu fighter, but his dreams are about to become reality. During his adventure through China, Po's skills develop as you collect valuable coins scattered throughout the levels, which you can use to upgrade Po's talents and outfits between missions. It's important to sweep each level carefully as very rare jade coins unlock extra content such as multiplayer game modes; equally rare are the collectible figurines that unlock special art and videos.
As the story progresses you play as Po, Master Shifu, Tigress and a few others in the pursuit of the Dragon Scroll and defending the valley against the evil Tai Lung's legions. Along the way, you find a diverse cast of enemies to crush with your awesomeness including the boars of the Black Tusk Gang, Great Gorilla and his primate goon squad, the reptilian Imperial Golden Crock Gang, the stealthy wolves of the Lang Shadow Army, and the legendary feline Wu Sisters.
Panda Style Kung Fu!
Po gradually learns he's better at Kung Fu that he ever thought possible. Not only can he execute powerful attack combos, he's got a small arsenal of offensive and defensive moves that make Panda Style a formidable art form! From Panda Quake (by far the most powerful and useful skill!) to the infamous Iron Belly technique, he's got some mad skillz to throw down against Tai Lung and his furry minions. When Po needs a break from "the Fu" he rolls up into a ball and quickly steamrolls attacking foes - he's not just a fat panda; he's "The Fat Panda" - and what would a fat panda be without some sort of rolling action?
Multiplayer Madness!
Collecting rare jade coins during the story mode unlocks some fun and very diverse game modes to play with your friends. You start the game with only a couple multiplayer game types available so it's worthwhile to spend the extra minute or so during the story to collect the coins (each coin unlocks a specific item). Play as many of the games characters in multiplayer brawls, there's a brutal form of dodge ball called Ball Fight, a ballista shooting mini-game, memory style picture match, team co-op mini-missions, and tournament style team play.
Got the 'Fu?
With a solid single-player mode that lets you play as Po and the rest of the Furious Five, plus a feast of multiplayer modes that can keep you and your friends kickin' through dozens of wacky games, Kung Fu Panda is a wicked game!
Thumbs Up:
- Easy to play.
- Fantastic characters!
- Fun gameplay.
- Intense boss battles!
- Super graphics!
- Well balanced across all difficulty levels.
Thumbs Down:
- The Panda Quake attack is too powerful!
- Only Po sounds like the movie, the other characters sound a bit off.
Game Rating:
Available for: Xbox 360, Wii, Playstation, Nintendo DS, and PC.
Check out the Trailer!
