February 9, 2005 - Whether or not you believe "The Mask" needs a sequel, much less one that stars Jamie Kennedy, Indiagames has put the final touches on a mobile game based on the "babies gone wild" comedy. The mobile studio has considerable history turning out licensed games that have both solid game play and respect for their source material. As we haven't seen the film, it's difficult to judge the latter. But Indiagames' talents for making side-scrollers is certainly in effect, even if it isn't as pronounced as it was in their Buffy and Predator games.

You are Alvey, the titular tot of the movie. The powers of The Mask have given you better mobility than most other babies, such as the ability to walk, jump, fling gumballs and collect a few power-ups that show off your Mask-ness. Norse god Loki wants the Mask back will throw numerous obstacles in your path to get it back. In addition to squaring off with Loki, you will face difficulties with your dad, cartoonist Tim, a very angry Odin, and Otis the dog. Otis is jealous of Alvey and covets the Mask. Otis does finally get control of the Mask, providing inspiration for one of the game's four levels.

The actual game play is pretty standard fare. Alvey must run from -- wait for it -- left to right, while either avoiding or disposing of enemies. Alvey can also collect candy, health-replenishing baby bottles, or gumballs that can be thrown at foes. Alvey has a few other moves, such as a spin that breaks through weak floors or a tornado dash. If you've seen the movie trailer, you're familiar with the head inflating trick that looks more freaky than funny. Alvey can do that here to float to higher levels.

We were a little surprised by how short the game was. If you have any skill at this genre, you'll finish Son of Mask within an hour, easy. Of course, played in fifteen-minute bites, the game potentially could last across a few play sessions. An abundance of checkpoints mutes the difficulty and the post-level bonus rounds don't add much longevity.

The four different worlds possess a remarkably different look, much to Indiagames' credit. The game makes god use of color, especially greens and purples, which are the franchises' trademark hues. The sprites are drawn fairly well -- there is no mistake when you're looking at Tim or Loki. The animation is also very good, which is best evidenced in the head inflations or Mask expressions. Son of Mask includes the welcome option to either play the game in landscape or portrait mode.

Closing Comments
Son of Mask isn't necessarily a license I'm terribly excited about, but Indiagames' title is certainly a pleasant little platformer. The developer is obviously most comfortable working in this genre and it shows by how complete the levels feel -- it's just too bad there aren't more of them. The visuals and animations are great for a 2D game, so if you're looking for a colorful cellphone game to entertain younger players, Son of Mask is a solid download.

IGN's Ratings for Son of Mask (Cell)
Rating Description See Our Glorious Home Theater Setup!
out of 10 click here for ratings guideGet Ratings Information
7.4 OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)
NR Reader Average
Rate It Now
Write a Review