Barbie Explorer

Perhaps Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft was modeled after Barbie, but chances are Barbie was the furthest thing from the mind of the Indiana Jones creators.

However, thanks to Barbie Explorer, the worlds of all three collide and the result is a PlayStation game, from Barbie Software and Vivendi Universal, that has the winsome blonde jumping and diving through the deep jungles of central Africa, or exploring the treacherous landscape of Tibet and Egypt.

Here’s the storyline:

Barbie was working as a reporter for a newspaper when her assignment calls for her to interview Professor Dudley at the local museum. There she learns of a mysterious ancient mirror, which is missing four pieces, but once complete, its power will be unlocked. However the professor has a treasure map showing the location of the missing pieces. All he needs is an intrepid adventurer who can undertake the quest. In a heartbeat Barbie goes from journalist to explorer, trading in her pencil for a fedora, and her byline for adventure.

Before rushing off though, you might want to train in the virtual reality room – just to understand the controls. Barbie must learn to jump, dive and roll, pull or push, and climb. She is in constant run mode, which is not a good thing. Running can get her into trouble, and players only have 20 ‘lives’ before the game ends.

Each level (Africa, Tibet, and Egypt) has a Guardian Level in which the shards are protected from some ‘overwhelming’ obstacle. For example, in order for Barbie to recover the treasure in the deep jungles of Africa, she will have to outwit, or outmaneuver a giant snake. Complete all three levels in each of the three locations and the mystery location of the mirror’s shards will be revealed. Of course, in true arcade fashion, each level has a number of traps, puzzles and collectible items. The collectibles are of the standard variety: there are gems, for scoring purposes; hearts to gain extra ‘lives;’ and power-ups.

Some of those power-ups are quite interesting and fun. There is invulnerability, tip toes (in which Barbie can move across ground that is dangerous), hiking boots (for improved traction on slippery slopes), spring shoes, running shoes (double the distance in half the time), slow platforms (all moving platforms slow down), and magic torch (to find secret or hidden switches).

Targeted for ages 6 and up, Barbie explorer is rather easy to control. There are no combination controls, and each button has one function – though the square button on your controller will have Barbie push or pull an object.

The graphical elements are nicely three-dimensional, and the sound supports the video quite well. Barbie is very well animated, as are the animals within the game. The game features lush environments, though some of the elements are a little flat or featureless.

This program is rated for Everyone and does allow for a two-player game. In the two-player game, Barbie competes against Teresa on any level for the best finishing marks. The player with the most ‘lives’ or chances after going through a level is the winner. If both have the same number of chances, then the player who has collected the most gems wins.

Barbie Explorer is a delightful game perfect for younger players. It features non-threatening game play, enough of a storyline to give players an excuse to have Barbie hopping and diving all over the game’s locations.

Install: N/A.
This program requires one block on a memory card for saved games.

Gameplay: 8
The arcade style is predictable, but once into a level, the action is nonstop.

Graphics: 8
The animations are well done, and the game’s efforts to produce a three-dimensional environment are well done.

Sound: 8.
The audio elements are very solid, and really support the graphics.

Difficulty: 7.5
The game features three difficulty settings, making sure that younger players can succeed as well as providing a challenge for older players.

Concept: 6.5
Something old, something new, something borrowed – this program does a lot of borrowing from established sources such as Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones. However, it does a credible job of incorporating those elements into the Barbie realm.

Multiplayer: 7
Though there is a two-player race in this game, it falls well short of providing the entertainment of the single-player outing.

Overall: 8
This program features excellent graphics, solid game play and audio, and simple controls making it a terrific arcade-style action/adventure experience for the lower end of its target age group. The range of difficulty levels will keep older players intrigued as well. Barbie Explorer is a well-designed product that will delight and entertain.