Po's Kung Fu Panda Adventures

Published July 10, 2008

Based on the hit DreamWorks movie of the same name, Kung Fu Panda™ follows the exploits of one roly-poly kung fu fanatic panda named Po. Po dares to dream of glory and adventure as he worships the legendary kung fu masters, the Furious Five: Tigress, Monkey, Viper, Mantis, and Crane.

Relax Po, you can do it!

When Po desperately and comically attempts to attend the celebrated and much talked about Dragon Warrior coronation ceremony, his accidental-on-purpose explosive entry confuses the issue, causing Po to be anointed as the revered Dragon Warrior.

There are even a few opportunities to step outside
Po's ample shoes and take control of a Furious
Five member, showcasing what kung fu skills
look like after years of patient practice.

Such is the setup for Kung Fu Panda on Xbox 360®. From here, Po must master the kung fu arts, contend with the Furious Five's jealousy and dismay, earn their respect, and ready himself for battle against the recently escaped villain Tai Lung.

Depth of Gameplay

Kung Fu Panda plays as a third-person action/platformer, using classic two button (X, Y) attack combinations to execute Po's basic but fluid, agile, and potent combos, while his more devastating special attacks utilize an energy (Chi) system. Acrobatic level navigation and clever puzzles help to round out the varied gameplay, always keeping the action fresh and never repetitive.

Shift your belly to the left. No, your left!

While the game's mechanics and challenges are easy to grasp, simplistic they are not. Not only can you mix and match X and Y much as you would in a game like Ninja Gaiden® II to produce unique attacks, but every one of Po's statistics and abilities can be upgraded over time.

Kung Fu Panda wants you to succeed. It's not unduly difficult, but neither does it hold your hand, guiding your every move.

Awww, Panda Charm

Jack Black thankfully reprises his role as Po for the game, infusing the kung fu proceedings with a level of charm, wit, and hijinks peculiar to the comedian. His obvious enthusiasm for the story, setting, and characters goes a long way toward immersing the player in Po's heroic, if sometimes wacky, world.

Just as important is Activision's pitch-perfect recreation of the movie's world in the game. From the expressive use of vibrant color to the lovingly detailed architecture, the spirit of the film is fully intact, and the character's outlandish animations are spot-on. Whether it's Po, the Furious Five, Tai Lung or any number of enemies, Activision has nailed the elastic, over-the-top attacks, leaps, rolls, shimmies, slides, and stumbles that add so much charm and personality to the characters.

And you thought Po was big.

For example, while Po dedicates himself to kung fu mastery, learning precise, complex techniques at the feet of Master Shifu, he's not above employing his native heft in comic, if still effective, attacks. His massive, ground-shaking belly flop does wonders for scattering opponents, while his panda stumble sends him hurtling in balled-up form shattering anything and anyone foolish enough to step in his path.

There are even a few opportunities to step outside Po's ample shoes and take control of a Furious Five member, showcasing what kung fu skills look like after years of patient practice.

Panda Multiplayer

Kung Fu Panda also has surprisingly deep multiplayer game modes. You might reasonably expect classic free-for-all and team-based brawling, but several other modes are present as well.

These include a number of mini-games, such as spirited bouts of ballista target practice, a classic tile matching game, and even a clever Kung Fu Panda take on memory, where you crawl over and leap on enormous rollers in hopes of revealing and matching images to score points. You'll also find a couple cooperative matches, allowing you to team up with friends to battle wave after wave of A.I. controlled enemies.

Kung Fu Panda for Xbox 360 captures the movie's spirit, style, and love of kung fu with memorable characters brought charmingly to life, a beautiful world, and deep game mechanics. Can you step into the role of the Dragon Warrior?

Article by Ryan Treit