Sly Raccoon PS2 £39.99 Sony ***
Is nothing sacred? Nintendo was once the place for platform games, with Mario and Co satisfying every gamer's need to jump around and collect goodies.
Now it's Sony's PlayStation 2 where the genre is thriving. Following on from the sublime Jak & Daxter and Ratchet & Clank comes Sly Raccoon, which borrows many elements from those classics.
Sly Raccoon involves lots of leaping and grabbing as the titular hero attempts to avenge his father. The plot may be derivative, but the bits that matter - namely camera, graphics, that factor that keeps you playing - are spot on. The controls are simple and helped by a camera that doesn't attempt to use artistic angles and instead allows you to dominate the action. As for the visuals, think Hanna Barbara mixed with the animated Pink Panther.
Sadly, the action is fairly linear, with the player channelled down one route, with little scope to explore. This is one Raccoon who likes to sneak. Whether it's scaling outside windows or avoiding searchlights, these stealth sections work well, breaking up the athletic collect-a-thon.
It may look easy, but Sly is far from it. Having a small number of lives, combined with a one-hit-and-you're-out policy, gives the game something of a retro feel that makes it harder to play than its competitors. Visuals apart, there is little here that hasn't been pilfered from elsewhere, but Sly Raccoon does it with such style that you can't help but feel lenient. (GH)
Scrabble 2003 Edition
PC £19.99 Runecraft/Ubi Soft ****
From Monopoly to Risk, barely a year passes without the back catalogue of family favourites being raided. Scrabble has been converted many times, succeeding better than most because it doesn't mess with the basic format.
By incorporating the Cham bers Scrabble Dictionary, S2003 at last provides a level of AI that could give even expert Scrabblers a run for their money. But the basic game almost offers too much help, with a Hint feature that marks out on the board where points can be scored and spells the best words for you.
Admittedly, this feature can be tweaked to show less information and disabled in online play, but it is still hard to resist for single players - with a game that almost plays itself if you let it. As for multiplayer action, several players can take turns with the same keyboard, although you can also face up to four opponents over a LAN or on the internet.
Finally, by including an extra five gameplay modes (including Conundrum and Anagram variations), the developers make a brave stab at variety. However, this remains a game for purists. If you love Scrabble, this is the most faithful and playable version yet. (MA)
Toe Jam & Earl III
Xbox £39.99 Sega/Microsoft ****
This beguiling platform game neatly highlights the dangers inherent in making sweeping statements about unfamiliar subjects - as culture minister Kim Howells did when railing against the "heartlessness" and violence of videogames.
Toe Jam & Earl III not only possesses heart, but also soul and, crucially, The Funk. A belated follow-up to an ancient 16-bit game, Toe Jam & Earl III eschews violence in favour of an amusing daffiness that will appeal to youngsters and their parents. You can play as Toe Jam, Earl or Latisha, all of whom can only be described as alien homies.
Your mission is to head to Earth and locate the mighty Funkopotamus's 12 Sacred Albums Of Funk. Which mainly involves converting Earthlings to The Funk by way of your "Funk-Fu" moves (which improve as you progress) and judicious use of timed power-ups such as spring heels, Icarus wings, x-ray glasses and decoys.
Each mission is fetchingly set out by a trio of digital gospel singers, and the levels are populated by a hilarious cast, including mad dentists, a wise man in a carrot suit and cute schoolgirls apt to utter phrases such as "Red Rum", in an unexpected nod towards The Shining.
Integrated mini-games add variety and the initial learning curve is shallow, with an eye on making sure that the very young are not excluded. Toe Jam & Earl III may not blaze any pioneering gameplay trails, but its sheer exuberance and amiable weirdness gives it a fresh feel. If Bootsy Collins and George Clinton made a game for 12-year-olds, this is what it would be like. (SB)
