The Fairly OddParents: Shadow Showdown

It's hard not to like the weird and wonderful cartoon trio of Cosmo, Wanda, and Timmy in their wacky adventures. The Fairly Oddparents: Shadow Showdown is another offering to try and represent those magical endeavors. Will this hold up the candle in a library of average Nickelodeon video game offerings?

'The Fairly Oddparents: Shadow Showdown' once again takes on the stature of a platformer, with young Timmy Turner at the heart of playable characters. Historically, these games have been surprisingly accessible for adults considering they are designed for children. So again, it leaves me intrigued to give the latest cartoon epic a whirl.

Everything for a TV Show

As does with all Fairly Oddparents video games - the narrative kicks off like an episode of the show. In this case - Timmy faces the challenge of getting his TV repaired to watch the season finale of his favorite show. It just so happens that the wands of his Fairy Godparents have stopped working, so he can't wish for the quick fix. So what's going on in this world? We'll have to play to find out.

The Fairly Oddparents: Shadow Showdown is a platformer like the others. Only this one seems to feel more lackluster in comparison. However, I'll argue that the writing and character development still remains strong throughout the game. The issue is that the platforming mechanics offer the bare minimum in gameplay and detract from the more exciting storyline.

Visually, the game leaves a lot to be desired as well. For a cartoon that exploits a vibrant color palette - the graphics seem jagged and uninspired. You'll trounce through each linear level without any of the environments or models blowing your mind as the writing dictates it should. It just feels like a handheld walkthrough of a half-finished circus.

The Fairly Oddparents: Shadow Showdown doesn't exploit the complete set of show lore at its disposal. The game feels rushed where it had the ambition to take advantage of a well-written narrative to deliver a better experience. It's not to say the gameplay is not up to scratch - just every engagement and interaction feels average at best.

Not Exactly Magical

So sadly, The Fairly Oddparents: Shadow Showdown continues Nickelodeon's ongoing trend of releasing video games that offer the bare minimum of their genre. It sits in that category of entries like The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius: Attack of the Twonkies or Rocket Power: Beach Bandits. There feels to be a crying shame about that notion.

Pros:

• The narrative of the game is humorous
• The characters are still as fun as ever
• The wackiness of the game still makes it palatable

Cons:

• Graphics don't do the series any justice
• The gameplay is linear and uninspired
• Platforming mechanics feel elementary