Converting Toy Story 2 to a video game is a no-brainer. A great looking animated movie will inevitably produce a great looking game, and there is no question that Pixar has a winner with this franchise. There are graphic glitches that one expects in a 3D platformer, but sometimes it is more the camera than the polygons. What impresses me the most is the amount of detail and activity in each screen, which is subtle enough that I played for a while before noticing all the cool stuff around me.

I must say, it’s refreshing to get away from Grunge, Techno, and Bleep/Blip in a video game soundtrack. TS2 immediately rewards you with big-band, swing, and more fleshed-out orchestration than the average video game. To sum it up, it’s a kid’s game that adults or big kids will like to watch... and listen to.

As 3D Platformers go, Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue! wins points on several levels. First, it’s fun. Second, it’s fun. And last, but not least, it’s not too hard. This makes it fun. Following the movie closely with gameplay and cut-scene cinemas, TS2 is all about beating enemies, solving puzzles, gathering goodies, and mastering the environment. There are five stages, each broken up into two big levels and one boss. Playing as Buzz Lightyear, each level has five objectives that can earn a Pizza Planet Token, and earning enough tokens allows him to enter the next level. Each stage has a theme, and the levels are filled with appropriate objects, from backgrounds to bosses.

It sounds tricky, but really this game turns into a big playground. And that’s what you have to love about it for kids. Nobody with a soul can resist having fun playing Toy Story 2, and kids especially will have a great time. Even if they only get two or three out of five tokens, they’ll be able to finish the game; for the older kids (like me) who want to see everything, there’s plenty of challenge, especially on the higher levels. Objectives always include a boss challenge, gathering 50 coins (of course), solving a puzzle, winning a race, and finding five lost objects. Each challenge is initiated by a Toy Story character like Slinky the Dog or Mr. Potato Head, which helps keep the flavor of the movie, especially when they talk to Buzz.

Completing each level earns a movie into the next level, and there are bonus movies awarded for beating bosses. Boss levels are generally easy enough to get through with some practice, and the way each boss matches the stage’s theme is cool.

The “token” system makes this game a pleasure for all abilities and should be a model for any kid’s game. I would guess that even the youngest kids could plow through by completing the bare minimum, like gathering coins and finding five lost objects. The challenge of getting all five tokens on each level is considerable, especially when there are some levels you have to go back to after earning special skills further into the game.

There are some 3D problems, but that just goes with the territory. Toy Story 2 could probably have benefited from a more “on rails” design, but that would have ruined the freedom you feel when wandering around a huge level exploring.

There aren’t too many things our hero Buzz can do at first except jump and shoot, but he earns new abilities as the game progresses. From the beginning, Buzz can do a double jump, climb poles, push objects, spin attack, laser attack, and super stomp. One cool thing about the laser attack is that by pushing L1, you switch to a view out of Buzz’s helmet (complete with a reflection of his face!), and can lock in on enemies with R1. This is really for little kids that may not have the coordination to target quick enemies. Later on, you get the option to use a grappling hook, and this only works in the “helmet view” mode. Sometimes, the super stomp or other abilities (including a line-sliding skill) can be used strategically to open up secret areas or solve puzzles. Analog can be slippery in places, and though it stretched my patience a few times, I got used to it and never let it slow me down too much. Dual Shock is supported, and used sparingly, which was nice.

Control was adequate for a 3D platformer, and the fact that Buzz’s abilities are kept pretty simple makes it less complicated for the game’s target audience of younger children. At the end, Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue! is a great product that anyone can have fun playing.