Lilo & Stitch the game is every bit as fun as the movie. It may not be as clever or always look as good, but it's better than most of the licensed output you'll find on the market and that's a good thing. The graphics, especially with a PS2 running its PlayStation driver software in Fast and Smooth mode, look nice. They are definitely PlayStation graphics, but they represent the feeling of the movie and the characters nicely. The colors and settings you'll play in really capture that 'island' feel nicely. The music is nice, a mix of Elvis, music from the movie and supporting tunes. Cut-scenes from the movie play in certain in-between segments, and you can watch movies in Lilo's room after you've played the game. Also, you'll be able to view still pictures, snapshots really, as you progress through the game. Continuing a game, you'll be able to adjust sound and see the pictures or movies before you get into the action. Without the PS2 smoothing effect, Lilo & Stitch can look somewhat rough, and there's very little razzle-dazzle to the visual effects or magic, but everything works and any visual glitches don't do much to distract you from the action. Sound effects from the main characters and the enemies you'll face are usually funny, but Stitch predictably steals the show. As he starts to load up on coffee by collecting cup after cup during each level (I know, it's zany), he begins cackling with this crazy sounding laugh that totally put me on the floor.

In every way, Lilo & Stitch is a standard Platformer. In fact, if there's a weakness in this game, it's the fact that nothing here really comes off new and exciting. So, we have a license game that is fun to play and characters you'll appreciate from the movie and enjoy seeing in the game, but it won't be the game you (or your kids) come back to again once you beat it. Getting through is a lot of fun, but it's a once-through experience.

Starting from the beginning, you'll get a little background by way of a cut from the movie that shows just how Stitch got to Earth and how he landed in the hands of Lilo. From there, you'll switch back and forth between Lilo and Stitch to play through a series of levels. I like the way each character alternates, and unlike some games that only put you in the shoes of one particular character to accomplish some specific task, you'll get to play through similar levels with each character and see how they can accomplish tasks in different ways. Lilo has some interesting attacks, the strongest being Voodoo. She can also pick up a power-up that turns loose a Tourist on an unsuspecting enemy, and being from a tourist town, I can attest to those tourists as a dangerous lot. The attack animations are hilarious. Stitch is more lethal, and has a wide range of attacks. He can use a butt-bounce or bash, which Lilo actually uses as well. But, his Spit Attack and Spin and Roll Attack are all his own and they are devastating to enemies. The Roll is the attack mentioned earlier that is keyed into coffee consumption, and once you gather 20 cups Stitch starts to giggle and his 'Bad-O-Meter' fills up red. With a quick press on the Triangle button, you can transform Stitch into a rolling, destructive little alien/dog/ball.

Enemies aren't the only objects for your attacks, and you'll actually spend a lot of time mowing down pots and other objects looking for power-ups, special items and health. Traps, ladders and pits will get in the way and you'll have to jump or find ways to avoid them creatively. I didn't find any of the levels too interesting from a puzzle standpoint, and the most creative item usage was the explosive barrel that can be picked up, activated for timed release or blown up immediately (not a good idea). Otherwise, most of the action is predictable and may get a little old after the first series of levels. Boss battles are present but infrequent and not as satisfying as they could be given the source material.

There is definitely some cheapness in the way that enemies attack and some places where controls don't seem sufficient for the challenges faced. Jumping is especially frustrating, and the timing issues in areas where jumps are critical to success wore me down more than once. Although some problems present themselves fairly early, Lilo & Stitch is still simple to play and beat for all but the most entry-level Platformer fan.

PS2: Playing with the ramped-up PlayStation settings for PS2, you'll find almost no difference in load times but a fairly major difference in graphics. The smoothing effect is noticeable on surfaces especially, but the character models even looked a little better to my eyes. And, the load times aren't serious enough to give you any problems.

Issues that might typically plague a 3D Platformer are not so much of an issue here because Lilo & Stitch is a very 'tracked' game. Think 'Crash' and you'll be on track...heh. Moving within a limited range is not as much fun as the free-roaming environments we've seen in other games, but it also prevents a lot of the terrible camera problems other games suffer from. So, balancing out the good and bad, I'd say that Lilo & Stitch does a great job of presenting the game in a way that keeps your eye on the main characters and showcases the action nicely. But, something about this perspective creates other problems in maneuvering around objects and enemies, gauging depth for jumps and much of the action elements. Plus, the sense of exploration goes out the door.

I think Lilo & Stitch are downright cool as characters, the movie was tons of fun and this game is really alright. It's not something that will go down against other games of its type as a trendsetting, top-of-the-line example of fine Platformer, Action/Adventure, or whatever your designation may be. What it will do is amuse the kids who liked the movie and illustrate the spirit of Lilo's appreciation for the fun and adventure her new 'dog' brings to her life and the whizz-bang action that seems to characterize Stitch's time on the planet. All the makings of a good game, and without any huge flaws in design or execution to make this a stinker, Disney and Blitz Games did themselves proud.