Carnival Island is a themed party title from SCEA developed exclusively for the PlayStation 3. The game makes full use of the PlayStation Move to offer 35 different carnival style mini-games. Will the game that revolves around a carnival turn out to be successful attraction or will you wish the carnival had stayed out of your house?
Let’s find out and kick of the HOTS and NOTS
HOTS
Variety
Overall Carnival Island offers 35 carnival themed mini games for players to enjoy. While sets of the games are made up of the same basic task they all provide enough variation to stop players from thinking they are just re-skins of other modes. An example of this would be the coin toss set. One sees players tossing coins into troughs for points while another sees players sliding coins alone a surface to gain points. Both start with the basic promise of using a coin to gain points but they both offer something unique which helps the game stay fresh.
Control Scheme
There is no doubt when it comes to motion controls that everyone can use them, from young children to their grandparents. Carnival Island is no different. Using the PlayStation Move to accurately track players movements the controls are kept to bear minimum. Only a couple of buttons are ever pressed and this is usually to select a game mode or object in game.
Not only does this make the control scheme extremely easy enabling anyone to pick the game up and have fun it also leaves the player with the true carnival game feeling. Every time the player has to do something be it, hitting a lily pad to catapult a frog, toss a coin or even throw a basketball the real world movement is used as the input. This engrosses players into the game and also means that no one can complain that they are losing due to the controls.
Fun Factor
I have had plenty of fun reviewing Carnival Island and I have no doubt that others will also thoroughly enjoy playing the game. It manages to harness the entertaining features of a carnival and perfectly recreate them in the motion controlled world. Players will be able to have all the fun of the carnival games without even leaving their house and with the variation on offer the game simply doesn’t get boring quickly like other party titles.
Friendly Competition
Carnival Island handles multiple players exceedingly well. Whether the players all use the same PS Move controller or share two, the game always makes it clear whose turn it is. This is done by the use of in-game characters, which take the form of different animals. Multiplayer modes then allow players to chose five mini games to play or to play five randomly selected games.
This is where the competition steps up, especially if you are playing the mini game that you have chosen. After all of the multiplayer games I’ve played I honestly can’t remember one game that was easily won by either party. Players will often find one mini game easier than another; so everyone has an equal chance to win overall. It’s this fact that keeps the game both competitive and fun for all; as players won’t be frustrated to the point of not playing as they constantly lose.
Presentation
Carnival Island goes above the standard party game in the terms of presentation providing colourful visuals as well as a decent soundtrack that manages to not be irritating no matter how many times you hear it. The mini-games all look great, with none of them feeling under polished. They all offer a clear simple presentation, so players are never confused by what is on screen. Carnival Island is clearly aimed at families. The colourful visuals and the simple appearance mean the presentation alone, if truth be told goes towards making the game family friendly.
NOTS
Disappointing Solo Mode
Carnival Island like so many other party games is designed almost purely for multiple players. The game offers a solo experience where players can unlock mini-games and complete challenges but the real entertainment comes from the fun competition that only having multiple players can bring. The single player mode is actually improved when multiple people take turns to complete levels which proves the game have beyond doubt been designed as a family or social gathering game.
Verdict
Carnival Island is a fantastic party title which offers plenty of entertaining content. The PlayStation Move has been in need of a few actually fun party titles and it seems that Carnival Island is one to tick that box. While the game can be enjoyed by one person, the game only becomes great when played in a party atmosphere. With 35 different carnival related mini games players won’t get bored of Carnival Island as quick as other party titles and this coupled with the ease of the controls means the game is designed for everyone.
[Editor’s Note: Carnival Island was reviewed on the PS3. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
