Top Secret Small Soldiers: Squad Comander

Small Soldiers:Squad commander is a simple little game for kids.

You play through two campaigns, 10 missions for the Commandos and 10 for the Gorgonites. You get to pick your team members for your team and head off too to try and complete the assigned mission.

Missions cover everything from destroying a human communication device (a phone) to wasting out enemy units. The levels are mildly interesting consisting of rooms in a house and since you are small some of the play fields can be very interesting.

Play is simple, using a point n' click interface that even the youngest gamer will master in a short time. The interface itself seems a little buggy. A lot of the levels require you to place charicters on exact spots. The problem is the interface is not always so friendly to doing that. You may find yourself wondering what your soldiers are doing.

Choose your dudes

Battle royal

The game is not hard by a long shot. In fact it's too easy, even for younger kids.

The characters are not well balanced either. A few being MUCH stronger than the rest so you find yourself picking the same ones over and over. Others never get used because they are just too weak.

The graphics are ok but have a semi washed out look. The sounds are ok and the voices seem to be the same as in the movie. Tommy Lee Jones is even here giving the voice to Chip Hazard, the leader of the commandos. Perhaps after this, Mr. Jones will pick his video game appearances more carefully.

If your older (like I am) and like to have a bit of challenge (like I do) you will not like this game. It's just too easy for a hard core gamer or even someone who plays games once in a while. This game is designed to be played by kids. So perhaps kids would like it's easy play and simple design. Plus the idea of commanding their own little army must be appealing for kids.

Company:
Hasbro Interactive
www.hasbro.com

Category:
Action/Kids

NOTES:

Interest: 70%
Maniability : 60%
Graphics: 70%
Sound : 71%
Originality : 60%

TOTAL : 69%

Requirements:

Operating System:
Windows 95/98

Processor:
Pentium 100 or better

Memory:
16 MB of RAM

Hard Drive:
30 Megs

Sound Card:
Windows compatible sound card

Video:
1MB SVGA video card w Direct X

Matthew Dussault

DEMO