Ben 10: Protector Of Earth

The Cartoon Network roster has been subject to many video games over the years. Codename Kids Next Door, Ed Edd and Eddy and Teen Titans have all had their own separate outings. However, few properties have been blessed with multiple video games of their own. Ben 10 is one such series that has been granted several opportunities to gain a foothold in the gaming industry. Today we take a look at the first, Ben 10: Protector of Earth.

This game plays rather like action platformer titles such as Klonoa 2: Lunateas Veil, Avatar: The Last Airbender or The Incredibles. Plus, it also acts as a blueprint for future Ben 10 games such as Ben 10: Alien Force and Ben 10: Ultimate Alliance: Cosmic Destruction. However, is this a blueprint that’s well constructed or plans for disaster? We find out in the review of Ben 10: Protector of Earth.

Game Respects Game

With a cartoon series that has garnered this much respect, it can be a daunting task for developers to take on. However, in this instance, it seems that the individuals in charge have truly captured the charm that makes this IP great. The team made a smart decision to include the most popular monster forms from the series rather than the full ten forms. A decision that brings quality over quantity in aspects such as moment, powerups, gimmicks and most importantly, combat. The game not only utilises the unique powers of these forms brilliantly, but it also provides great combat mechanics. Players are able to chain together slick combos, the story does enough to engage the player and drive them forward and then in terms of the grand boss battles. They are handled impeccably, with a grand sense of scale which makes each climactic end of a stage feel as epic as the show itself.

Runs out of Steam

While the game lulls the player into a false sense of security and enjoyment. Thus increasing one’s expectation for a constantly changing and evolving experience. Sadly, the game shows it’s hand right at the start and then has nothing left up its sleeve. The combat becomes repetitive and essentially boils down to mindless button bashing. Plus, the game doesn’t offer any intense platforming, any new mechanics or any fun puzzles. It instead copies and pastes the same format as the first few stages and in the end, you’ll be happy to reach the finish line.

The Verdict

Then with regards to presentation, the game does look good for the era it was released. The animations are great, the artwork is true to the series and the aforementioned grand sense of scale is much appreciated. We will admit that the camera is poor and you’ll find yourself wrestling for a good view of the action throughout.

Aside from that though, the developers can be pleased with their efforts to present the charm of the show well.

Pros:

• The boss battles and general combat are initially very strong
• Visuals are great for the time of release
• Monster forms are handled very well

Cons:

• Wrestling with the camera can be a pain
• Game runs out of ideas pretty quick
• We can’t help but selfishly wish there were all ten forms included

Even though Ben 10: Protector of Earth may seem outdated to some, I actually played this game growing up as a kid. Now I will admit that I don’t really remember watching the television series or playing the game for that matter, but I do remember playing it at some point. You could find it on the Playstation, Wii, and Nintendo DS back in the day. I believe I had it for both Wii and DS, but I remember playing it on the DS more than anything else. With that, let’s take a look at the gameplay!

High Voltage

As for the game itself, you are protecting the earth, but mainly the United States first and foremost (sorry foreigners). The United States is split up into five regions in the game, with Omnitrix DNA samples split into the five different regions. These samples were stolen by the main villain, Vilgax. As you can imagine, Vilgax is trying to use these samples to take over and destroy the world as we know it. What a plot!

Playing in this game you control Ben 10 himself and have the ability to transform into different alien forms, each with their own special abilities. There are ten different alien forms to be exact, but you only start out the game with two available to you. Don’t worry though, because you will unlock more alien forms as you go throughout the game. It does take up energy to stay in these alien life forms, but you may or may not be able to find a way to stay in them for an infinite amount of time. We’ll leave that secret up to you. This game is tough though, because it is not very comparable to other games, maybe Pokemon just because they are both based on a TV show.

Blaster War

Even though I remember the game being pretty fun, the critics did not really share this opinion with me. The game was rated a six out of ten stars on average for a 60% overall rating. Most of the comments behind these ratings included poor graphics and “bland environments”. Others stated it was the “simple gameplay” that turned them off from the game. Another comment said that the game was not for hardcore gamers, but what do you expect from a game built around a children’s TV show. These critics need to relax and remember the target audience here!

Personal Review

Now time for everyone’s favorite section, the personal review! As you can see I am a little biased here since I personally played the game at a young age. I always had fun playing it, and only remember a little of it, but I certainly wasn’t paying attention to the graphics or “bland environments”.

Pros:

• Brings Back Memories for Ben 10 Fans
• Fun Cartoon Style of Play
• Plenty of Unlockable Characters

Cons:

• Poor Graphics
• Found On Older Gaming Systems