The only slime character I've ever been acquainted with is the hot dog eating ghost that repeatedly attacked Bill Murray in Ghostbusters. I think it had a Saturday morning cartoon at one point? With that in mind, I was skeptical of any game entitled, Mr. Slime.
It's an odd little tale for an odd little game. You're a round ball of green slime named... Slimey. (The names get better - yes, that was sarcasm.) There are Axons - the enemy of the Slimes - in the garden taking food. The Axons need to be stopped and Ma'Slime, Pa'Slime, Aunt Ma'Slime, Ti'Slime and the whole clan are there to help teach you how to rid the garden of the Axons. The thing is, curious young green ball that you are, you want to know why you must fight the Axons for food?
Movement takes a moment to get used to but both part of what makes the title a delight and gives it a puzzle aspect. As a green ball of slime you can, of course, roll but there are sharp things in the world and that's bad. Ow. Just stretttch. Extend up to four appendages at any one time and you start to swing a bit like Tarzan.
You can pull arms to distant hooks, but the faster way to move is simply to tap and Slimey will grab. Of course, when you've got four arms extended Slimey becomes stuck. After a bit you get into a pattern of grab, release, stretch, release, and on and on.
The opening levels present you with basic problems of gathering berries that act as health boosters, learning to unlock doors, manage inventory, carry items (one less appendage), and use items to solve problems. This is also where you learn to take advantage of Slimey's sproinginess (yes, I just made up that word) to gather coins. When only two arms are extended you can slingshot his body longer distances to gather things and coins are useful later when items can be purchased.
Although they weren't available in the preview I was playing, as Slimey progresses through the 30 levels he'll eventually come upon water and need to float above obstacles. To do so will require you to blow into the DS - is slime that buoyant?
This story is delightfully simple (though almost poorly written), the puzzling/platforming is sophisticated enough for an adult yet fun enough for a child, and the art balances lightness of the story and the needs of the gameplay. Yet the combination of it all defies classification. The art and story give the appearance of a child's that the depth and sophistication of gameplay belies.
Do not mistake this for as a game for young child. An adult will find the gameplay compelling. At the same time, I heartily recommend the game to kids as this is exactly the type of game at which they excel. If you're home has a child, be thankful for multiple saves on this title, you will need them.
I'm a mother of two boys, ages 7 and 10 and live in the chaos that ensues. I've a permanent disability that keeps me homebound, so books, kids, games and books are my constant companions. Oh, and books, too. *grins*
My children both play games so I often play them first, getting to know exactly how something may effect my sensitive and easily stimulated older child vs. my stoic and imperturbable younger.
I like games for games; for the pure enjoyment of them and believe that no game is wholly bad, though some are real stinkers.
I also have the dexterity of a camel in mittens so find playing FPSs difficult (and I also don't like the gore) and RTSs at times can stump me. I just can't seem to move quickly enough to keep up with them. Some of my favorite games are arcade games and I'll spend 3-5 years on the same 5-6 levels because I just never get any better. But, I have fun.
