Rio

All things considered, what could have been hot mess looking for a quick buck turned into enjoyable quality time with the family.

Fans of Mario Party and Fusion Frenzy alike will find no small amount of entertainment here and will thoroughly appreciate the nonexistent barriers to entry. If ever there was a movie game worth picking up to play with friends, Rio is it.

Rio is a solid minigame compilation for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The minigames prove to be fun for younger audiences, and the look and sound of the title reflect the movie quite nicely. The minigames aren't all that varied, though, so you'll get a sense of déjà vu after a while.

There are better minigame titles out there to play, but Rio is a good enough choice if a young one you know has played the rest. It won't hold the interest of a seasoned gamer at all, but when it comes to someone a little younger, the colorful graphics and simple controls could be a good match.

If you've been looking for the next game to buy for the kids, then Rio is most certainly the game to buy, that is provided there's a couple of gamers to join in the escapades. Better still, get yourself involved as well, as Rio proves to be a simplistic entertaining romp for all gamers despite its cute and cuddly looks.

Its colorful presentation may be too much for some to stomach, it isn't long before the games or general content becomes repeated, and the lack of online play shuts the door on any expanded competition.

Naturally, when it comes to reviewing games geared towards a younger audience you have to look at things from a different point of view than you do with the regular games. While many of the mini-games blend together a bit too much for my liking, the younger gamers probably won't mind. The $30 price tag and various modes add just enough value to make this game worthwhile for those that liked the movie.

At only $30, Rio is worth looking into if you're a parent with kids who just aren't satisfied with 96 minutes of endangered animated birds on the big screen. If you're an older player looking for some multiplayer action for parties with your buds, however, it probably goes without saying that you should stick with Call of Duty or Guitar Hero. This bird just isn't meant for you.

Give it a shot if you're looking for something fun that can be played in short bursts, though don't expect a masterpiece. For its price, there quite a bit of content. Though a rental period could also suffice.

Rio is inconsistent and short on personality, but there's some enjoyment to be had in this multiplayer party game.

Faint praise = damned. [July 2011, p.97]

A lazy collection of minigames.

Just another mediocre movie tie-in, in the fashion of all the similar games that have preceded it and, probably, many of the ones that will follow it. It could be enjoyable, but just for kids and only for a couple of hours. That's about it.

Rio is a perfectly competent yet completely unoriginal game undone by an over-abundance of rehashed ideas.