Aren't those Nintendo ads brilliant? Y'know, making us gamers look like adventurous Gap customers with interesting, multi-faceted lives and all? Not to mention white teeth. Really, really white teeth. Fortunately, after nineteen years of flossing and eating right, I've always been especially proud of my pearly whites. What I am not however, is adventurous. In fact, it's safe to say that watching Ray Mears an hour past my bedtime is about as daring, wild and adventurous as I get…

Videogames then have always offered respite from the humdrum events of real life, where community fetes and feeding the cat is about as exciting as it gets. None better for a slice of unadulterated escapism then, than Kung Fu Panda. Within seconds you'll be vaulting across its orient-inspired landscape, slinging enemy after enemy across the screen, and mastering all-new techniques to aid your progression. And that's all before you've sat through one of the game's many cut scenes, which, it must be said, feature some of the best voice acting ever crammed into an inch-square DS cart; that Vicarious Visions has accomplished such a feat simply defies belief.

"But Man With The White Teeth!" I hear you cry. "This is a movie tie-in! Surely it can't be that good!". And of course, dear reader, you are absolutely right. The truth is that Kung Fu Panda is a shamelessly derivative, linear, and downright short experience weighing in at an anorexic six hours. But you know what? It works. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and if there's any truth in the expression, then Kung Fu Panda walks away with the Royal Kiss Ass of the Year Award 2008. Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania… you could play Name That Game™ all day and you can bet Kung Fu Panda has a generous slice of that action tucked away for later.

However, whatever Kung Fu Panda lacks in the ideas department it more than makes up for with sheer personality. As with any dastardly movie tie-in, the game follows the blockbuster's narrative down to a tee, only this time it makes holistic sense within the confines of a videogame. You play as Po, a Kung-Fu-lovin' Panda bestowed with the title of Dragon Warrior - the name of the mighty hero foretold by legend. Upon hearing the news, the villainous Tai-Lung decides to take the title for himself, kidnapping The Five (a group of highly skilled Kung Fu experts) and leaving wide-eyed Po to release them, bringing peace to the land once again. Even if you've never seen the film, the witty execution and terrific voice acting from the likes of Jack Black will make you feel as though you have. It's that good.

Of course, this all means nothing if the game itself plays like rubbish. Fortunately, a tendency to unabashedly pilfer from gaming classics serves to make Kung Fu Panda a solid, enjoyable romp, as derivative an experience as it may be. Kung Fu Panda takes Castlevania's linear, side-scrolling structure, mixes it with a Metroid-esque upgrade system (morph ball and all) and chucks in a few Zelda-style switch puzzles for good measure. Whilst it doesn't't share the depth, intelligence or lifespan of the games whose pockets it so brazenly rummages through, it's safe to say that younger gamers will be kept happy for hours.

What shines here though are the rather nifty controls. Since day one, DS developers have taken the first-time-dad approach when it come to controls, tiptoeing around any area that may prove to be a possible minefield, so it's great to see developers becoming more confident with the hardware. Just a single swipe across the enemy triggers Po's basic attack, whereas more elaborate strokes activate the kind of moves that'd make Jackie Chan green with envy, like, erm, bear hugs and, well, belly flops. Okay, so maybe not that envious…

As you progress further into the game you even unlock several new abilities to use in and out of battle. Seen something worth collecting but can't quite get to it? Simply etch a downwards stroke onto the screen, transforming Po into morph ball proportions, then slip down the nearest gap. Can't extend your double jump to reach the tallest platform? Simply tap a chain of flying birds and hop your way to the top. Heck, there's even the ability to throw enemies into each other, disposing of their shields and priming them for attack. Parallels with Ninja Gaiden DS simply have to be drawn and while Kung Fu Panda's controls aren't anywhere near as elegant as Tecmo's scrapper, it's all very easy to get to grips with. Plus, the in-game tutorial system does a great job of explaining how to execute those special abilities, making it perfect for the youngsters that the title is so squarely aimed at.

What perhaps shines even brighter than the controls, is the stupendous effort paid to the visuals; as handheld movie-licensed titles go, Kung Fu Panda looks exquisite. Set for the majority of the game in a delightfully oriental locale, the game spans gorgeous dojos, marketplaces, rivers and enough picturesque locations to make Bill Oddie go weak at the knees. That it's all rendered in glorious 3D and set to a calming collection of oriental music is icing on the cake; it just goes to show that with a little TLC, no licensed game need ever hit the shelves looking shoddy.

What Vicarious Visions has created in Kung Fu Panda happens once in a blue moon. They've taken a cracking movie and turned it into a cracking kids' game - and they've done it with style. Okay, so it's nothing that the hardcore gamer hasn't seen a thousand times over, and yes, at its core it's a watered-down amalgamation of popular franchises with very few ideas to call its own. Even so, Kung Fu Panda presents a very solid, highly amusing adventure that the kids will come to adore. Hardcore gamers need not apply, but with terrific voice acting, marvellous controls, a sense of humour and a difficulty curve that refuses to patronise, this game will certainly find a place in the heart of every young - and young at heart - gamer.

Reviewed by Ricky Lee Staines for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).