PixlBit

Just in time for the holidays, Disney has released a motion picture that brings Charles Dickens' classic to life like never before. As with most major movie releases, the movie has spawned a game based on the screenplay.

A Christmas Carol for the DS is a point-and-click adventure, which will take players through the familiar holiday tale of a man forced to seek retribution for a life of greed by three visiting ghosts. The game is designed to look and feel very much like a storybook, and its overall presentation does a wonderful job of conveying that concept.

Since the classic story is based around Christmas, it's hard to avoid getting into the holiday spirit a bit early as familiar carols play in the background, and on-screen images of trees, decorations, snow, and loving families set the mood.

Gameplay is broken down into sections that are preceded by exact readings from the classic novel. As the narrator sets the scene, so does the game. In each area, there are key scenes from the original story, including Scrooge's house, Bob Cratchet's home, and the dark ominous graveyard. Due to the DS' small screens there are generally two sections to an area, which players can scroll between using the D-Pad.

Within each scene, players will be asked to accomplish certain tasks, all of which pertain directly to the storyline. Many times, the tasks require players to trigger certain events in a particular order, for example, in order to light a candle in one particular scene, players must close Scrooge's window, lock it shut, and then finally they can light the wick. A unique feature I found value in was the hint system that displayed clickable areas on the screen for those who may have trouble figuring out what to click next. In order to trigger this hint system a player must simply blow into the microphone.

Other times in order to progress, players must complete puzzles or mini-games, though they usually had no correlation to the story and were merely included for entertainment purposes. Much to my astonishment many of the mini-games were incredibly well designed and even had a certain amount of depth to them. While there were simple games, such as a Simon Says bell ringing challenge, others like the cooking mini-game were incredibly well done and controlled extremely fluidly. The mini-games are by far one of the best aspects about this game as they take classic games, and put a holiday spin on them. In order for them to be unlocked for anytime play, they must be beaten once within the game itself. If unlocked, multiple players can enjoy the games together in a mode called Pass the DS.

In addition to the wonderful storytelling, point & click gameplay, and mini-games, the game also provides one last gameplay mechanic. In each area there are ten hidden objects which players must find. If all are collected, these items are used to dress up a strand of angel garland and decorate a Christmas tree at the very end of the game. If players miss any the first time around, a mode called Redemption will allow them to go back and play through any chapter they wish.

Although the game struck a chord with me due to my love for the story and everything Christmas, I was a bit sad to realize that the game isn't much of a game. I was able to totally complete A Christmas Carol in little over one hour. Although the puzzles, mini-games, and point-and-click challenges are fun, there just aren't enough of them to keep most players satisfied.

A Christmas Carol will appeal to those who are fans of the story and people like me who are huge fans of Christmas. The game itself is a wonderful homage to the classic novel, and even includes the full reading. It's a bright and charming little game for those who’d like a little dose of Christmas every day.