Happy Feet Two

Game Info

“Happy feet! I’ve got those happy feet! Give them a lowdown beat and they begin daaaancing!”. This Cab Calloway classic gives you a very good idea of the mood created in Happy Feet Two. It might be difficult to comprehend that dancing can solve all of the problems in the world but how could millions of penguins be wrong?

Happy Feet Two follows the same co-op platforming style as the recent LEGO titles. While players can opt to play through the game as a single player the fun is in the co-op mode. You take control of either Mumble or his best friend Ramon and head off to solve puzzle after puzzle with one or two twists along the way.

Making your way through each level you and your partner are tasked with collecting as many music notes as possible, these notes being essential to unlock songs and stages later in the game. It sounds easy enough but before you progress to some sections of the level you need to collect a specific amount of penguins to join your expedition. This is done by finding them and dancing to convince them to join you.

The ‘boss fights’ consist of matching the correct button sequence with that presented on the screen and is set to one of the many songs that make up the game’s soundtrack. This is a nice break from the game’s regular gameplay but it does tend to get monotonous after a while. The same can be said about the racing segments of the game. Every so often you will be presented with a downhill race section where you will need to beat your opponent in order to progress. While this is probably the most fun portion of the game it can be a bit frustrating as the controls seem to be loose and unresponsive at times.

Happy Feet Two’s level design is solid and the developers have done all they can with the ice- and snow-covered environments. In places you might get stuck as some paths aren’t clearly presented although this does add a much needed complexity factor to the game even if, at times, it is clear that this was unintentional.

There is little that can be faulted when it comes to the game’s soundtrack. The soundtrack features a mixture of hip-hop, Cuban, dance, samba and  funk tracks composed by Grammy award winner Ozomatli. The tracks are extremely catchy and players are also able to unlock each of these as extras.

Happy Feet Two is undoubtedly aimed at younger gamers and is perfects for sibling to play together. The game asks players to think laterally in order to solve puzzles but still remains manageable enough to keep them interested.  With a fun sense of humour and indisputable charm this movie tie-in will keep younger gamers entertained for hours. Good, clean, penguin-tap-dancing fun for the whole family.