Carnival Land

Personally, I never liked fairs or carnivals. I've always felt it would be more honest if they had a big dustbin by the entrance for you to empty your wallet into, and a cowboy to usher the crowds around the muddy field before unceremoniously chucking you back out past a second wallet bin for anything you forgot the first time.

There's probably a game in that idea, especially if you were to play it from the perspective of the fair owner.

Carnival Land takes a much more idealistic approach to the fun fair though, and as such isn't a particularly good representation of that particular day out. Instead, it's a collection of saccharine mini-games that try too hard to please.

Rather than being jostled around the carnival like a sheep on its way to slaughter, Carnival Land casts you as the only visitor to the fair, working your way systematically around the games and rides.

You're required to complete each mini-game to unlock the next, which really doesn't fit with the notion of chasing around the park and jumping in line for the stuff you actually do want to have a go on.

Most of Carnival Land is built up of games, like basketball and the coin pusher - the kind of coin-gobbling booth games and arcade machines that you do at least see at the fair. And while they're decent enough representations, the simplicity of play (usually a timed button hit or very basic steering) doesn't instil much of a sense of excitement.

However, there are one or two real gems mixed into this needlessly linear game. The bumper cars is a great racing experience with the kind of inertia physics that could easily make a full game on its own.

Funnily enough, this is also probably one of the worst looking games in the collection. Graphically Carnival Land is extremely attractive, with big, bright, bold visuals and great animation when the game demands it.

Switching over to Adventure mode does lend you a lot more freedom to wander and grants more of a carnival atmosphere, but the games are the same, so it's not quite the saviour of Carnival Land, despite being far more endearing than the Carnival mode.

As it is then, the majority of the games feel too similar and too shallow to really grab your attention. Still, it's better than losing your loose change down the back of the waltzer chair or getting your pocket picked by a tattooed gentleman.