Woody Woodpecker in Waterfools

You know those moments when you're watching a TV program or film, and a half-forgotten star of yesteryear appears out of the blue? From Matthew Broderick to Winona Ryder, their appearances usually provoke a warm sense of nostalgia.

That's also the case with the hand-drawn heroes of our childhood: those toons we used to love, but who have fallen out of favour with modern kids.

Take Woody Woodpecker, for example. His distinctive machine-gun laugh still evokes childhood memories, although it's rarely heard nowadays.

Glu's looking to remind us of the little 'pecker’s appeal in Woody Woodpecker in Waterfools.

Here you must guide a barrel-bound Woody down a series of treacherous (and improbably long) waterfalls, collecting valuable items as you go.

Before each level you’re given a set target to reach in order to receive a one or two star rating. You might have to collect 15 items and finish the level in under 70 seconds in order to get full marks.

Aside from these objects, there are power-ups to collect, including one that makes you invincible for a brief period and one that slows you down. Which is more of a power-down, now I think about it.

It sounds like a very simple premise and, unfortunately, the game doesn’t have a great deal going for it beyond a colourful exterior and the charm of Woody.

What’s more, the bare essentials of dodging left and right and lobbing the odd stick of dynamite are implemented rather shoddily.

Woody’s too big for one thing – or the view is too zoomed in, to be more precise. This means there’s often not enough time to dodge out of the way as you spot a series of rock formations and enemies blocking up an entire side of the screen too late.

When you do take evasive action, harsh collision detection and poor handling (we know Woody’s in a barrel, but unrealistic physics would hardly have been a problem in a cartoon world) ensures that you take a frustrating – and often unavoidable – level of damage.

Then there’s Woody’s dynamite stick attack, which is dangerously close to being useless, such is the delay between button press and execution. Each stick moves far too slowly to be of much practical value.

Woody Woodpecker in Waterfools isn’t without its charms, but a game this simple has to get the core mechanics spot on.

Sadly, on this evidence, Woody is another childhood hero to have plunged off the edge.