A monster of a game: Shrek the Third

For an ogre of his girth, Shrek's a pretty nifty mover if Shrek the Third, the mobile phone game of the movie, is anything to go by. Whether he's leaping over barrels, dodging spikes or scuffling with armoured knights, there's a spring in his green-skinned step.

Why is this important? Well, Shrek the Third is a platform game, pure and simple, and movement and control are of paramount importance. You can be as big, burly and ogre-ish as you like, but it won't do you any good if you're not nimble enough to avoid the numerous hazards that you'll encounter across the game's 12 levels.

The plot of the game follows the movie, so without giving too much away, you play as everyone's favourite ogre who's attempting to wrest the throne of the kingdom of Far Far Away back from Prince Charming, who's executed a coup. Charming, of course, isn't about to let all his hard work be undone, and has brought with him a veritable army of knights, witches and walking trees, all of whom are out to stop Shrek and his fairytale friends.

So it is that you'll embark on your righteous quest, knocking any enemies you come across unconscious and negotiating the numerous obstacles placed in your path. A sideways-scrolling romp, you'll run, jump, batter, roll and punch your way through the bad guys, barriers and level-ending boss characters on your way to a climactic face-off against Prince Charming himself.

And that control, that all-important control, will enable you to do so in a manner that's as intuitive as picking your nose. The developer of Shrek the Third, Gameloft, has put a lot of time and effort into making sure that you can frolic through the game's five environments without being cramped by jerky, clunky controls. As a result, the finished game will enable you to leap from platform to platform with a fluidity not seen since last night's runny custard.

With levels set in the forest, down at the docks, on the streets of Far Far Away and in the castle, there's plenty to see and do. There are also lots of other characters to meet, too; Puss-in-Boots makes a memorable appearance to help you defeat one of the Shrek the Third's three boss characters, and you'll even get the chance to play as Donkey's significant other, Dragon.

Providing a break in the platform action, Dragon's contribution involves taking to the skies above the kingdom of Far Far Away in an effort to give Prince Charming's wicked witches a good roasting.

Princess Fiona and Donkey are on hand, too, to provide advice and background story and, all in all, the game's looking to be as big a hit as the movie itself.