Game Reviews

Anyone who has ever played DoodleJump on the iPhone will know just how addictive jumping vertically from one platform to the next can be. Well now this phenomenon has come to PSP Minis, although in Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess! at least you have a good reason for ascending to the skies.

As the imaginative title suggests, Monsters sees you take control of The Duke as you attempt to rescue your princess from her capturers. To do this you will be jumping vertically from platform to platform, trying to catch up with the monsters and bringing them down with the old favourite – three jabs to the body.

The faster you climb the platforms the higher you will combo and the higher the combo, the higher you will jump. Thus, to gain the best combo you will have to touch each platform only once – hit it twice and you will lose anything you have gained so far, which makes catching up to the creature you are pursuing that much more difficult.

Controlling your character really is simple, pressing the X button will allow you to jump and while in the air you can press it again to double jump. The Duke can also use the walls to ascend even higher, just jump against the side and the Duke will freeze for a split second and you just press X again. Using the walls is sometimes necessary in order to catch up to the monsters, who will usually be speeding away from you.

Taking down the monster is simple enough, all you need to do is catch up with them and smack them on the head three times. Each time you hit the monster they will speed off, so the secret is to gain as high a combo as possible in order to take them down quickly. The higher the combo score you have when you hit them for the third time the more extravagant the finishing move will be.

The story mode in Monsters includes six levels which can be completed fairly quickly. However, given that you have the incentive of going back to beat your score, earning medals, in-game Trophies and other rewards, there is some longevity to proceedings.