In an effort to milk the title for all its worth, Donald Duck: Goin’ Quackers was recently released for the Nintendo GameCube.  You may recognize this game from its previous incarnations on the PSX, Dreamcast, and PS2 – nearly a year and a half ago.  While the graphics look marginally updated the game remains essentially identical to its predecessors.  Goin’ Quackers is a 3D platform game that stars everybody’s favorite fowl, Donald Duck.  As Donald you will collect various teleportation devices that will assist Gyro Gearloose to build a machine that will allow Donald to save Daisy, who was kidnapped by diabolical wizard named Merlock.

Graphics are sharp and colorful, with some impressive animation thrown in for good measure.  Levels are filled with tons of unique enemies and obstacles, every stage offers something new graphically.  Character movements are seamless and fluid, and thanks to the increased horsepower of the GameCube Donald has never looked better.  Fans of the cartoon Duck Tales or even the NES game of the same name will certainly enjoy the aesthetic qualities that this game offers.  When you consider the fact that this game was released over a year ago on three different systems, it’s a wonder that the developers did not give this game an intensive graphical makeover.  Disney Interactive did a great job with the CG cutscenes, and even by today’s standards they look great.

Like the PS2 version of this game, voice-overs largely replace the text-based dialogue of the DC and PSX ports.  The voice-actors did a respectable job and each character sounds very close to their professionally voiced counterparts.  Music consists of fast-tempo lighthearted tracks throughout the first half of the game and then turns almost overly dramatic and moody throughout the second half of the game.  While the musical scores will not win any technical achievement awards they do fit the game nicely.

Sporting the oft-unused “double jump” technique that was pioneered by the developers of Ghouls N’ Ghosts for the SNES, the obvious choice for a catch phrase to use in their advertising attempts would have been; “platform acrobatics are twice as fun … with the double-jump.”  But I think they went with something along the lines of “I’m Donald Duck, and I’m goin’ quackers – quack quack.”  Just kidding, just saying, the double-jump is cool.

Goin’ Quackers includes 22 levels that range from semi-3D vertical progression to Crash Bandicoot-esque side-scrolling levels.  The action is fast and furious but not at all difficult, you won’t find any puzzle solving platform problems as you might in other games but that is fine by me since I prefer straight-forward action over take-your-time-and-figure-it-out puzzle sequences.  All in all this game feels alot like a early platform game like Kao the Kangaroo or Crash, but doesn’t offer enough in the way of gameplay diversity to compete.  Donald will go through every level using only his feet for transportation, no special vehicles or even the obligatory mine-cart getaway sequence will be found.  Nevertheless, what is there is mildly enjoyable, and action is based largely on reflex.  Control is tight and precise, like a platformer should be, and you’ll find yourself going back to previous levels to best your old time, or retrieve an elusive golden thread which, after collecting 10, will result in a new outfit.

As you progress through the game’s levels you will come across various items that will aide Donald in his quest to save Daisy.  Collecting 100 Gear-bolts will award you with one free life, and if you collect five within one second you will be awarded with a letter that will eventually spell out the word “Special.”  Each time you spell out Special the Nephews will unlock a special move for you to use.  You’ll also come across Gifts that hold anything from milkshakes (to replenish your strength) to free lives.

The control scheme mirrors the simplicity of the games level layouts, to walk or run use the left analog stick, B is for attack, A is for jump, and R-trigger is for initiating special moves.  Special moves are performed by jumping on three enemies without touching the ground then hitting R-trigger before you land.  This will give you 3 seconds to perform various button combinations that result in Donald doing an off-the-wall quick skit and he will be invincible for a little while.  There are lots of different ‘special moves’ but they all result in being invincible for a short time, so learning new special moves is hardly an incentive.  Donald can be hit twice before dying, the first time he is attacked he will go into a berserker rage that gives him the ability to move a little quicker and be invincible for a few seconds.

The games biggest issue is that it can be beaten in less than 3 hours, that is not a typo – 3 hours!  I don’t know about you but 3 hours of game time is hardly worthy of a purchase to me.  With that kind of life-span you’d expect some multi-player action, or some big feature that gives you incentive to continue playing after you’ve beaten the game.  Outside of the time-attack mode, boring special moves challenge, and Golden Thread outfit maker bull-jive, you’ll find nothing.  This is strictly a rental.  Really young gamers who have an under-developed sense of hand-eye coordination might get a real kick out of Donald Duck: Goin’ Quackers, and that would be the one exception to the rental-only rule.  But even so, the game does offer a few morsels of enjoyment and should at least be given a quick once-over by any gamer who enjoys platform games.

Gameplay: 7.1
Gameplay is precise and very responsive, and the inclusion of the double-jump is a nice touch.  The control scheme is logical and you won’t be fumbling the control pad to perform the games various moves.

Graphics: 6.9
Animation is fluid and closely mimics the quality found with-in Disney cartoons.  But considering that the GameCube is capable of so much more then the year and a half old graphics engine of this game it’s a shame that the developers did not optimize the polygon count for the system.  At times there is no doubt that this game was created with the original PSX in mind.

Sound: 7.8
Sound is fitting and rarely detracts from the overall enjoyability of the game.  The sound effects and voice-overs are particularly well done.

Difficulty: 2.6
3 hours, that’s how long it takes to beat the game.  Completing every possible objective in the game will take some time longer but its doubtful that the game will hold your attention long enough.

Concept: 5.5
This was an original concept 3 ports ago, the release on the NGC serves little purpose outside of cashing in on a sure-seller.

Overall: 6.2

When all is said and done Donald Duck: Goin’ Quackers will prove to be an entertaining diversion but at a life-span of 3 hours it is hardly worthy of a purchase.  This is the perfect rental for the platform enthusiast.