What do cows do when humans aren't looking? Do they stand on two legs, watch a football game and hang around as if they own the place? No one may ever know – unless farmers decide to install an intricate security system and see if "cows gone wild"-like escapades follow. THQ provides a likable take on the theory with the release of Barnyard for the Nintendo Wii, based on the Nickelodeon film of the same name. In the game, the farmer and his many animals co-exist in a happy little setting, with the animals walking around on their hind legs and acting like the locals. Players take control of a newly arrived teenage cow finding new allies and accepting various missions on the farm.

On the positive side, Barnyard contains several mini-games allowing players to shoot a game of pool or a few quick holes of golf. Many of these mini-games also make proper use of the Nintendo Wii controller. Pool, for instance, lets players perform actions similar to that of holding a real pool stick. They simply grasp the Wii remote, pull it back and then thrust it forward with a certain degree of power... after they've aimed, of course.

Moving around feels pretty good. Players move their cow with the left analog stick while jerking the nunchuk upward to make them jump. They also pick up rocks; kick trees and objects to score coins (to spend at a shop on Gopher Hill) and eventually score items to give them new abilities, such as shooting milk.

Barnyard's graphics look remarkably better on the Wii. The game moves at a fluid 60 frames per second (instead of thirty) and the farm and its many inhabitants look sharp. Awkward animations and poor lip-synching keep the game from looking perfect, but this doesn't detract from the overall experience. Other areas look great as well, with many hidden places and items to find. Kudos to THQ for steering away from boring Point A to-Point B designs.

As for sound, some people may be disappointed. Barnyard features very little speech aside from the opening sentences and some snide comments here and there. The music sounds all right, with a banjo strumming in the background, but it soon grows repetitive. At least the sound effects capture the ambience of the farm.

Despite the numerous activities offered, Barnyard runs into some problems. The item equipping system takes a lot of time to maneuver through, a frustrating task when gamers want to set up the right item. Some of the activities become monotonous, such as the mundane collecting missions and mixing together components to offer "mocktails" or recipes to other farm animals for cash. Finally, the game's content won't be for everyone, as Barnyard was clearly built for a younger audience and average players can complete the game in a few short hours.

Regardless of its shortcomings, Barnyard's mini-games and activities on the farm make it worth at least a rental. Just accept the fact that bovines ride bikes and mix drinks. Final Score: 6 (out of 10)

Related Links

Barnyard Game Guide

THQ

Our Final ScoreMediocre

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