If there's one thing I've learned from my years of game reviewing, it's that there are dozens upon dozens of games for kids, but of that plentiful group, only a few are actually quality titles. It is for this reason that I get so excited when I stumble across a game for kids that contains the entire package: sweet graphics, fun and intuitive gameplay, and a great story. Noddy: A Day in Toyland, The Game Factory's upcoming release for the Game Boy Advance, is the entire package, and definitely deserves a look once it ships in October.

Noddy is based on a popular British television show about Toyland and the characters who live there. Noddy, the main character, appears to be a Pinnochio-like wooden boy, and is as cute as a button. The game follows him through a typical day in Toyland, during which good old Noddy helps all of his friends with the various tasks they are having difficulty with. So for example, Noddy must drive his friend to the bicycle repair shop, help the bicycle repairman collect his missing tools so he can fix a bike, find the missing ingredients so that his friend can open her ice cream shop, and help collect another friend's many missing children. The completion of each task is rewarded with another new task, so you might assume that Noddy's day in Toyland is actually quite long and tedious, but the game is done so well that you forget you are simply performing odd jobs.

The tasks themselves are actually quite easy to complete. In the levels when Noddy must look for something, he simply walks along until he sees what he is looking for, at which point he collects the item and continues on his merry way. Along with the items he is tasked with collecting, there are also coins to collect and obstacles to avoid. Most of these obstacles are other characters, including a spinning guy, a monkey, and a pig. On the levels with an influx of enemies, Noddy can also collect cupcakes and bells. The cupcakes are essentially his weapons, because when he encounters an enemy, he can hand them a cupcake and they stop their destruction to eat. Bells help renew Noddy's energy, which he loses when he takes damage from an enemy. Bells and cupcakes are plentiful on these levels, so unless you waste your cupcakes by throwing them at nothing and fail to collect the bells, you'll pretty much get through unscathed. There are also nifty touches on each level that help Noddy reach the higher coins, including toadstools and springs that he can bounce on, and houses that he can climb on. The driving levels are a bit trickier, because they involve avoiding rocks and logs as well as things like cows and chickens while collecting coins and bells. However, quick reflexes will get you through those with no problem.

The graphics in this game are very well done, with plenty of color, and the cutest characters ever. Noddy and all of his friends are simply adorable, and even the enemies are super cute. The music is a very simple childlike tune, and while I won't be rocking out to it on my iPod anytime soon, it didn't bother me to keep the volume up while I was playing. For parents who worry about these kinds of things, there is no violence at all in the game (how much blood can a cupcake elicit anyway?) and no adult themes.

Parents who are looking for a mediocre game for their kids can look at a million different titles. However, those who want a quality game consisting of innocent fun should look no further than Noddy: A Day in Toyland. Packed with all of the essential elements of a great game, Noddy: A Day in Toyland is a must-have for all kids.

Our Final ScoreExcellent

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