Shark Tale, Dreamworks' animated feature film is set to release in theaters this October and publisher Activision is planning on making a splash on the current crop of game consoles. Releasing a week before the movie, you'll be able to pick up a Shark Tale game for the Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, PC, and the GBA. I had a chance to spend some time with the Xbox version, and it appears developer Edge of Reality has all the pieces in place for a hit.

Shark Tale is about a fish named Oscar who finds himself the center of attention after taking down a shark, or does he? The film centers around Oscar and his life after taking the easy path to fame and fortune. Its visuals are beautifully animated CG goodness, which is a minor disappointment when looking at the game because it's in no way even close to the film, but that doesn't mean it's ugly. Featuring sharp and detailed graphics, Shark Tale successfully captures the look and feel of the movie, while at the same time appears to be one of the best-looking underwater games ever made. While playing, you'll recognize locales from the films as well as some of your favorite and least-favorite characters. The only downside is that Activision didn't go to the great lengths necessary to snag the movie's all-star cast to provide voice work. However, you have no need to fret. While the videogame Oscar isn't voiced by Will Smith (As he is in the movie.), his sound alike was approved by him, and he doesn't do a bad job at all.

What really impressed me about Shark Tale is the varied styles of gameplay that keep the experience fresh. You play as Oscar throughout the game's 25 levels, but this is much more than a simple mission-based adventure game. Sure, you can explore Reef City and work at the Whale Wash and sneak around Oscar's neighborhood, but you can also race through the environments on the back of a Taxi fish (Lots of fun and very fast.), engage in fish fighting, as well as boogie down in the game's dance levels. Combos go around in a wheel and you have to mix and match certain moves. You can even use your Dance Dance Revolution game pad to play!

While the gameplay is all well and good, what most impresses me about Shark Tale is the extras. There's the usual stuff to unlock, movie posters being the best example, but you can also view wire frame models, and over time, the textures fade in to give you an idea on how the developers managed to create the game. It's stuff like this I want to see a lot more of, because with videogames as popular as they are, developers need to continue to show us how they work their magic.

Shark Tale looks like a good game, but let's face it, it's handcuffed to the film, and if the movie tanks, audiences may overlook the game. However, Dreamworks isn't known for producing failures, so I think the game's will be a hit among young audiences and parents looking for non-violent games for their kids. If you're looking for a cute game that's heavy on variety and short on gore, Shark Tale may be your catch of the day! Yarrrrr!