After revisiting the film and binging the series, I thought why not check out the game too? And you know what, for a cheap licensed tie-in, it’s adequate!

My love for the property rekindled, I was very open to receiving this game. Now I won’t try and pretend it’s more than mediocre, but it had some bright spots I appreciated. For example, it incorporates Rapunzel’s penchant for painting with some Wii remote-pointing side tasks, as well as collectibles taking the form of new paint colours and entries for her journal, an element that the series later leaned on as an important theme.

Cutscenes that fill in the exposition between levels and setpieces also take the form of lovely painted murals that are filled in in time-lapse; there’s even one excellent gag late on when Eugene has to narrate his side of the story and it reverts to crude doodles! As for the game itself, its visuals are a little crude too (Rapunzel’s hair acts like a stiff ribbon that constantly clips through objects), but I’m mostly forgiving of that. I did find it a little odd that the game skews ever so slightly more realistic than the look of the movie, with muddier colours and the characters’ proportions being a little off. Also Pascal (who pops up as a hint character) looks horrifying. Oh well.

The gameplay takes the form of a simple level-based action/adventure game, with a limited field of movement. I was reminded of nothing so much as my recent experience with Dora the Explorer Saves the Mermaids (complete with repeated vocal cues from the characters, who I was pleased to find were reprised by the film actors), but for slightly older kids. It’s very forgiving; there’s not even any health system. The occasional minigame segment is also not the tedious impediment that it can be in games like this. And Wii remote waggling is present as expected but thankfully not too intrusive.

It is designed as a co-operative experience through and through; in all levels you switch between Rapunzel and Eugene who have their own skills and collectibles. A third and fourth player can even join in for more basic non-narrative assistance. I was not able to test this (“Too ugly”, my spouse said). The concessions to family play also include a “hold hands” button, so that a more experienced player can help another through some sections. It’s a bit like Donkey Kong Country Returns/Tropical Freeze, although the specific mechanic here and dynamic between the characters also reminded me pleasantly of Ico.

While I’m comparing this to much much better games, one of Rapunzel’s main tasks in levels is to heal and bloom flowers with the power of her magic hair, which immediately recalled Okami’s themes of restoring nature. She also joins the ranks of game protagonists who get by using their hair, like Shantae and the rat creature in SNES game Rocky Rodent.

So I could sit here all day facetiously saying this is a combination of Ico and Okami, but it’s really just a pretty straightforward adaptation of a great film that looks worse and cuts out all the songs. The final boss in particular is very brief and underwhelming. But it does at least expand on the movie in some ways, which is something I like to watch out for in these tie-ins: the Snuggly Duckling’s poodle and goat boy, meeting shopkeepers in the Corona market and exploring the town, the occasional banter between the leads. (The game does claim that the iconic lanterns are made from silk and lit with a candle, which is patently untrue but that’s fine.) Like I said, adequate!