Well, there are a few ways you could look at this. You could say, �Hey, I really like
the cartoon, so...this bad game is disappointing.� Or you could be like, �Uh, this is a game
based on a cartoon, so...this bad game is exactly what you�d expect.�
Or you could be a psychic. Alien. In which case, nanu nanu.
But you already knew that. It�s The Fairly OddParents: Shadow Showdown.
So this is one of the many subpar licensed games published by THQ before the company
went out of business. And you know, in retrospect...it�s really no wonder that happened. I mean, THQ�s
good games almost seem accidental now, given all the poor decisions they were making. And
the bad games they were selling.
Not even fairy godparents could change that fate.
Least of all inept ones.
Anyway, Shadow Showdown was released in 2004 for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube and,
obviously, the Game Boy Advance...which is what we�re playing here. And frankly, it�s
just another forgettable, nondescript, 2D GBA platformer. Some of the most boring level
designs you can imagine, and gameplay so generic, it feels like a million other generic games...none
of which you can even remember.
Not even with...fairy dust. I looked into it, it checks out.
So you play as Timmy, who has a pair of fairy godparents who are odd, hence the OddParents.
See, it�s a pun. So you know it�s good. Timmy can move left and right, he can jump...it�s
a platformer. The game�s distinguishing feature is that...it�s about magic. Which
is awesome. Clap your hands! You must believe in magic.
So you can use the fairies with the shoulder buttons. Pressing R lets you control one that
can cast spells. You can turn your enemies into anvils, which comes in handy for platforming.
You can freeze them, you know? Tell �em to chill out. And the other one casts spells
on Timmy. It can turn him into a light bulb, to kill shadow monsters.
You know. Just like real life.
And actually, the magic tricks are kind of fun, but as a whole...the rest of the game
is never that much fun. And that�s mostly for two reasons. One, the level design is
really stale and boring, and what good ideas it does have...it ends up ruining them through
repetition. And two...it�s the game mechanics themselves. Shadow Showdown just doesn�t
have the sharpness or precision you want from a platformer.
You know, to be honest...it might not be fair to call this a �bad game.� I mean, it�s
certainly not a good game, but...it�s probably not a bad one, either. In fact, that�s the
problem. This game leaves absolutely no impression on you whatsoever. You forget about this game
as you�re playing it�it�s that bland and generic.
Of course, Shadow Showdown also has more objective problems...not the least of which is bad hit
detection, which makes stomping enemies a bit of a chore. And the game also uses passwords,
for its save system. Which...I mean, to even call it a �system� seems generous, at
that point.
I suppose really young players might enjoy this. I mean, there�s some humor, there�s
recognizable characters...but at the same time, don�t kids deserve good games, too?
Like, when I was a kid, licensed games were awesome sometimes. Ninja Turtles, Capcom�s
Disney games, GoldenEye...they were a lot better than, The Fairly OddParents: Shadow
Showdown.
Turns out...not even magic can change that.