Shrek needs no introduction. After two hugely successful feature film outings, the Dreamworks-created, Mike Myers-voiced fairytale troll is a household name, with everyone from your old man to England seam bowler Matthew Hoggard being nick-named as the loveable, foul-smelling bog dweller.

Given the CGI nature of our green-skinned hero, videogame cash-ins were even more inevitable than with your average blockbuster. But the somewhat perfunctory collectathon that followed wasn’t to many peo ... more >>

Shrek needs no introduction. After two hugely successful feature film outings, the Dreamworks-created, Mike Myers-voiced fairytale troll is a household name, with everyone from your old man to England seam bowler Matthew Hoggard being nick-named as the loveable, foul-smelling bog dweller.

Given the CGI nature of our green-skinned hero, videogame cash-ins were even more inevitable than with your average blockbuster. But the somewhat perfunctory collectathon that followed wasn’t to many people’s taste. Given that the IP’s strength lies mainly with its amusing characters, this serving from Activision looks like a better bet. The title is Shrek SuperSlam, suggesting that it’s either a fighting or rugby title, and we can report that it spurns everyone’s favourite muddy game for posh blokes and northerners in favour of the delights of cartoonish pugilism.

And there’s a generous amount on offer here. Up to four players can join in, meaning all but the largest families can get something to keep all the kids occupied. As is fashionable these days, you get destructible environments where you can throw opponents through walls and windows. And there are no fewer than 16 of these arenas to hurl each other around in, taking in all your favourite locations from the films.

No less generous is the inclusion of 20 familiar characters, each equipped with their own unique and special moves. You get the cantankerous Shrek himself, with his trademark ‘Green Storm’ super. And the suave, Antonio Banderas-voiced Puss in Boots appropriately gets a Cute Attack, leaving opponents powerless to do anything more than coo adoringly and pat his head. Also making appearances are the ebullient, irrepressible Donkey, memorably voice by Eddie Murphy, and the villainous Prince (not so) Charming. It's an ideal stocking filler at any time of the year for Shrek fans. << less