Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - GBA

Few oriental films, as beautifully crafted as they may be, make it over to western shores, but when one does, it doesn’t go unnoticed. The year 2000 saw the release of Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon in the UK. It was hugely successful, and even the presence of subtitles didn’t discourage avid British cinema-goers. Three years on, Ubi Soft and Genki have finally released a video game equivalent for Game Boy Advance.

When Mu Bai gives his legendary sword to his lover and fellow Wudan warrior Shu Lien, he anticipates retiring to a life of peace. However, Green Destiny - the sword in question - mysteriously vanishes, sparking an intrigue that leads to a defiant young aristocrat and her sinister mentor - Mu Bai's arch-nemesis Jade Fox. In the intricate world of 19th-century China, three master warriors must transcend the laws of space, gravity, and the human body to do battle against not only their fiercest enemies, but with the conflicting forces within themselves.

Considerably different from its PS2 counterpart, Crouching Tiger for GBA is a classic side-scrolling adventure in which players must progress through numerous locations based upon the film, disposing of myriad super ninjas in the progress. Players are granted with the same super-human abilities as the characters from the film, and they can even engage in horse chases. The adventure also includes several platform elements of gaming, making Crouching Tiger a diverse experience.

Fans of the film will enjoy Crouching Tiger, but it will also appeal to those who enjoy classic gaming from the 16-bit era. more