Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion - Nintendo 3DS

When I have first heard about Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion, I was curious. A game with the likes of Super Smash Bros AND features characters from Cartoon Network's glory days? Count me in! It seemed like a perfectly good way to escape from the newer CN shows like Ninjago (uh....) and Regular Show (Who thought this show was a good idea?). And then I finally got my hands on the game...First off, the voice work for the characters was TERRIBLE. Most of the characters had different voice actors for this game, resulting in some pretty crappy voice work. We still have Tara Strong voicing Bubbles, and Mandy, Ben 10, and Bloo also have their original voices, but why does Dexter have to sound like a science-obsessed Timmy Turner? Why does Mojo Jojo have an aggressive voice and doesn't talk for days on end? Could they make Johnny Bravo sound any worse? At least new voices like Grim's sound accurate.Another problem with the voices is that when the characters talk, they only talk through dialogue boxes, and reuse voice clips like "Hi frind!" (Flapjack), "I'm Blossom!" (Self-explanatory), "Hey." (Bloo), etc. But guess what? Apparently, the narrator gets to speak fully, saying everything shown in his dialogue boxes. What kind of sense does that make?Actually, the narrator speaking and the new voices not talking much is a good thing. Why? Because the narrator of the game is GEORGE LOWE, the voice of Space Ghost (as in Space Ghost Coast to Coast)! That said, although the game itself doesn't reveal he is Space Ghost, he definitely behaves like so. Come on, game. There's no hiding it. He even says "I've been hosting so much I'm introing on my day off!" and makes some pretty funny jokes here and there in the story.Now, let's FINALLY jump into the gameplay aspects: They are not exactly Smash Bros-esc. Granted, the fighting style is similar, but the combat feels different. It's not you get to play as Mario and use his cape to reflect stuff, or use his fist in mid-air to whack the opponents down gaps or pits. It just doesn't feel as fluid as Smash Bros. Plus, X is to jump instead of Up, making it a bit awkward at first glance.While the game does have multiplayer, you can't play online, which kinda sucks. And even when playing mutliplayer, you'll have to know that you'll need to play through the game's Single Player adventure mode to unlock more characters.The main game (aka adventure mode) is composed of huge levels filled with platforming and bad guys to beat up. While the game doesn't go incredibly far with the platforming mechanics, the game does try to offer more variety by putting the player into unique situations such as shooting things in FPS-style on a horse (Samurai Jack), or beating up guys to keep a character from dying (Chowder and Foster's), or shooting things in a Gradius-style perspective (Powerpuff Girls). Even then, however, there are certain times where I felt things were kinda repetitive.While the fighting is fun, there are very few items to use. There are still health relievers, though, and collecting enough orbs from the ground allow the player to utilize his/her special attack (Which is like a Final Smash from Super Smash Bros Brawl). One item that always reoccurs is the CN substitute for an Assist Trophy. It allows a character to come in and help fight temporarily. Still, I would liked to be able to find more unique items to use, and not just the Assist.The worst thing about this game is that it has a lot of glitches. Most of them are minor, yes, but there was this one glitch in the Dexter's Laboratory level that took away from the fun. As Dexter was slowly going downward, avoiding hazards, and once he reached the floor, he was stuck on the floor. Either I had to restart the whole level or wait for my damage to slowly reach 300%. Fortunately, I didn't encounter any other major glitch, but I still saw stuff like some enemies' feet being INSIDE the floors/platforms.Overall, Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion is a fun game, but the voices were mostly awful, and the experience is not without glitches. But hey! At least we have our good buddy Space Ghost narrating the game's story. And there certainly won't be a Super Smash Bros game for the 3DS anytime soon (despite its announcement). Even then, this game is good for inexpensive Smash Bros-style play with the Cartoon Network characters you know and love.(By the way, notice how this game was released before Cartoon Planet's revival on Cartoon Network. And this game's narrator is Space Ghost, whose show also featured Brak and Zorak, and they were also all in the original Cartoon Planet. Coincidence?)

I'm saying this as a long time fan of Cartoon Network when I found out that there was a smash bros type game of Cartoon Network I knew I had to have it but don't buy it just to play multiplayer story mode you might be disappointed. It is not just good for kids it's also good if you were a kid in the 90's because it has classics like Dexter's laboratory, the powerpuff girls, and Captain Planet and the planeteers and newer shows like Ben 10, chowder, foster's home for imaginary friends' and more! Plus you can play as villains like mojo jojo, father, and vilgax plus use assists like mandark, fussy numkins, Johnny bravo, and more but watch out for guys like aku, stickybeard, him, the vreedle brothers, and schnitzel. People say that this game would be better if it had shows like adventure time, and regular show but it is good enough without them but then again if they put Ben 10 they should have put shows like generator Rex or the secret Saturdays but still it is a awesome game. You've done it again Cartoon Network!

Just buy this game already. it's not as good as Smash bros, but Smash Bros for 3DS isn't coming out for a year or two, and if you're a CN fan, what are you waiting for? Maybe you've looked at reviews of it from game websites that gave it a bad score. That's because they compare it to Smash Bros. Hell, most of those websites don't even know what their names are! One website said Father from KND was Dexter's Dad!The character you want isn't in the game? Well, there is a console version coming out soon with more characters. The dev team said that there may be a DLC for the 3DS to get the characters the console version gets if the game sells well.Instead of Pre-Ordering a game that comes out in the winter, how about get a game now and get that game you were going to pre-order when the time comes? This game isn't as bad as critics say it is, and they give it bad reviews because they compare it to SSBB, and some people are ripping on it just because it's made by a company no one knows. Take it from me- I've actually played it and I'm a fan of CN- Well the old CN.

I'm only about half-way through it, and so far it's rather good. Sure, the characters are... well, out of character, the plot is rather ridiculous, the voice acting is laughable, and the multiple glitches can make it a bit difficult to play, but overall, it's very fun! It has so many classic CN characters mixed with the new ones, plus the VS is so hilariously fun! Where else would I be able to have Chowder power-belch Buttercup off a samurai temple from Samurai Jack?I just really, REALLY hope CN decides to make a new version with all the new shows they have now! I'd love to have Flapjack and Steven Universe team up or something.

Excellent video game for getting started in the 3DS, I also bought it in Wii platform do to all the fun I had with these one!! Maybe it was short on some cartoon network characters, but I hope for the second release they add Cow and Chicken, Ed, Edd, and Eddy and so much more!!

My children (as well as myself) LOVE this throwback game filled with our favorite Cartoon Network characters! It was well worth the small purchase price.

It is obviously not to par with other fighting games, but it is great to kill time when there is not much to do.

This game is so awesome. It's like the Cartoon Network version of Super Smash Bros. I love it and have recommended it to a lot of people.

I often don't have the time to unclock new characters and all that in Story Mode but it can be an amusing in a Mario Brawl type system. I'd have preferred a Street Fighter like system.

My son loves it..arrived quickly thx