Review of Toy Story Mania! Point and Shoot Video Game

For weeks before Christmas, my husband hinted that he had the perfect gift for me this year. This was welcome news as past gifts have included a cord of firewood and a huge box of copy paper. (I have to come to his defense and say I loved both those gifts for different reasons but I think most people can agree they’re not gifts you would typically think to give your wife.) Sitting on a floor littered with torn wrapping paper and toys, it was finally my turn and my husband did not disappoint. I ripped off the wrapping paper and saw theToy Story Mania! Point and Shoot Video Game.

Toy Story Mania! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is my favorite attraction and I couldn’t wait to give this game a try. Being Christmas morning, I had to wait until evening as apparently I had more important duties that included putting together toys and installing batteries.

What’s Included?

When you open the box, you’ll find three components – the sensor thingamabob, the video game controller, and the fancy-sounding Infini-D Glasses which I recommend putting straight in the trash.

Installation

Installation couldn’t be easier and takes all of thirty seconds once batteries are installed. The video game controller plugs into the video jacks on your television while the sensor is placed either on top of your television or at the base depending on the height of the t.v.

Game Play

To play the game (with one to four players), turn on both the sensor and video game controller, set your television to the correct input, and then point ‘n shoot using one or both of the buttons on the video game controller.

Each game has four types of targets. The most common targets are points targets which add up to your final score. You’ll also see an x2 target which will double the points you earn for 15 seconds after you hit this target. Last but not least are the time targets. The – target will deduct time from your game while the + target will add time to your game (beginning at 45 seconds) and enable you to play more game scenes. Visually, there is a large, easy-to-spot white circle on the screen that shows what you are aiming at and makes selecting targets pretty easy. This is coming from someone who never had Atari growing up and doesn’t have a game system in the house so it must be easy to aim.

This game is not in 3-D. The Infini-D Glasses make it appear so but all it did was give me the beginnings of a headache and make my eyes hurt.

There are five games to select from: Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’, Tossed in Space, Green Army Men Shoot Camp, Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop, and Hamm n’ Eggs.

Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’. This game is like a traditional shooting arcade. The targets in this Western mining setting are bulls-eyes. It’s one of the easier games and the one I had a high score in.

Tossed in Space. For me, this space-themed ring-toss game is the most challenging. Because it’s a ring toss, you must aim high to try to ring the target. Add moving targets to the mix and I always come in an embarrassing third-place when I play with my family.

Green Army Men Shoot Camp. Moving military vehicles and planes carry plates that players break with balls. The large targets and balls make it easy to aim and score in this game. It’s perfect for me.

Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop. The first scene in this game is so pretty with its pastel colors that you can almost be lulled into a sense of serenity but that would not serve you well in this balloon pop game. Try not to feel bad at popping the cute balloon animals with your darts.

Hamm n’ Eggs. Set on a farm, water balloons are the projectile of choice in this game. There is a 5000 target that eludes me every time. I pretty much think it’s impossible to hit the target and it’s just there to taunt me 

Fun Factor

This game is a hit in our house with three competitive adults vying to outscore the others. Although the game is recommended for ages 5+, our five-year old had trouble lining up targets and scoring but he does love to be the cheerleader and point out all the extra time targets to make sure we don’t miss them.

The technology used enables remarkably accurate shooting; if you aim well, you will score. In terms of game play, I think the game suffers from lack of motion. It feels slow at times and the small pause in between scenes is a little frustrating. This game isn’t really ground-breaking so if you are not a fan of Toy Story Mania! in the theme park, you probably wouldn’t put this on your Top Ten list. However, if you’re reading this blog, you probably are a Toy Story Mania! fan and then I feel certain you will enjoy the game and I recommend it. It brings a bit of your Disney vacation into your home with its familiar games and characters. For this Disney fan, it really was the perfect Christmas gift.

Toy Story Mania! Point and Shoot Video Game is available at Amazon and the Disney Store.

Lisa M. Battista is the author of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers When she’s not chasing after her little ones, you can most likely find her at the beach or in the kitchen trying her hand at a new recipe. You can follow her on Twitter @DisneyExplorer or become a fan of Beyond the Attractions on Facebook.