SimAnimals Africa is a game that will be greatly misunderstood by many reviewers, mainly because it’s not aimed at the average games reviewer; it’s aimed at a child. A child who loves fluffy safari animals, especially cute baby ones, and who wants to frolic with them and watch them dance in the Savannah. Yup, SimAnimals Africa is unrealistic, cartoony and most definitely not aimed at the average gamer. But it certainly has some redeeming features for the younger generation.
The bulk of the game is comprised of the challenges available across Africa. There are a number of chapters to unlock, each achieved by releasing ‘good energy’ into the world. This is done by befriending the animals in the area and completing challenges and mini-games. There are quite a few different landscapes on offer such as jungles, savannas and volcanic deserts, all with their own unique challenges. The most important thing in each chapter is to befriend the animals available. There is a decent variety of animals on offer such as rhinos, hippos, lions, gazelles, crocodiles and my personal favourite: zebras. All the animals are cute in a cartoony way which will irritate adults but enchant kids. To befriend each of them you have to first of all pet them. This is where the Wii remote comes into play with the player having to shake the remote in certain areas of the animal’s body to make it happy and like you. It’s not as sordid as it sounds, and although it’s slightly tiring on the arms, kids are bound to enjoy the interaction. Once the animal likes you sufficiently, you can control the animal and wander around the area interacting with the others. Dancing with the other animals is particularly enjoyable and the way in which each animal dances is quite unique and entertaining.
