Welcome to the bonkers fairytale world of a Land Far Far Away, where Shrek, his blushing green bride, Fiona, Donkey and a gingerbread man are falling over themselves to collect eyeballs, energy power-ups and assorted bonuses in the game spun off from the animated blockbuster sequel. While the films manage to appeal to both younger viewers and adults, this game is aimed purely at children.

The quartet must explore their vibrant world and work together to complete challenges, with a host of other favourites — including Lil’ Red (Riding Hood) and Puss in Boots — also making appearances to help out. In single-player mode the three characters not selected are computer controlled. But add extra controllers during the game and up to three more humans can take control of other characters.

The lush environments are inviting, but the characters’ voices have been provided by soundalikes, rather than the film’s stars. The rich musical score, however, can sound inspired at times. The main drawback to Shrek 2 is its slightly flaky in-game camera feature, which does not always let you see the action from the best angles.

Tim Wapshott