Toy Story 3

The real surprise about this inevitable movie tie-in released to blast Toy Story 3 into the subconscious isn't that it does a very good job of bringing to life Pixar's virtual world; it's that it's actually rather good as a game in its own right.

Developed by Avalanche Software, the Toy Story 3 console and handheld adventure romp will do little to wow those who find Disney's saccharine world of talking playthings a little irritating, but there's no doubt it outshines almost every game ever conceived to promote a crowd-pleasing family movie. Designed with youngsters in mind, and staking a claim to its own distinct narrative, Avalanche's creation provides a "go anywhere, do anything" template that delicately balances freedom to roam with focused gameplay. There's a brief plot-led story mode largely dominated by platform-jumping and exploration, and a playful "Toy Box" setting that lets users roam as they wish through worlds inspired by the Pixar film. There's less here for older players, but thanks to a keen eye for detail the game delicately evokes a warm sense of blissful childhood hours accompanied by a vivid imagination, a good collection of plastic soldiers, building bricks and well-loved stuffed animals.

Experienced gamers and easily irritated pessimists can try all they like to berate this well-crafted title – and it's unlikely to win them round – but for once this absolutely serves as a worthy parallel to its celluloid outing.