Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper Review

When a person my age starts writing reviews for girl’s games, people might get concerned. I just think it’s part of the job, one that I could do without, but with the help of Vivendi Universal and some platforming magic, Princess and the Pauper (I’ll just call it Barbie), isn’t half as bad as I expected. Please note that this is my second Barbie game, Barbie’s Horse Adventure being the first. By the way, if you’re a male, I wonder what you’re doing reading this to begin with, so don’t ask why I played it, you’re as guilty as me for reading.

The story can be skimmed over with not much missed. Pretty much play as Barbie, Erika, and the two pets, Wolfie and Serafina. You’ll control two at a time, sometimes a pet with a pet, and others Barbie/Erika with a pet. The controls are basic, as this is a children’s game. L is used to switch between players, control pad to walk, A to jump, B to raise shield, sing, or swipe paw, and select to access the map.

In the first level, you’ll play as Barbie and Erika, searching for golden apples. Use one’s musical talent, and the other’s shield umbrella, combined, it’s a dual that can’t be beaten, at least in the land of Barbie.

Another level will have you play as the two cats, in what is a somewhat amusing level. The cat can climb the tress, and hit seeds with its paw. The seeds are used to grow a plant, so you need to hit the seed until it goes to a specific spot on the screen. The other cat can dig, allowing you to reach otherwise impossible corridors.

Another level has you use Barbie and the white cat. Your goal is to turn on the water, so jump on Barbie’s shield umbrella, platform jump, and hit the levers that turn on the water. You’ll continue a back-and-forth between these two characters throughout the level. Barbie will use her umbrella to shield herself and the cat from water falling. She can also use it as cover from enemy fire.

For those of you that are around the ages of 8-14, and are a female, you might enjoy this game, especially fans of Barbie. For you guys out there, I’ve never known Barbie to be marketed to your demographic, so while the platforming/puzzle elements are tolerable, the girly makeover will likely turn you off. The Princess and the Pauper is a solid platform/puzzle title to go along with the newly released video, but once again, be warned, if you aren’t a female, fan of Barbie, or new gamer, this game isn’t for you.