Powerpuff Girls 1: Bad Mojo Jojo - Game Boy Color

Based on the Cartoon Network series, this title spotlights Blossom, the pink-clad leader of the Powerpuff Girls. The dilemma facing the girls at the start of the game is that Mojo Jojo has kidnapped the girls' mentor, Professor Utonium. Blossom must battle Bratty Little Princess, Roach Coach, and eventually Mojo Jojo himself (hence the game's name) to save the brave professor.

The idea behind the game is to run or fly around the professor's home and lab, collecting all the goodies that the various robbers dropped in their hasty ransacking of the place. The items consist of treasure, special graphic cards of Blossom & Co., and health power-ups.

Some simple puzzle solving is required to finish this game, but that really takes second fiddle to honing one's exploration skills and reaction timing. Even without reading the manual--and who does nowadays?--most will quickly figure out where they're going and what they've got to do.

If this series has a singular hook, it is that all three of the girls' games can be linked though the GBC's vastly underutilized infrared port. Whatever is collected in one cartridge can be sent over to another. In this way, players who work together can more quickly gather all the cool collectibles in the game and get further ahead in less time. It's too bad the makers didn't spend a little more time putting a game together that was stylish to look at and engaging to play. --Todd Mowatt

Pros: Some cool tech and marketing features Cons: Repetitive gameplay Small, simple character design poorly conveys the cartoon's unique aesthetic

Amazon.com Product Description
The Powerpuff Girls 1: Bad Mojo Jojo features clever Blossom as she evades and traps enemies, while the other two girls are in reserve for super attacks. The side-scrolling game has multiscreen maps with hidden areas. Our hero dodges obstacles, collects power-ups, destroys enemies, rescues friends, and ultimately fights the featured villains to save Townsville. The villainous Mojo Jojo, Bratty Little Princess, and Roach Coach all reflect brains over brawn, which requires Blossom to utilize strategies other than a full frontal attack. Players can collect and trade electronic game cards between two copies of the game via the separately sold Game Boy Link Cable, as well as engage in two-player head-to-head action. Secret passwords unlock new game features, including trading cards and hidden powers.