Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show Review - Screenshot 1 of 2

First there were Rabbids. Then there were Minions. But the Rabbids were first.

It's probably impossible for anyone to have missed the Ubisoft spectacle that is the Ravin' Rabbids. They are loud, they are over-the-top, and they are everywhere! They don't have a proper language, but their mimed slapstick (heavily infused by fart jokes) isn't hard to understand. It's scaled down and amped up at the same time.

Rabbids Invasion: the Interactive TV Show is exactly what it sounds like — episodes of Rabbid adventures with an interactive twist; you and your friends take part in the different episodes by pointing, jumping and making faces. The more intense, the more points you get for your efforts. It's all competition.

The most common and recurring game element is simply to identify and point at different objects that pop up in the background — whoever points first, scores. While participation can occur from the comfort of the sofa, don't expect to be sitting down for long. As soon as you get comfortable the game will ask you to stand up again to compete in jumping or running on the spot.

Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show Review - Screenshot 2 of 2

Rabbids Invasion is a tricky one to grade. As an adult, the farts and burps will probably get rather tiresome pretty fast — the game is packed with them. But if in the right age group, it's probably an entertaining way of spending time. This is, however, where we also come across the first issue: the targeted age group and the age restrictions. In the UK you'll find that this game has an age restriction of 7+ years, while in North America it's 10+ years. But it feels like it's aiming at an audience younger than that — maybe even half of that. It would be interesting to know what age group the developers aimed for during development.

Secondly, there are some features that might be questionable for those living in apartments or attached houses, so the running and jumping might be problematic. There's one point you're asked to shout for points — the louder, the higher the score — and you really need to scream to earn points. Worried neighbours will most likely ask why, all of a sudden, people are screaming for their lives in your household. You don't come across this feature often, but the little that is in there could definitely be an issue.

Another concern would be the actual show episodes that make up the background for the game; how much of them is actually perceived while pumping, jumping and looking for things probably varies from person to person, but there is a lot going, all the time. There's no real sense of being inside the Rabbids' crazy world — the interactive part doesn't necessarily feel interactive in the sense that you're actually interacting with the Rabbids and the episode played. It's more like being asked to do silly things while the tv is running in the background.

Conclusion

We are not the targeted group for this "interactive tv-show" — that is made very clear. No matter how much we appreciate simple slapstick humour, the Rabbids and the never-ending, over-used fart effects are just too much to be fun in the long run. However, as a game for smaller children, probably ranging from around 5-8 years of age, this is most likely an entertaining little piece of distraction, especially when played together with friends. The core strength of the game is that you're made to look silly, which of course is more entertaining when there are a bunch of participants looking equally crazy. Playing alone, it's just not that great. Also, the age restrictions on this game are questionable. Maybe not so much the restrictions themselves, but how this game is probably more enjoyed by age groups years younger than what's suggested on the box. If you have children of your own or nieces and nephews with a tendency of hyper-activity, then maybe this is for you. Don't expect it to be a quiet passing of time, but if you can handle the noise, it's probably a good "baby sitter" while you catch a break.