Perhaps in a bid to capitalize on the urban tagging craze, the follow-up to the Japanese game Magic Pengel has been mistranslated as Graffiti Kingdom, calling to mind the gangland turf wars in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. As a result, concerned parents might keep their kids away from a game that could be the best babysitter this side of Mary Poppins. Nothing here remotely resembles graffiti, except for the creative freedom that comes from modifying your surroundings. Though the kiddie platform challenges are abbreviated and often rudimentary—the story mode takes a short afternoon to finish, if that—doodlers of all ages will find endless replay value in the drawing function, which lets you create and build upon your own 3D creatures. Even those who can't draw a lick can mold the crudest of prototypes into elaborate, vividly colorful beasties that can scoot around on anything from wheels to wings, and attack with just as much variety.
A fairy tale told in a squeaky anime voice, the game takes place in the peaceful realm of Canvas Kingdom, where legend has it that warriors expelled the devil a thousand years ago through the power of "graffiti magic." As the mischievous Prince Pixel, you stumble upon the secret chamber where the devil has been kept for centuries, and accidentally liberate him by breaking a magic seal. Within moments, Canvas Kingdom transforms into demon country, and it's up to you to vanquish the evil regime with your newfound graffiti powers. Together with your smack-talking companion Pastel, a box-shaped dog who also functions as a backpack for some reason, you smack around other adorable, easy-to-kill adversaries while working your way through three distinct worlds lorded over by the expected Big Bosses. At any time, you have the option to transform yourself into three different creatures, including custom-made creations, or you can use your powers to turn into the creature you're attacking. Making it through this rat maze isn't much of a challenge, since rapping the punch button will baffle virtually all comers, but at least you can do it in style.