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Ice Age 2: The Meltdown for PlayStation 2
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown for the PlayStation 2 gives Scrat the leading role in an adventure running alongside the film's events. While the ice melts and the other animals seek a safe escape, he remains chiefly occupied with chasing nuts. You jump through natural environments, investigate side paths and collect the supplies scattered everywhere.
Scrat can double-jump, cling on and defeat enemies with his tail or a stomp. The emphasis is on finding a route through the environment. You look for where a ledge continues, how to reach a higher point and where to get another collectible. Fights interrupt this process but usually form short obstacles between platforming sections. Positioning the camera properly before starting a series of jumps helps.
The other film characters are present too, with smaller tasks for Sid and Diego, among others. Regular collecting therefore alternates with short minigames. You play alone in a fairly compact adventure, allowing you to see a great deal in a few longer sessions. If you enjoy thoroughly searching an area at your own pace, you will find extra reasons to take detours. Scrat's restless movements and constant hunt for food give the journey its distinctive tone.
Region and language
Our PlayStation 2 games are PAL editions and come with a Dutch or English box, unless stated otherwise. By default, you receive the version for the European market. We note it in the product details if the region is different or the box is in another language. In almost all cases, the game is playable at least in English, and often in the other five common European languages too.
Manual
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown for PlayStation 2 includes the manual unless the product title states otherwise. If the booklet is missing, the title says “No Manual”. This lets you see before ordering whether the game comes with a manual.
The manuals included with our games usually contain at least English and often around six European languages. The exact languages vary by edition, so Dutch is not always included. The booklet explains the controls and the main rules. You can use it to check how to control the game, which actions are available and how its different features work.
The history of Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown appeared in 2006 around the second Ice Age film. Eurocom developed the three-dimensional adventure for home consoles, including the PlayStation 2. Sierra published it as part of Vivendi's game lineup. The melting ice world and familiar animals gave the developers a recognizable starting point, but for most of the gameplay they chose a different leading character from the film.
Scrat took the central role. His short, often unsuccessful attempts to secure food provided a clear reason to jump, search and collect. Meanwhile, the film's story continued through encounters and narration from Manfred. This meant the game did not have to translate every film scene literally into an objective. Routes could be designed around Scrat's build and movements, while Sid and Diego returned in smaller playable sections.
The game appeared on different systems, but the versions were not identical everywhere. Amaze Entertainment made the separate handheld versions; a Wii adaptation with different controls came later. The PlayStation 2 edition uses a conventional controller and belongs to Eurocom's original console adventure. Among the many animated-film games of that period, the decision to let the comic supporting character carry the everyday platforming particularly stands out.
Similar games for PlayStation 2
Madagascar for the PlayStation 2 uses different film animals with their own movements and chapters. Ice Age 2 stays with Scrat much longer and builds on his double jump, searching behavior and nut collecting. Madagascar therefore changes lead characters more often, whereas Scrat gives you more time to get to know one set of abilities.
Over the Hedge moves its animals into human gardens and homes, combining item collecting with combat. Ice Age 2 also has a small animal moving through a larger environment. Scrat's adventure puts greater weight on solo exploration and platforming; Over the Hedge builds its objectives more heavily around working together and acquiring loot.
Shrek 2 usually keeps four heroes on screen at once and has their powers cooperate at obstacles. Ice Age 2 centers the main route on Scrat, with other animals mainly in supporting roles and short tasks. In Shrek, you can divide responsibilities with fellow players; Scrat's journey mainly asks you to find the next jump or passage yourself.
Rayman 3 shares the searching, jumping and progression through colorful 3D environments. Its temporary powers and more elaborate punches make combat and puzzles more decisive in determining the route. Ice Age 2 uses a simpler fixed set of moves. This puts the focus more often on where you can go and the nuts you find along the way.
Donald Duck: Quack Attack also uses an expressive cartoon hero and plenty of jumps past obstacles. The PlayStation 2 version features more clearly defined courses and fixed viewing directions. Ice Age 2 gives you more room to search sections of an environment. The similarity mainly lies in short platforming challenges and humor arising from movement.
