Over the Hedge - Xbox Original

Over the Hedge for Xbox Original

Over the Hedge for Xbox Original turns a suburban neighbourhood into an obstacle course for RJ, Verne, Hammy and Stella. The animals search for food among gardens, houses and human security systems. You swing everyday objects, dodge traps and find a passage to the next haul. The action uses a camera view that leaves room for two animals in the same area. This three-dimensional action adventure alternates fighting and puzzles, viewing the surroundings at the scale of small woodland creatures.

During missions you use golf clubs and hockey sticks against enemies, while lasers and other obstacles interrupt your route. Snacks restore health and temporary boosts help you through difficult stretches. The campaign contains more than thirty levels and also goes beyond the film's events. Alternating fights, collecting items and opening passages turns each food raid into a series of small decisions.

You can play alone and switch characters, or work through the campaign locally with two players. Each person needs their own Xbox controller for co-operative play. There are also minigames such as miniature golf and golf-cart collisions. Unlockable extras include concept art. This description concerns the original Xbox game; the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance adventures with the same name have different designs and content.

Region and language

Our Xbox Original 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

Over the Hedge for Xbox Original 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 Over the Hedge

Activision released Over the Hedge in 2006 alongside the DreamWorks animated film. Edge of Reality developed the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube editions. The American release announcement of 9 May described three different game projects: the console adventure, a Nintendo DS game and a Game Boy Advance game. Beenox handled the PC version. This division matters because the name on the box does not guarantee that every platform has the same missions and rules.

For consoles, the team chose a mixture of fighting, environmental puzzles and co-operation. Suburbia supplies concrete materials: sports equipment becomes weaponry and security turns an ordinary garden into a dangerous route. The film provides the starting point, but new situations extend the animals' journey. The adaptation therefore does not simply replay familiar scenes; you also need to read the surroundings yourself and tackle obstacles in the right order.

The local two-player campaign makes this approach a shared journey on one console. That distinguishes this edition from film games in which a group of characters is alternated by only one player. Minigames and unlockable artwork form another layer alongside the main missions. Over the Hedge on Xbox Original remains the complete 2006 console adventure; later games starring Hammy are not additional chapters on this disc.

Similar games for Xbox Original

Animaniacs: The Great Edgar Hunt and Over the Hedge let you switch between cartoon characters with individual abilities on Xbox Original. In Animaniacs, one player selects the Warner who can solve a passage or task. Over the Hedge also allows two local players to share the campaign. Both involve recognising talents; the difference is whether you carry out every decision yourself or share the journey with someone.

Over the Hedge and SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom use familiar animated characters for combat and environmental puzzles on Xbox Original. Over the Hedge sends two animals on food raids that you can tackle with a second player. SpongeBob lets one player alternate heroes and explore larger areas for spatulas and socks. One emphasises shared action during a mission, the other independent searching for new routes and hidden rewards.

Over the Hedge also lets you control DreamWorks animals on Xbox Original, with their own abilities and assignments beyond familiar film scenes. Its suburb, food raids and human traps shape the action. Madagascar travels from zoo to island and expresses the differences between Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria through movement. The film-inspired humour is related, but the setting and everyday objectives differ.

Shrek 2 and Over the Hedge offer shared Xbox Original action with DreamWorks characters and their individual abilities. Shrek 2 uses a team of four and allows up to four people to play, with a controller per person. Over the Hedge limits local campaign co-operation to two players. Shrek's fairytale setting and hero scenes also differ from food raids among human gardens, sports equipment and security systems. Both involve teamwork, but with different group sizes and surroundings.

Crash Twinsanity and Over the Hedge turn unlikely teamwork into action and comic movements on Xbox Original. Crash and Cortex are sometimes controlled as one pair, whereas Over the Hedge can allocate two animals to two local players. The difference is therefore not just the characters: Crash's shared action remains a task for one player. Over the Hedge lets two people coordinate their own attacks and movements.