The Care Bears franchise began as greeting cards in 1981, designed in 1981 by artist Elena Kucharik. The loveable multi-coloured bears later became a highly successful toy line as plush teddy bears. They were adored by children all over the globe before their first television special, which led to their cartoon series and even feature films.
They’ve since had various other animated series, with the current ongoing series being Care Bears: Unlock the Magic, which is also the title of their latest video game adaptation published by Maximum Entertainment and developed by Xaloc Studios, now available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4|5.
Dive into a world of fun and adventure with the Care Bears. Play in various arcade games with Cheer Bear, Tenderheart Bear, Good Luck Bear, Bedtime Bear, Harmony Bear, Grumpy Bear, Share Bear, Do-Your-Best Bear, Harmony Bear, and Wish Bear.
The goal is to complete over 200 minigames to get the Star Power to remove the Storm Clouds from the Silver Lining, meet the funny Whiffles and reach the end of the magical road for a lovely surprise. The minigames come in 8 different varieties, taking inspiration from arcade classics, which include Conga, Pass the Ball, Care Bubbles, Cloud Racer, Cross The Rainbow, Ball in the Hole, Lost Whiffle, and Bouncy Heart.
Conga plays like Snake and takes place on a dance floor. Players must build a conga line of Care Bears by collecting them, but they cannot touch the sides, the X’s, or run into the conga line.
Pass the Ball is like Brick Breaker, where players control Share Bear and need to eliminate the blocks above while keeping the balls in the game.
Care Bubbles is like Bust-A-Move, where players control Tenderheart Bear and must shoot and match at least three of the same bubbles to eliminate them.
In Cloud Racer, players must drive a car and collect a set number of hearts while avoiding obstacles.
Cross The Rainbow is similar to Frogger, where players control Harmony Bear and ride a pogo stick to bounce their way across terrain, rivers, and railway tracks. The goal is to make it to the end without falling into the water or being hit by a cart.
In Ball to the Hole, players control Tenderheart Bear and Do-Your-Best Bear to pass a ball between each other. They must figure out how to get the ball around the obstacles and successfully reach the hole.
In Lost Whiffle, players control Bedtime Bear and must wander around while avoiding obstacles and find Whiffle.
Bouncy Heart is like Flappy Bird. In this game, players control a Wish Bear in a heart-shaped bubble with wings and must fly to the goal while avoiding various obstacles.
Each minigame has a time limit, so players must complete them before the time runs out. A helpful explanation is given when starting each minigame for the first time, which can be checked again anytime in the pause menu. Even without an explanation, the minigames are easy to figure out, and the controls are smooth and responsive. They’ll be easy initially but slowly become increasingly challenging as players progress.
Adventure Mode is the main mode where players can complete all the main minigames. Free Mode will have all the completed minigames and even extra stages known as the Master Levels after completing the main game. The Art Book is where you’ll find all the Stickers you’ve collected through game progression of all the Care Bears and other characters from the current ongoing animated series.
The game uses the same bright and colourful art style and presentation from the cartoon series, feeling like it was taken straight from the show. Each Care Bear is easily distinguishable by the
colours and symbols on its tummy. The soundtrack has lighthearted tunes throughout the game, which is perfect for a kid’s game and could even be used as relaxing music to put children to sleep.
There may not be any voice lines or cutscenes, but the main focus is on the fun and addictive minigames, and Care Bears: Unlock the Magic has exactly that and more than enough to keep the kids occupied. On top of entertaining them, it will help keep their minds sharp and even teach them problem-solving skills. Even grown-ups can enjoy this game too, especially when it gets to the more challenging levels.
The latest video game adaptation of the famous Care Bears is the perfect game for kids but will keep anyone of any age on their toes and test their reflexes. It is easy for anyone to pick up and play, and the minigames are addictive and will keep you coming back for more. Children and even grown-ups will spend hours upon hours in Care Bears: Unlock the Magic.
