Small Soldiers (video game)

Small Soldiers is an action video game, based on the film of the same name. Unrelated games were released for the PC and Game Boy.

Plot
The game does not follow the plot of the 1998 film, instead is based on the fictional world of Gorgon, where the characters are living beings, rather than animatronic toys. This is of note, as the driving force of the Gorgonites is to find Gorgon, a mythical world of peace and freedom. The Gorgonites originally come from a variety of planets, one per race, with the "Land of Gorgon" being something of a creation myth.

The game begins with the Commando Elite having already invaded Gorgon and ready to strike. Archer, as leader, takes it upon himself to fight the enemy head on. This is again notable, as the core programming of the Gorgonite toys in the movie is to "hide and be defeated by the Commando Elite", and they are a canonically passive tribe (pro-Commando marketing aside).

While the game begins with a pre-rendered cutscene, there is very little plot beyond the mission objectives, and the game ends on a static image.

Single-player
The PS1 release of this game is a 3D, third-person shooter with tank controls. Players take the role of Archer, Emissary of the Gorgonites, as he battles against the forces of the game's antagonist, Major Chip Hazard, leader of the Commando Elite. You progress through small, open levels, collecting keys to progress to the next level, while defending yourself against enemies. The player is equipped with a rapid-fire crossbow, which can receive new ammunition types to modify gameplay. Players can also use turrets and vehicles, as well as summon allies in two-player mode.

Multiplayer
In multiplayer mode, players can play as either Archer or Chip Hazard. The gameplay is the same as single-player. For Chip Hazard his default weapon is a rapid-fire pistol, which can receive new ammunition types.

There are two game modes in multiplayer mode; frag mode where a player must score five kills before the other player does so and flag mode; where a player must return all three flags to their base.

Game Boy Version
It is important to note that cross-platform video game tie-ins of this era might have shared titles and marketing graphics, but were in fact substantially different games. The Game Boy version of this title is no exception (as one would expect from a handheld console), being a mono-colour 2D platformer.

Soundtrack
The soundtrack for the game was composed by Michael Giacchino.

Reception
Game Informer gave the game an overall score of 7.25 out of 10, praising the challenging action and easy puzzles but criticizing the gameplay controls, especially when the player gets stuck on invisible barriers concluding it is "fun, but it's nothing to get excited about."