Madagascar

Madagascar for Nintendo DS is a 2005 action-platform game based on DreamWorks Animation's film of the same name. Published by Activision and developed for Nintendo's dual-screen handheld by Vicarious Visions, it adapts the story of Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman as their sheltered life at New York City's Central Park Zoo gives way to an unexpected journey. This is the Nintendo DS version of the licensed game, rather than the separate console release developed by Toys for Bob or the PC edition from Beenox.

The adventure is built around moving through stages, dealing with obstacles and enemies, and using the different strengths of the four main animals. Players take control of Marty the zebra, Alex the lion, Gloria the hippo and Melman the giraffe, changing characters when a situation calls for a particular ability. That team-based structure makes the platforming more than a simple run from one checkpoint to the next: routes and tasks can depend on who is active, and the game invites players to explore the levels instead of treating every path as identical.

The Nintendo DS hardware is part of that design. Madagascar uses the touch screen for character switching as well as parts of combat and movement, while the two-screen handheld presentation keeps the action focused on its portable format. Hidden items are scattered through the game, and some collectibles cannot be reached immediately; gaining abilities opens up further possibilities for searching completed areas. It is a single-player film adaptation aimed at presenting a varied, accessible adventure rather than a direct recreation of one scene or one genre of play.

Its setting follows the broad route of the 2005 movie. The animals begin in the familiar city environment of the Central Park Zoo before the story carries them toward Madagascar, allowing the game to contrast urban spaces with the island setting associated with the film. Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman remain the center of the experience, so the licensed premise is expressed through both the characters and the need to make use of their contrasting talents as the journey progresses.

Madagascar arrived during the Nintendo DS's early years, alongside versions for Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Windows and other platforms. Vicarious Visions handled both Nintendo handheld versions, but the DS game should not be assumed to be a portable copy of the home-console title: its touch-screen controls and handheld-specific presentation give it its own identity. For players looking for Madagascar on Nintendo DS, it is the original 2005 game tied to the first film, not the later Nintendo DS releases based on Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Madagascar Kartz or Madagascar 3.