Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ

The tale of Little Red Riding Hood probably would've gone a little differently if the wolf knew she was packing a Glock. In Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ, one of the most out-there named games for the Nintendo DS, the not-so-defenseless heroine finds herself pitted against a demon army, helping her ninja buddy Momo Taro fend them off. The interesting thing here isn't the destination, but the journey. She'll visit levels based on classic storybooks, such as Sleeping Beauty's castle and Pinocchio's toyshop.

Each level gives you plenty of targets to shoot at, be it big-headed zombies or whatever enemies happen to be lurking about. You have access to a number of tools to help you push them back, including a flamethrower and shotgun with limited ammunition. Most of the time, however, you'll rely on a machine gun that you aim with the touch-screen. The dual-screen display works great, so you can see what enemies and explosive barrels lie ahead. You can also dodge and push back enemies using the touch-screen or the d-pad.

The level design in Zombie BBQ is off the charts. One minute you're in a calm village, the next you're raising hell (literally) in a toy shop gone horribly wrong. The levels do nothing but scroll forward, but you won't really mind the limited movement. This is an old-school shooter, after all. You'll also run into a handful of creative boss types, including a memorable run-in with Santa Claus.

There's no multiplayer, so you can't join in with a friend, unfortunately. There's also no extra levels or challenges, which would've been nice. Still, you'll get your $20s worth.

If anything, the music could've been a little better. What you have here is a selection of generic horror-rock that could've used more personality. Some White Zombie selections to go along with the BBQ, perhaps. At least the sound effects, with screeching enemies and gunfire, drown most of it out.

Despite its unconventional title and content, Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ is probably destined to be a big sleeper hit for the Nintendo DS. With off the wall characters, lots of shooting and amusing takes on old fairytales, this game belongs in your collection.