In the video game world, games based on movies usually fall short of their franchises in quality and fun. Someone needs to tell Leapfrog that, since they obviously didn't get the memo. While you may have your thoughts on whether Indiana Jones' Last Crusade should have been his last, Leapfrog did right with Indy in this title.

Most of the game consists of a side-scrolling platformer with various enemies. At first, Indy faces giant scorpions and spitting cobras (Why did it have to be snakes?!), but the real enemy comes armed with guns and swords. Armed only with his signature whip, Indy fights, climbs, and swings his way through multiple levels until he finds the Crystal Skull, and that's when the game gets fun (and challenging). You also get to play as Mutt, his sidekick from the movie, armed with a sword, as well as driving a vehicle in a top-down view through a minefield. Oldschool players will notice a certain similarity to a classic game involving avoiding snakes and scorpions, swinging from vines, and yes, even jumping on the heads of alligators when their mouths are closed--a great homage.

Along the way, you'll have to unlock chests and doors and solve the combination locks by answering math problems. Other math problems allow for lowering drawbridges and escaping traps, which nicely integrates the educational aspect into game.

My 7-year-old found this game to be a bit too difficult, and with three difficulty settings, I suggest most kids start on Easy and work your way up. She's right--it's tricky. In fact, for the game's 2nd-4th Grade target audience, the gameplay may be just a little too difficult, but that said, when Indy loses all his health, he reappears just a short distance back, ready to fight on, so kids get the opportunity to keep working at a particular spot until they beat it, giving them a sense of accomplishment.

Indiana may be the dog's name, but this is no dog of a game. For a kid who enjoys a challenge and some fun gameplay, we recommend it.