Based on the popular Disney Channel show Lizzie McGuire, Homecoming Havoc is the third installment of the series of games featuring a collection of quick and short mini-games. Though the games are quite simple, and the game’s length is very short, the gameplay is fairly entertaining and the replay value is moderately high, making the title a rather enjoyable one, especially for younger kids.
Homecoming Havoc begins with the cartoon form of Lizzie standing by her locker all alone, when her enemy Kate comes to confirm that Lizzie is indeed going to try to become homecoming queen. And so begins Lizzie’s interest in winning the crown for herself.
Like the last two Lizzie McGuire games, Homecoming Havoc is basically a lot of games rolled up into one. It’s similar in concept to the GBA and DS WarioWare games; you are given a short allotted time for each mini-game, during which you must complete an objective but aren’t given any instructions on how to play. That, however, isn’t usually a problem, as it’s usually easy to figure out how to play the mini-games correctly anyhow.
The Competition mode of Homecoming Havoc consists of ten stages with ten mini-games in each one. At the end of every stage, there will be a dance competition between Lizzie and Kate (who is also vying to be homecoming queen). This "dance-off" is like DDR, except it’s much less complicated, and once you win it, you will be able to proceed to the next stage.
When you finish the Competition mode of the game, you can go to the "Trials" mode and play any game that you have beaten in the previous mode. Also, there is a mode in which you try to complete as many mini-games as you can, until you run out of "chances" (which are the same as lives). Lastly, you might also try collecting all of the collectible cards in the game, which can be bought with tokens that you win from completing mini-games. All in all, the replay value of Homecoming Havoc isn’t too bad, compared to other games of its kind.
Homecoming Havoc’s animated visuals are, in a sense, plain, but everything is pretty crisp, and the simple backgrounds and surroundings are well-suited for the game. The music has a certain disco feel to it, but it’s rhythmic, and the tunes are good as well. The game also has a good deal more tracks than other children’s games, which is, of course, always a plus.
Don’t be fooled by Homecoming Havoc’s outward appearance; the game packs some pretty solid gameplay that’s simple but entertaining. Although, as you’d expect, it wouldn’t be recommended to older gamers, it’s a fairly good choice for younger ones.
