Video games based on licensed properties have always been hit or miss. Usually, the development schedule for these games is rushed to coincide with the movie release. As such, the only people who find these games interesting are typically children who enjoy playing as characters they've seen in film or TV. However, every so often, a diamond in the rough is discovered in the coalfield of licensed game hell. When Avatar hit the big screen, the film excited viewers with 3D technology and a totally immersive movie going experience. Home gamers hoped that the Avatar video game would do the same. It did not. Now, Alice in Wonderland has come to the big screen with another 3D adventure. And, with every movie adventure there comes a gaming adventure that once again raises the flag of hit or miss. After playing the Alice in Wonderland game for iPhone, you will immediately realize that this game is an unfortunate miss. However, there are a few unique gaming mechanics and multi-tiered puzzles that will make you wish that the designers had spent extra time putting a little more variety and fun in the game.

Alice in Wonderland begins like any Alice adventure: Alice accidentally finds her way to Wonderland and must get out without losing her head. Along the way, she meets and partners with several wondrous Wonderland creatures who remind her that she is years late for tea. Even though we all know the basic gist of the Alice story, seeing it play out in this game feels somewhat hacked together. This game is not a story driven game at all, but strangely tries to be one. Every so often you are reminded that you don't quite look like the Alice the creatures remember, that you're late for tea and that a Queen may try and take your head. These tidbits are tossed in sporadically without really being addressed. It actually becomes quite annoying because if you're not familiar with the story you wonder what exactly is going on. Coincidentally, if you are familiar with the story, you still wonder what exactly is going on.

The game plays out more like The Legend of Zelda in that there are several puzzles to be solved. The puzzles require you to use one or multiple Wonderland creatures who partner with you along the way, including The White Rabbit, The Cheshire Cat, The March Hare and the Mad Hatter. The White Rabbit has the power to freeze and unfreeze certain objects. The Cheshire Cat can make certain objects appear and disappear. The March Hare has the ability to move objects to certain destinations marked with a small blue flame. And, the Mad Hatter can transport objects into the Mirror world.

As you travel through a map of about ten boards, the puzzles become significantly more difficult to solve. You may have to use the Mad Hatter's power to send an item through the Looking Glass, and then step through the Mirror and move that object using the March Hare's ability. Some of the puzzles are quite challenging once you partner with the March Hare. A few of these can be frustrating to solve, but thankfully there are a numerous checkpoints on each board to save your progress to. Surprisingly, this game features a significant amount of backtracking. You'll find several unsolvable puzzles early on in the game and will have to come back to them once you've acquired the Mad Hatter. I've never had to backtrack in an iPhone game so I was very much surprised by this.

There are also several puzzles or objectives outside of the game you can find in your Journal, accessible from the game's main menu. Outside of the in-game items you discover and record in your journal, these objectives really don't coincide actual game. There are a few riddles to solve. You are given about five guesses to use each day to solve them. There are also GPS challenges that make no sense. To accomplish them, you must bring your iPhone to every Disney resort in the world. I'm not sure about you, but I don't know anyone who would have the time or money to travel to Paris, Florida, Tokyo, et al. for the sole purpose of checking these locations off in their journal. There are a few date challenges that you can unlock when your iPhone/Touch hits a certain calendar day. Not really exciting if you ask me.

The graphics in Alice in Wonderland are filled with bright-colorful visuals. But, honestly iPhone gaming has nothing to do with graphics and everything to do with simple fun. It's cool traversing back and forth out of the Mirror World. Also, there is a machine that adjusts your orientation on the board so you can walk up walls or on the ceiling, while rotating your iPhone in every direction to play. However, the fun factor is simply not present in this game. If anything the redundant puzzles make the game tedious. Gamers will simply solve the same puzzle over and over on different boards from different perspectives. This monotonous gameplay style will sap your energy and interest in the game. It also takes away from any replay factor in the game.

Alice in Wonderland may be a wondrous adventure, but the iPhone game loses out to repetitive-monotonous puzzles. The game should have stuck to a more simple approach that put fun before complexity.