text: over the hedge ( ds game ) over the hedge is a platform video game with stealth game elements developed by vicarious visions and published by activision for the nintendo ds handheld video game console . it was first released in north america , and was later released in europe . the game is set immediately after the events of the dreamworks movie over the hedge , unlike the console versions which follow the events of the film . vicarious visions is responsible for many handheld versions of licensed video games . publisher activision has a longstanding business relationship with animation studio dreamworks and has exclusive global rights to publish games based on dreamworks animated films . gameplay involves guiding three playable woodland creatures through suburban houses to collect items and return them to their forest . house inhabitants and traps must be avoided or neutralized to succeed . the game 's plot concerns gladys sharp 's attempt to turn what 's left of the animals ' forest into a swimming pool ; the animals try to prevent this by luring endangered species to the forest , making the forest a protected habitat . over the hedge received positive and average reviews from the gaming press , as well as gaming website ign 's ' best game no one played ' award for 2006 . the game was praised for the technical achievement of displaying full 3d on both of the nintendo ds ' screens , but some reviewers found the gameplay repetitive . gameplay the game has been likened to both tomb raider and metal gear solid due to the 3d platforming and stealth gameplay respectively . players guide the forest inhabitants through 20 levels , during which they must infiltrate a series of suburban homes in order to steal a variety of items and destroy construction materials . the items needed to lure endangered animals to the forest must be collected from houses and carried back to the forest one at a time . each level requires several trips to be completed . security systems must be avoided or deactivated in order to progress through each level . household members and their pets must also be avoided , distracted or stunned by a thrown object . for example , a phone card can be used to make a prank call to lure a householder away , catnip can be used to distract cats . each character has their own unique abilities . verne has the strength to push and carry large items and can retract into his shell in order to avoid detection , but cannot jump as high or run as swift as the other characters . rj has average strength and agility . he can climb , lift items and also throw verne . is the most agile of the three , running swifter and jumping higher . this enables him to circumvent security more easily . over the hedge is presented in full 3d on both of the nintendo ds ' screens , which is not often seen in a nintendo ds game . the upper screen displays the game in an over - the - shoulder third person perspective , whereas the touch screen shows an overhead perspective . the lower screen indicates the sight range of enemies and can be used as a touch screen to target enemies to attack . the console 's microphone is used to attract the attention of dogs or to rouse the woodland creatures should they be knocked unconscious . multiplayer a multiplayer mini - game is included and allows two players to compete via the ds ' wireless connection , only one player needs an over the hedge game cartridge for two separate ds consoles to play . stella the skunk is available in this game mode , alongside the three playable characters from the main game . players navigate a maze to collect food before the timer runs out . the player with the most food wins the game . a most of five pieces of food can be carried at once , these must be carried to a collection area before more food can be picked up . plot over the hedge is set immediately after the events of the animated film . gladys sharp , president of the homeowners ' association , plans to bulldoze the forest in order to build a swimming pool . she has been joined by a new character , the taxidermist . the animals decide to lure endangered species to the forest in order to have it declared a protected habitat , preventing its destruction . the householders have been warned about rj and company 's intentions , and have created traps from everyday objects to repel the thieves . development unlike the home console versions , the nintendo ds version was created as a separate game by vicarious visions . as well as differing from the other versions , this version was designed as a sequel to the animated film . vicarious visions by this point were responsible for bringing many series to the ds , including games in the tony hawk and spider - man series . during development the team had to work with the handheld system 's limited 3d capabilities , such as " video ram and software limitations " , techniques they would later discuss at a lecture held during the 2007 game developers conference . reception the game received both positive and average reviews from the gaming press , with an average score of 73 % from both game rankings and a 71 from metacritic . over the hedge was awarded ign 's " best game no one played " award during their 2006 game of the year awards . several reviewers were impressed by the game 's 3d graphics , considering the graphical limitations of the nintendo ds . gamezone 's louis bedigian commented " three - dimensional worlds are such a rarity on the ds that you 'll definitely take notice " . in particular , the technical accomplishment of using the ds ' two screens to show gameplay in two different angles and in full 3d was praised . critics are divided over the game 's difficulty level and target audience . some found the game too easy for adult players . nintendo world report 's lasse stated over the hedge is not engaging to adults or children due to " the repetitive collect - a - thon nature of the game and the one - dimensional gameplay " . gamezone 's louis bedigian had similar reservations , " players young and old will be turned off by the lack of excitement " . other reviewers felt the game was suitable for children and adults . cheat code central 's cole smith stated " it 's not just for kids . it 's loaded with variety and will engage your mind , not just your reflexes " . 's pete sellers found the game " a well designed adventure that requires patience and planning " . some reviewers found the gameplay , focused mainly on collecting and returning objects , as repetitive . in his gamespot review , frank provo stated " games geared toward younger players are typically repetitive , but over the hedge for the nintendo ds sets a new standard for repetition " . he lists one of the negative aspects of the game as " whole game feels like housecleaning or a real estate tour " . gamezone 's louis bedigian also found the game repetitive , saying " .. the game stays far away from anything deep , opting for a simplistic series of missions that redefine the meaning of the word rehash " .