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Oscar the fish is caught up in another white lie, and this time it's up to you to help him deal with the consequences.

As if he didn't learn from his first bout of trouble in Dreamworks' animated film of the same name, Oscar's latest adventure begins with some serious financial debt. He owes local loan-shark Din Lino 5,000 clams. Oscar's sweetheart, Angie, gives Oscar an heirloom to help pay off the debt. But what does Oscar do? He uses it to bet on a "sure thing" at the Seahorse Racetrack, ends up losing the bet and now he has two people sore at him, Don Lino and Angie. When will he learn?

To collect the dough from Oscar, Don Lino sends his son Lenny, a tough guy with a big secret. When Lenny reveals to Oscar that he is a vegetarian, the two become quick friends and devise a scheme that will hopefully get them both off the hook. Lenny decides to allow Oscar to beat him up in public, portraying him as the sea's most notorious shark slayer. They think that if they pull off the gimmick, it will lead Oscar to fame and fortune, in turn, helping him pay off the debt -- plus it will keep meat-hating Lenny from swallowing Oscar. Their spoof almost works until the local paparazzi uncover the devious truth and begin to let the word out. Thus is the beginning of 25 entertaining levels of "Shark Tale" that take place in the wonderful world of Reef City.

Unlike a traditional 3-D platform game that is strictly third-person, "Shark Tale" offers a four-stage approach that will have Oscar performing different tasks throughout. Besides the basic Adventure levels of the game, in which Oscar seeks and gathers items in the familiar haunts of Reef City, you will test your racing, fighting and dancing skills as well. At times, you'll find that Oscar will jump into a taxi and race through the city while being chased or against the clock in order to complete stages. Other times, he'll have to box his way out of a jam. But one of the funniest additions to the game is the "Dance" stage, which will have Oscar performing routines like something out of "Dance Dance Revolution." Supported by the dance pad peripheral or the hand controller -- PS2 and Xbox only -- you must synchronize Oscar to the groovy beats of music by Outkast and MC Hammer to gain the respect of the Reef City residents.

Even though there's enough "Shark Tale" mayhem to go around, children will get caught up in the bonus levels and side adventures offered within the games 25 levels.

With graphics and a soundtrack that capture the essence of the film without the same rehash, and a level presentation that doesn't skimp out on fun, "Shark Tale" can be fun for the whole family.

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