Take 2's Global Star Software has joined with MAD to create a new 3D action/adventure game for Xbox. Spy Vs. Spy attempts to recreate the comic environment created in the strip's mythos by providing single-or-multiplayer action with a variety of cartoonishly-violent weaponry and sneaky gadgets.

You can play as either the Black Spy or White Spy in a single player Story campaign, going through roughly a dozen levels which can be completely rather quickly and easily. In addition to fending off the traps and direct attacks by your spy nemesis, you also must infiltrate and combat the troops of a madman named "The General" who has several bases of various themes containing high-tech gadgetry under heavily-guarded safes for you to sneak in and steal.

Earning "bux" through unlocking safes and defeating the General's baddies will allow you to return to your hideout in each level and purchase weapons, items and traps such as boxing glove safe traps, acid buckets for doors, bombs, baseball bats, slingshots, banana peels, machine guns, trip mines, etc. Speedy level completion and lots of bux also unlocks additional costume modifications that you can use in Mod-a-Spy mode.

The single player mode is largely forgettable, with unchallenging puzzles, drab environments and enemies. While the spy nemesis appears from time to time to challenge you for control of an item or to directly attack you, the majority of the time is spent backtracking from room to room, finding keycards and unlocking new areas well in advance of your spy nemesis (who somehow is never seen roaming the environment--only spawned when an objective calls for him), only to watch him enter a scripted scene where your trap is set (or his trap is set off by himself) and afterwards you resume your lonely trip through the level.

The multiplayer mode, available split-screen or on XBL, improves the experience slightly, allowing 4 players to fight each other in the single player environments, using the same weapons and traps as well as specific environment traps. While this mode has potential online when played alone (as you won't be able to see your opponents placing traps), in split-screen there is very little surprise when you can eye your opponents moves on screen.

Visually, Spy Vs Spy is an average game, looking almost cel-shaded but not quite. The Spies are rendered faithfully to their comic book counterparts, and some of the costume enhancements are well done, but the enemies are not nearly as imaginative.

Each level has a theme song and the music is appropriately "spyish" but lacking in punch. While a puzzle-heavy game like Spy Vs. Spy may benefit from some laidback music, there is an equal amount of combat that deserves an equally stimulating soundtrack. Sadly, the music just plods on, never changing with the moments of surprise or action. Another big disappointment is the lack of inclusion of the incredibly catchy Spy Vs Spy theme song heard every week on the MAD TV show on Fox.

For classic/retro gamers, a 3D version of the original NES Spy Vs Spy game is included. Even as a discount ($19.99) title, it's hard to recommend Spy Vs Spy except to the most die-hard MAD Magazine fans.