Who’s a cheeky monkey?

The universal appeal that monkeys hold for us humans is one of those mysteries that will probably never be solved. Personally, we've never found picking fleas off your companions to be an attractive way to breakfast, but when it comes to games there's nothing to beat all things simian.

The latest king of the swingers is one Curious George. Based on a character from children's storybooks, George will be hitting the silver screen in a film release in February, with simultaneous game tie-ins being prepared.

Of course, being a monkey called Curious George, you can probably tell what sort of game this is going to be. Based on locations from the animated film, the platform-style levels are set in places such as the African jungle, where George gets to meet The Man With the Yellow Hat, and then the Big City, when George decides to follow him home. Other places for fun include the museum, where the man works, and his apartment building.

Moves will include the usual platforming tricks such as jumping, climbing and swinging around the city (hey, it could be called Curious George Kong or Curious Spider-Monkey-Man!) and there will be added fun thanks to the games' Curious Objects.

These objects are highlighted with a question mark and George can play with them, performing actions such as opening drawers to dig through papers, spilling paint cans or unlocking latches on suitcases and watching the clothes fall out. You'll then have to use George's monkey skills, such as distracting people with acrobatic performances and sneaky escape moves, to avoid trouble. There will also be special unlockables, including mini-games, so there'll be many extra hours of gameplay to complement the main storyline.