DVD Review - Mission to Mars

Well, if you just can't wait to see next week's upcoming Backyardigan episodes premieres, you don't have to. You just need to hustle out to get this DVD. Mission to Mars has four new episodes, all of them premiering on Nick Jr. within a couple of weeks of the DVD's release.

• Mission to Mars - The Backyardigans' first episode with a guest star, Pablo, Austin and Uniqua are astronauts searching Mars for the source of a mysterious "boinga" sound. Features Alicia Keys as Mommy Martian.
  
• Samurai Pie - Master pie-making Tyrone, who makes "pie like a samurai" teaches Austin to make pie, while safeguarding Empress Tasha's Great Pie from ninjas Pablo and Uniqua.
  
• Scared of You - If you look in the TV listings you'll find this episode title Monster Party, but it's just a title change, not a different episode. Poor Austin is having his worst birthday ever when mad scientist Tasha sends him to go collect a mummy, werewolf, and vampire, but it's all just to get him out of the way while she sets up a surprise birthday party.
  
• Whodunit? - Pablo, the World's Greatest Detective, is summoned to Mystery Manor to solve the puzzle of Lady Tasha's missing jewels. The Backyardigans version of the classic English Manor mystery.
  

The Special Features section has two dance-along songs; "Hold Tight" with Pablo and "A Message, A Message" with Uniqua. Basically, these are mini-lessons in how to do the Twist and the Hop. If you have children who watch much Nick Jr. you might remember seeing these a while back, airing as ads for the Backyardigans. I'm thrilled to see them on this DVD. They make the perfect extras.

There is also a Nick Arcade Game trial, which must be played on a computer with a DVD player.