Madagascar is a Gamecube action-adventure game where you guide Marty the Zebra, Alex the lion, Melman the giraffe, Gloria the hippo and those stealthy Penguins as they escape the Central Park Zoo into the streets of New York and then into the wild jungle...err San Diego zoo.
The storyline follows the movie itself and each chapter brings you closer to the story. Every chapter has various goals set, with only one specific goal required to complete it, allowing you to replay the chapter later to try to complete all the goals.
Each stage requires playing as a different character, some involving all characters. The unique abilities of each character add variety to gameplay: Marty can kick and slide, Alex throws fruits and roars, Gloria tumbles and charges with chili peppers, Melman spins and glides with his Helicopter move, and the Penguin slides and attacks with a Finishing move.
Throughout the game, you'll collect items like Life Tikis to replenish your Health Meter and Monkey Money for special things at the Zoovenir Shop, including mini games and outfits for the Madagascar cast.