Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves is a throwback to an era long past (read: 8 years ago), when video game systems all had mascots and "platform" games were the ones that got all the attention. It is all about anthropomorphic animals who live in a bright sunny cartoon world and go on adventures, in which they spend an inordinate amount of time jumping from one rooftop to another, smashing wooden crates as they go.

There was a time when this sort of thing was the norm, but no longer. It is still true that Mario is Nintendo's mascot, but he now spends far more of his time fronting sports titles and hosting party games than he does on his former day job. The Xbox and the PS2 never have had mascots, really, unless you count the Master Chief from Halo, or the guy in Grand Theft Auto who's always clubbing prostitutes to death. So a little of the old-school vibe is a welcome change of pace.

Sly Cooper is a raccoon, and he is also a thief. He comes from a long line of thieves. He is good at thievery. But because this is a cheerful platform game, he is not an especially hardened criminal. When he speaks, he sounds like a high-school guidance counsellor: all measured tones and careful enunciation. He is kind and loyal to his friends and always ready to give his enemies a second chance. He flirts shamelessly with the sexy police officer who's trying to throw him in the clink. He is the sort of guy you would happily buy a $100 flat-screen TV from.

As the action begins, Sly is facing off against an evil scientist named Dr. M., who appears to be some sort of monkey. Dr. M. has installed himself as the ruler of the island holding the Cooper family vault, and intends to help himself to the treasure therein. It falls to Sly and his co-thieves to thwart those plans. The early scenes involve a lot of running down hallways and riding in elevators and running along high-wires, which are conveniently draped nearly everywhere we look. The play is classic platforming, and its developers have polished it until it glistens. When we tap the jump button, Sly uncoils like a spring. When we tap it again, he rolls higher, grabbing purchase in the air and flipping just enough to grasp that ledge.

When we tap the soft-landing button, Sly extends his tiptoes like a ballet dancer, lighting on the narrowest wire or the pointiest steeple. When we tap the attack button, he spins and smashes with the little crook thingy he's always carrying around. On paper, many games boast control schemes like this. The difference here is in the smoothness of the execution, in the way that pushing the same button for the 2000th time can still somehow deliver a little thrill.

Before long, Sly is on a global adventure, looking for partners in the big raid on Dr. M.'s compound. As the effort progresses, we get to play as some of the recruits. Bentley the turtle is back from the first two games, although the horrific injuries he sustained at the end of the second keep him confined to a wheelchair this time out. (It is a wheelchair equipped with rockets, though, so do not feel too bad for Bentley.)

Murray the hippo is back too, blaming himself for Bentley's injuries and devoting himself to a spiritual quest of healing and forgiveness. Yes, that is a bit much to swallow in a game about fluffy animals who are good at jumping, and it will annoy the breath right out of you if you let it. But concentrate on the play and you'll be fine. You'll be better than fine. You'll be flying radio-controlled helicopters and playing cat-and-mouse jumping games and trying not to get shot.

Occasionally, you will use the mental powers of an Aboriginal Australian spiritual master to beat up bad guys, so even Murray's vision quest has an upside. Also, Murray is pink, and who doesn't love a pink hippo?