Wiiloveit.com: World of Goo

World of Goo - WiiWare Review

THE FACTS: World of Goo

WiiWare | 2D Boy | 1 Player | Out Now | 1,500 Wii Points (£10.50 / $15.00 Online)

Controller Compatibility: Wii remote (pointer)

Reviewer: Billy White

WiiWare has had a lot of different games so far. The problem with this though, is that over half of them are puzzle games. Thankfully, 2D Boy have taken the opportunity to make one that's completely new, and have succeeded in creating the best game currently available on the service.

In World of Goo, the prospect is simple: you drag goo balls into place using the remote, which then latch onto other goo balls to create structures. The aim of each level is to create a structure that un-stuck goo balls can climb up in order to reach a special pipe. It may look and sound simple, but as you progress up the steady learning curve, you'll find that some levels are a lot harder than they first seem. Thankfully then, the physics have been tweaked to perfection, with superb realism in the structure work, which will tip, collapse and wobble just how you'd expect it to in real life.

There are still quite a few frustrating "what am I doing here, then?" moments, so it's kind of 2D Boy to add in the option to skip levels. Like in Toki Tori, you're allowed to skip any level at any point, although to skip further levels you have to complete a previously skipped one. Unlike with Toki Tori, you get quite a few skips to utilize, with more and more being added to the menu as you progress.

One of the best bits of this game is that there are loads of imaginative and fun additions as you progress, with the helpful signposts coming out with some hilarious lines, new goo species adding to the depth (eg, goo that sticks to any surface, goo that can burn and goo that can stand on deadly spikes) and the great storyline that adds a bit of detail to the environments you play in.

As well as the standard mode, there is also an option to create your own structure at the World of Goo Corporation, which you create using extra goo balls you collect in the game. Sadly, there's a distinct lack of an online mode here, which means that you don't get the high score tables from the PC version (detailing how many moves you used, how many goo balls you saved and how fast you completed a level), but the superior controls make up for this.

For the core gamers who can't get enough goo, there's also a special OCD (Obsessive Completion Distinction) award to collect in each level, with missions such as "collect 43 goo balls" or "complete in 30 seconds" being the usual affair. These are extremely difficult to collect though, and should keep you busy for a long time. That's a good thing though, since the standard single player mode only lasts around five hours. One good way of trying to get several OCD's is to play with a friend, since you can connect extra Wii remotes at any time for quick drop-in drop-out co-op play, which adds a whole new layer of depth to the gameplay, and adds to the fun.

There is one minor niggle I should mention: when figuring out how to position your goo on a structure, lines appear to show exactly how the goo will attach onto it. In some levels though, the background can make the lines damn near impossible to see without getting up close to the telly, which could have easily been altered by outlining the projection in black.

Despite these small issues, World of Goo is a triumph in puzzle games. The physics are excellent, the music is great, the presentation is unique, the difficulty is spot on, and the gameplay doesn't leave much room for improvement. It may cost 1500 Wii Points, but when you consider the game was due to be a retail release in Europe, the game feels quite cheap in comparison and is well worth a purchase.

World of Goo Trailer

Final Score

29/30

Excellent

Gameplay 10

Excellent, with loads of new ideas and physics that have been tweaked to perfection

Presentation 9

The design may not use the Wii's processing power to the max, but WoG just wouldn't be the same is it did

Enjoyment 5

There's no reason why you shouldn't love the continuing stream of excellent ideas used throughout the game - and even if you don't, you can always skip a level

Other 5

The five hours of gameplay can be replayed over and over again, and letting a friend join in adds to the experience

How we rate games: EXPLAINED

Alternative World of Goo trailer