World of Goo review

October 13, 8:55 PMLA Video Game ExaminerKenneth Wesley

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the LA Video Game Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

In a nearly five months, WiiWare have seen some incredible displays of creativity available for the download. While it's also seen a bunch of internet games shoveled onto its service, games like Lost Winds, Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, and Art Style: Orbient have shown that the Wii can be a great place for downloadable content (and make storage issues a nightmare). Now, with the release of World of Goo, the WiiWare has become something most people wouldn't dare say about Nintendo's online offerings: a contender to Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade.

The award-winning World of Goo is immediately attractive as soon as it starts up, with some vibrant graphics and a easy to digest presentation that's always charming and funny. This looks and feels like an old-school Saturday morning cartoon brought to life.

The mechanics can't be faulted as it only takes one button to do everything and all you'll be doing is picking up little pieces of goo and use them to create different shapes and structures to guide them to the end of the level. And incredible physics allow so many different structures, like bridges, ladders, and pyramids.

And therein lies the beauty of this game: the only limits to this game are a gamer's imagination. While some puzzles have obvious solutions, no level ever punishes for trying different ways to the end and the creativity reminds me of Super Mario Galaxy: it never lets up and it always impresses.

With nearly 40 levels and downloadable content in the future, World of Goo will never let anyone down looking for a fun, challenging time. While there's no level editor, it's inventive level design and charming presentation show what the future of gaming is and will always be: really, really good games. and they'll only come if people buy this game. Wii owners, you have no excuse to ignore World of Goo.

Grade: A

The Good: Impressive and creative level design The Bad: A level editor/creator would be nice Please: Buy this game!