de Blob -- Why Wii fans will love it

By Chris Morell
August 08, 2008 11:41 AM PST
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Splatter a grey, monotonous world with color in de Blob, sure to be one of the Wii's best in 2008.

Great motion controls and a funny story make de Blob stand out on the Wii.

Few games outside of Nintendo's reign of developmental control seamlessly blend the Wii's innovative controls with captivating gameplay. Boom Blox did it. So did No More Heroes. But these experiences are few and far between.

Enter de Blob, THQ's upcoming Wii game that is nothing like you've ever seen. Mixing sensible motion controls with a witty cartoon story, you play as Blob, a cute yet rebellious clump on ink that is intent on restoring color to the colorless world of Chroma City. On lock-down by the INKT Corporation, there are loads of enemies intent on keeping the world in a mundane state of grey. And that's where you come in.

Using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, the main objective is to color the Chroma City. But of course, there are specific challenges in the world that are much more involved than that. The easiest way to get accustomed to the controls and the nature of the game is to simply use the world as a canvass. A tutorial will guide you through the basics at the start, and then you'll be introduced to more complicated challenges and modes as you progress.

Playing as Blob

When I first took the controls, I quickly became accustomed to the fluidity of Blob's movement. I controlled him with the analog stick, and flicking the Wii Remote performed jumps. There's also a lock-on mechanic that is vital for later missions, where I hopped from point to point in obstacle course-like challenges.

I was told that Blob will assume the color of the specific paint bots he hits. So I locked onto a red bot with the Z button, flicked the remote to slam him, and eureka--Blob was red (a meter shows how much paint Blob has remaining). Then I colored grey buildings red with ease, splashing paint around to color the dull world. Mixing colors creates other colors, too (remember "yellow and blue makes green?"). All this comes in handy throughout the game, as specific challenges will test you to color certain areas an explicit color.

Great motion controls and a funny story make de Blob stand out on the Wii.

The World is Your Coloring Book

Like slamming paint bots, there are enemies to attack, too. Again, locking on and flicking the remote is the main mechanic, but you'll need to be full of paint or else you're slowly die, noticeable by Blob's lack of color.

After learning the basics, I played one of the game's speed runs. Here, I was challenged to earn medals based on how fast I could get through a specific obstacle course. Using the Z button, I locked onto enemies positioned throughout the course to zip me along, painting the world as I progressed. I earned a bronze medal, but with a little practice, gold is certainly within reach.

Other modes consisted of stomping massive amounts of enemies, as well as darting though more intense courses lined with enemies and environmental obstacles. Getting a firm grasp on the lock-on mechanic is essential, and keeping Blob loaded with paint will keep you out of harm's way.

What I played seemed just the tip of the iceberg for de Blob, which is progressively looking better and better, and primed to be one of the Wii's best in 2008. But don't just take it from me! Play it for yourself on September 22.