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The Wonderful 101 Preview for Wii U

The Wonderful 101 Preview for Wii U

How Wonderful Will It Be?

Nintendo has been very forthcoming with the most recent Nintendo Direct video, appeasing us with confirmations that first-party titles, like a new 3D Mario as well as a Zelda game, are in the works. And that’s not to mention the great third-party titles we’re waiting on. But between what’s already been released and most of what’s forthcoming, one title in particular stands out as not being part of longstanding series or a niche genre. The game, of course, is The Wonderful 101. Fans of every base are keeping an eye on this fresh intellectual property being developed by Platinum Games, the good folks in charge of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and the Wii U-exclusive Bayonetta 2.

The Wonderful 101 Screenshot

The Wonderful 101 has a few familiar design and visual styles, but it also includes an overall feel different from the rest of the pack. It’s a classic alien invasion plotline where you and your band of superheroes must repel the enemy forces and save the planet. Despite the intense action, the mood is far from somber. In classic cartoon style, the antagonist, a scaly gorilla-like creature in military uniform named Lambo, has brought some absolutely gargantuan robotic enemies to lay waste to the city.

The heroes who face him, sporting such names as Bonzai Man, Vending Machine Man, and Toilet Man, have an artistic style that immediately reminds me of the classic 2D action game, Viewtiful Joe, with a script that seems almost ripped from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

The Wonderful 101 Screenshot

To tackle the oversized monstrosities, you’ll need to recruit your own army. It appears as though there are a preset number of story-driven characters (around twenty, I’d say), but citizens can be recruited to beef up the superpower potency. The people you rescue will happily join your crew, then die mercilessly like Lemmings in combat. The ceiling of your team tally is one hundred, with you, the player, being number 101.

The playable area of the game is quite linear, as you’re confined to zones by an overt red perimeter with the words “OPERATIONAL BORDER” highlighted across it. This will undoubtedly keep the action contained, leaving little room to retreat and assess the combat field; you’re in the fray until the battle is finished.

The Wonderful 101 Screenshot

To level the playing field against the enemy, your team can unite to form gigantic fists, swords, and guns to deal heavy damage. You can also repel attacks by forming into a gelatinous mass. All these special attacks, however, require battery power to perform, a finite source that must be replenished. It appears as though more battery cells can be unlocked as you progress, increasing your maximum supply.

Different uniting applications can be used outside of combat to solve simple puzzles and access new areas. Your team can turn into a giant hand to turn an equally large dial, stiffen vertically to become a makeshift ladder to scale buildings, and form chain links to cross chasms. All of these formations require utilizing the touchscreen on the Wii U GamePad, tracing patterns associated with a specific power. It has not been revealed whether you team quota dictates which powers are available, but the damage output is certainly affected, as well as score bonuses tallied at the end of each level.

The Wonderful 101 Screenshot

Despite early game trailers that seemed to indicate up to four-player co-op action, the official game site states The Wonderful 101 as being a single-player experience, which seems accurate considering the need for the Wii U’s GamePad. Perhaps there is some online multiplayer feature, though no news of that has been revealed yet.

The camera angle gives a nice aerial view of the action, considering how often the screen is pummeled with tiny characters, gargantuan enemy robots, and all the carnage from combat. The screen shakes with every explosion, your team zips across the metropolis at a hurried pace, and every second of every trailer I’ve watched now just screams fast-paced action from start to finish.

The Wonderful 101 was originally slated as a launch window release, though the end of that window is drawing nigh. With trite titles coming and going at such a fast pace, this fresh design from Platinum Games is one many are eager to experience. It seems like a perfect game for Spring, opening your bedroom window a crack to let some cool air in while you have a grand old time saving the world. Let’s make it happen, Platinum.

Game Features:

  • Morph into powerful weapons to crush invaders or turn into objects like a giant fist or bridge to interact with and traverse the environments.
  • Explore each stage to find helpless citizens and recruit them to join their army of heroes. The more heroes you gather, the greater your Special Morph Powers will be.
  • Use the Wii U GamePad’s touchscreen to command heroes such as Bonzai Man, Vending Machine Man, and even Toilet Bowl Man. Heroes can also morph into gelatin to guard themselves from enemy attacks.
  • Use the GamePad to explore areas unseen on the TV screen and solve puzzle elements.

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