Elebits review

Original, fun, couldn't be done on any other console.

Review written by
Ginger Bloke

I picked up Elebits as a bit of a gamble. Worried that I was rushing through Zelda too quickly and would inevitably finish it, and somewhat bored and sore from Wii Sports, I was unable to get hold of many other games, particularly as I'm trying to import US games into the UK.

So when I saw that a certain company had a stock of Elebits, I was in a quandary. Sure it looks pretty, and causing chaos in a house sounds great, but it essentially looked like a puzzle games, and frankly I hate puzzle games. I suck at them, my wife's great at them, and no end of embarrassment ensues.

When booting up Elebits, I was very pleasantly surprised. Not only does the game feature a very full tutorial system, the actual mission levels are challenging but forgiving. Plus, they actually feel a lot more like FPS levels than puzzle game levels. The game controls similarly to, although much more tightly than, games like Red Steel and Call of Duty 3. Although there is a lot of depth to the gameplay, the basics are very quick to pick up.

In terms of gameplay, the idea is simple. You must collect little electrical critters called Elebits, which build up as wattage in your collection gun. Through each level your gun can be powered up, allowing you to lift heavier objects and therefore get to the Elebits behind or under them.

Graphically, the game is fairly impressive. The rooms are detailed and comprehensive, almost everything is possible to interact with. You may start off only able to pick up a pizza box or open a cupboard door, but within a few minutes you'll be powered up and throwing sofas and chests of drawers across the room like the Hulk! And yes, it's a very fun and fulfilling experience indeed, demolishing somebody's kitchen or living room. That'll teach them to have such nice things...

In terms of sound, I guess it really depends what your cup of tea is, so to speak. While the Elebits themselves sound great with little squeals as you unearth them, I found the soundtrack of bland, trippy techno to be mind-numbing after a while. Fortunately, each level has its own music, and as most levels are only around 10 minutes long, there's at least a decent selection. I would love to see a sequel utilise MP3s on an SD card though, as Excite Truck does. Tearing apart a room while listening to Metallica would be SO much more satisfying! ;-)

Another huge positive point about the game is its level editor mode. As you progress through the single player missions, you unlock various bonus videos and artwork, but more importantly items to use in an extensive level editor. Create your own little Elebit death trap and invite friends round for the slaughter - oh yes! A multiplayer option gets a little confused, but is a nice icing on an already impressive cake.

I would recommend it to anyone who fancies an original, fun experience on Wii, which literally couldn't work on any other platform.