It must be the time for remakes in the Video Games world. Just as we have the latest version of Super Mario Brothers appearing on the Wii, we also have a new visualization of a game that previously appeared on the NES – A Boy & His Blob Essentially the game is a cross between a platform game and a puzzle. It features as the title suggests two main characters – a young boy who lives alone in a multi-floored tree house and a alien blob who needs the boy’s help to save his home planet. First however, the two must journey on a quest on our home planet before going to Blobolonia and finally to the citadel of the evil Emperor who has taken over the Blob’s home world. The game is an excellent re-imagining of the original title with the original levels represented but as well as these some imaginative new levels and of course, being on the Wii, a new control system that will take some getting used to. Unlike some games on the Wii you have no choice in the way the game is controlled and you are stuck with the combination of the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck. This has led to the controls used in the game perhaps being more complicated then they needed to be. However, having said that, if you preserver with it they do work very well. What should be a simple procedure of transforming the Blob into one of the many things you can becomes a complex system of bringing up an item wheel and scrolling through it to find the coloured jelly bean you want (he changes depending on which Jelly bean he eats) then you have to decide your angle of throw and then tell the creature to go get it and eat it and perform the action that you wish him to do. All very complicated and I hope not off putting because actually this game is really rather good. The main game has 40 levels set over four unique type worlds. These are the wilderness, the underground, Blobolonia and the Citadel. Each of these differs quite drastically in design and is beautifully drawn by the artists. As well as the 40 levels there are also a range of mini-quests that the pair can attempt in the form of bonus challenge levels. These are all relatively small but add meat to the bones of the main game. The sound used within the game is some of the most atmospheric yet heard on the Wii. Added to this are some very funny transformation noises attached to the blob and you excellent background effects. The only downside sound wise is the voice of the boy who uses the same commands a little too often and is quite irritating to say the least. Overall this is a very stylish game that is incredibly presented with a beautiful cinematic opening and a beautiful selection of different worlds for you to explore. The relationship between the boy and the blob is charming and you very quickly develop a love of the game providing you can get to grips with the control system.
Unfortunately the controls are not the only bug bear because the game also has multiple and length load sequences throughout the game. These disrupt the flow of the game because they do not just appear at the end of levels. In a way this is even worse than the control system because younger games players whom would love this title otherwise are likely to be put off and lose interest because of them. Overall however it is a fun platformer/puzzler that is worth the effort it takes to play and with 40 levels plus 40 challenges stages it will take you quite a while to complete. | 
Wii 
