World of Goo [PC/Wii]

World of Goo is a physics based puzzle / construction game. The millions of Goo Balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo don't know that they are in a game, or that they are extremely delicious.

There are many types of goo balls in the game and each of them have unique abilities. The player needs to exploit their combinations in order to complete each of the levels. Some of the ordinary balls have no special abilities, once they have been incorporated into the structure, they cannot be used again nor they can reach the pipe to be rescued.

• Common Goo - The standard, black ball. Maximum of two connections on placement. Pushes/pulls connections to its optimum length.
• Albino Goo - White goo ball. Maximum of four connections on placement. Does not push/pull strongly to gain optimum length.
• Ivy Goo - Can be attached and detached from the structure. Maximum of three connections on placement. Pushes/pulls very strongly to reach its optimum length, resulting in strong springlike tendencies.
• Balloon Goo - Fly upwards, which allows the player to lift other objects. Only one connection. Does not push/pull.

There are also a number of other Goos seen 'in the wild', including:

• Water Goo - A translucent ball, seen in a trailer for the game as being able to form single connections to other Goos, and hence form long chains.
• Pokey Goo - A spiky yellow ball, also able to form single connections and seen in a trailer as also being able to attach itself to the terrain.
• Fuse Goo - A deformed red ball, little about which can be discerned from the trailers other than that it appears to be able to form at least two connections. Often seen on levels involving fire.
• Bone Goo - A skull, apparently non-functional but able to reside on chains of Goo.
• Other Goo - From the official gameplay videos, a number of other unnamed Goos have also been sighted, including cherry-red balls, black-and-orange balls, huge Goos of various colours, and large sleeping Goos.

Q: what about europe?
A: world of goo is scheduled for european release as a disc based wii game in the first quarter of 2009. we realized we caused some grief for european gamers with this choice and we apologize. it’s our first time putting out a game and we don’t plan on doing this kind of split again. on the bright side, the US dollar isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on, so you’ll be able to get it for cheap with your fancy euros

If there's any justice, World of Goo will set the internet aflame and earn its creators a million dollars. The members of 2D Boy should be carried around in chariots while this glory lasts - because at some point, they're going to realise what a murderously high standard they've set for themselves, and run away forever.

Two-man design team Kyle Gabler and Ron Carmel -- collectively known as 2D Boy -- prove that game developers don't necessarily need big-name backing (in this duo's case, former employer EA) to find success.

• 9.0 Presentation
  Slick menus, simple story presentation, stunning style and some fun extras, like a coop mode and WiiConnect24 support.
• 9.5 Graphics
  Sensational graphic style and polished execution. Goo looks better than most retail Wii games. Runs in pro-scan widescreen with a solid framerate, too.
• 9.5 Sound
  Ambient, serene music that perfectly suits the stages it accompanies.
• 9.5 Gameplay
  Amazingly good fun thanks to tight control and challenging levels that make you think. Feels like Nintendo made it.
• 9.0 Lasting Appeal
  Arguably, if you're really good, you'll be able to blaze a trail through the four-plus worlds, but most will spend five to 10 hours. Coop mode. WiiConnect24. Future downloadable levels. Lacks editor.
• 9.5
  Incredible OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)

It's certainly no secret to WiiWare fans that World of Goo has seen more hype than just about any other WiiWare title to date. While this generally leads to unrealistic expectations but every so often a game somehow manages to not only fulfil the hype, but exceed it. Say hello to World of Goo. Not only does the game live up to the immense attention that has been heaped upon it over the past few months, but it brings one of the most unique and original gaming experiences to the WiiWare service yet and proves that a WiiWare title can be every bit as good, if not better, than an actual Wii retail release when it's done right.

It's quite amazing that a development team consisting of basically three people has somehow managed to create such a unique and utterly charming gaming experience like the one found in World of Goo. What's also quite amazing is the fact that you can purchase this outstanding title for a mere 1500 Wii Points. Other WiiWare developers out there need to take notice that World of Goo has raised the bar for what a WiiWare title should be and it's raised it fairly high. Not only is it easily the best WiiWare release to date, it's also proof that you don't need a large development team or millions of dollars to create an outstanding video game. In an era of where style is often emphasized over substance, it's refreshing to see a title like World of Goo that somehow manages to feature an abundance of both.

But it's the atmosphere that transforms World of Goo from a great concept to a fantastic game, with production values well above what you'd expect from a tiny indie developer. The crisp, hand-drawn visuals burst with care and creativity, recalling the wonderfully distinct approach of another recent downloadable favorite, Castle Crashers. And the music -- who would've expected such intense anthems from a physics-based puzzler? Comparisons to composer Danny Elfman are spot-on, but to me, it sounds like the soundtrack to an epic, big-budget role-playing game -- either way, the dramatic tunes offer the perfect juxtaposition to the whimsical sights and sayings spotted throughout the game. Some will undoubtedly scoff at the $15 price tag for "just a downloadable game," but World of Goo isn't "just" anything -- except, that is, one of just a handful of truly excellent original games for the Wii.