The original De Blob for Wii was a game I never got a chance to play, despite the assurances of friends that it was a lot more exciting than the colorful exterior let on. Looking mostly like a kids game, that box did little to convince me there was a smart, enjoyable platformer inside, and sadly it went unplayed all the way to the point when the sequel came out. De Blob 2 Wii game is my first chance at redeeming this oversight in my gaming career, and I’m happy to report that despite simple controls, plot, and overall design, the game is as enjoyable as any of the more adult-oriented titles out there.
The game was released on all the major platforms, but the Wii De Blob 2 is probably the best of the bunch. The gameplay, which consists of either rolling your guy around and painting buildings, or guiding him through 2D side-scroller levels to get paint flowing in order to paint those buildings, is simple to what should be the point of tedium. However, on this platform, the motion controls, plucky music, and cartoony sound effects really serve the game well. The Wii De Blob 2 pulls you into the game a little more. The gameplay, although it sounds simple, is extremely fun, and it’s not without it’s challenges. In order to paint the buildings you need to paint, you need to be able to get to them, and that’s half the fun.
As fun as this gameplay is, though, it is a novelty which does eventually wear off. Towards the end of the game, I found myself doing missions almost arbitrarily, just to get to the end and see the evil villain, Comrade Black, dethroned by De Blob. Also, that plucky music just becomes downright annoying after a while, and less stoic players than myself will be tempted to put the game down sooner rather than later, I’m afraid.
However, for the time you’re painting buildings, chasing Comrade Black through 2D levels, you’ve also got the option for a bit of multi-player, which is definitely a good thing. Most welcome is the Super Mario Galaxy-inspired “girlfriend mode”, where anyone can pick up a second controller and use it to help you collect items on the screen without interrupting your gameplay. There is a splitscreen mode as well, if the idea of having twice the paint in half the time strikes your fancy.
All in all, the game is at least worth a rent, especially if you’ve got someone to play it with. The girlfriend mode is enough to keep both gamers engaged most of the time, but it really got fun when the splitscreen came out and the competition to paint the most buildings in the least time started. If you’re not into the hokey music, kiddy-style graphics, or simple plot, then you might want to pass this one up for something more your grade level.