E3 2006 Hands On Preview
“You should hold it like a joystick,” remarked one of Nintendo’s
testers. He was trying to show me that, to get the most out of this unique
arcade-style flight shooter, it’s best to hold the Wii remote so that the top
(where the power button is located) is pointing straight up. Keeping the bottom
of the Wii remote on the palm of one hand, I was instructed to use the other
hand to steer.
This made the remote feel more like a joystick, as the
tester described. By tilting the remote from this upward position, players
could move SpongeBob to any location on the screen.
Needless to say this was another Wii control scheme that
sounded crazy, felt weird at first, but quickly became fun and intuitive. It
didn’t take five minutes to grasp what the developers were going for. Tilting
forward made SpongeBob dive, while tilting back caused him to gain altitude.
The experience was so much more immersive than of similar games that merely use
an analog stick for flight control. I know there was a time when the thumbstick
reigned supreme, but with motion-sensing technology on the horizon, its days
could be numbered.
SpongeBob’s spacious universe is based on the comedic,
colorful environments from the show. The graphic style is distinctly SpongeBob,
with characters having a nice rounded 3D look to them, yet still retain the classic
feel of the cartoons.
At first the game was somewhat of an escape adventure, with
the player trying to navigate through dangerous environments. Then the first
weapon was applied – a laser cannon that shoots a series of small laser blasts.
The A button can be tapped repeatedly for consecutive shots, making the game
feel like a three-dimensional variation of those classic 2D shooters from the
early 90s. I blasted through gates, abolished dangerous objects, and slowly
worked my way through to the next portion of the game.
Enemies weren’t in high abundance, though I suspect that to
change as the game nears completion. SpongeBob is not a violent series, but
that doesn’t mean it can’t have a little enemy-bashing fun, even if it is the
destruction of robots in outer space.
Not much else is known about the title, but stay tuned to
GameZone Online as we bring you the latest details regarding SpongeBob
SquarePants: Creature From the Krusty Krab as they’re announced.
