The Wii has released a sequel to one of the most underrated titles of the 8-bit era, A Boy and His Blob. What we get on the Wii is a modern take on a the 2D platformer, and though its somewhat of a mixed bag, its worth it for anyone looking for a game with true nostalgic feel.
It’s been 20 years since David Crane’s A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia was released on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Despite the fact the game is a great title that is often forgotten among the library of classics on the NES, this sequel seems random a chance to capitalize on a familiar franchise. However, the game is fairly amusing after you get a feel for the game’s controls. The gameplay is overall a great nod to what made games so phenomenally successful on many of the 8, 16 and even 64-bit home video game consoles. Hopefully, the success of the Wii title will lead to a release of the original on the Virtual Console.
Unlike the NES title, an introduction offers some insight into the back story. The blob and the various enemies of the game appear to be some sort of extraterrestrials. The boy lives, apparently alone, in a giant, condominium-sized tree house when he discovers the blob. Where are child protective services when you need them? Anyways, along with your new ally, the goal of the game is to progress through the game, in a linear order, and defeat all enemies while obtaining various upgrades to the blob's ability set.
Like the original classic, the blob can take various helpful shapes based on which jelly bean you feed him. He can take the form of a balloon, ladder, or even a whole in the ground, which as a great way to get around or avoid enemies. As you control the unnamed boy, you'll find yourself incredibly dependent on the blob as your character isn't too quick or agile, you have to hit the jump at the perfect time or you'll miss your target or hit an enemy/obstacle. Fortunately, the enemy AI isn't too bright.
The only caveat I have are the load screens. The load times themselves are not terribly long, but they sure are frequent. Patience is certainly a commodity when it comes to this aspect of gameplay. Another minor issue is that its not always clear where you’re supposed to go or what you’re supposed to do. The linear gameplay is reminiscent of early Paper Mario titles, though its only a 2D game.