Post-E3 2008: de Blob

If you are a student and think that you have no shot to make it big in this industry--think again. THQ is set to publish de Blob for the Wii this fall. The title began its life at the Utrecht School of Arts and quickly became a hit on the PC. Now the team at Blue Tongue Studio is hard at work on preparing the console for the masses, changing the control schemes to match the Wiimote, and we got a chance to see it at E3 2008.

In de Blob, players are trying to bring color to the world and stop the evil I.N.K.T. army, led by Comrade Black, from keeping the world in black and white. Needing to bring fun and color to the world, players set out as de Blob to paint the town and create resistance to I.N.K.T. This is accomplished by learning different painting techniques and painting over all of the buildings. You have a certain amount of paint available in Red, Green, Red, and Blue. These colors can also be mixed to make new colors. As paint coats a series of buildings, the resistance movement grows and the people, in full color, come out and party. It should be pointed out that certain buildings must be a particular color in order to move past them.

Besides painting, the player will also have to learn how to navigate the world through a series of jumps. These basic principles are all introduced to the player early on and they will be able to grasp the concept very quickly. You will also have to battle the I.N.K.T. army as they begin to try and stop you by coloring the citizens and jumping on the I.N.K.T. solders and police that attempt to thwart your progress. Upon completing a level, players will be given a score for use of mixing paint colors and rewards for painting landmarks, signs, and anything in sight. The way it appears best to play de Blob, if you can touch it--paint it!

Players will also be able to choose from six different multiplayer modes. One of the modes allows for a full city to be painted in a race with another player. Another mode features you playing the role of a king. The other player will attempt to bounce on you and become king. Whoever is the king for the longest wins. Blue Tongue Studio was not yet ready to show off the other modes or comment on if these will be playable online. But when you think about the Wii's online capabilities, it is doubtful that the modes will be played online. This is mainly due to the fact that the Wii's friends' code system is possibly the worst system ever implemented for an online system.

Despite the multiplayer modes appearing local only, although THQ would not officially comment, de Blob is shaping up to be a really nice title. In a world where Third Party Wii games don't normally look or play that well--this could be the biggest Third Party title for the Wii when it ships on September 22, 2008.