Welcome to Unsung Heroes: Wii, the fourth in Electronic Theatre’s Sunday feature series highlighting those little gems you may have missed somewhere along the way. Before we get stuck into the juicy details for this week’s selection, Electronic Theatre would like to thank our audience for all the support and positive responses we have received through this feature, and hope you will stay tuned for more when our new site launches (see: Electronic Theatre Beta Project).

For those of you not yet familiar with the Unsung Heroes series, the rules are as follows; games eligible are those disc-based releases that Electronic Theatre feels have been underrated, or treated unfairly since launch. And for Wii (along with every other system) we’re keeping it based strictly on titles that have seen UK launch. Wii may well be one of the most difficult formats to pick just five titles for, as there have been many misjudged titles already entered into the systems’ software catalogue.

Baroque

Forever to be heralded as the Wii game you either get or you don’t, Baroque is actually a remake of a Saturn adventure that never made it out of Japan. With Rising Star games’ having picked-up the title for a UK Wii release, Baroque managed to gather a fair amount of coverage in the UK press prior to launch. However, the reviews were an incredible mixed bag of loves and loathes, with few actually remarking that which you would fall along with greatly depends on the type of gamer you are. If you’re desperate for an inventive Role-Playing Game on Wii, and don’t mind feeling almost helpless in a very oppressive world, Baroque might just be the game for you.

Battalion Wars II

            Perhaps the most unlikely title to make this week’s Unsung Heroes, being a First-Party release, Battalion Wars II seems to have been overlooked by a public still content with launch titles. Though in the months after gamers had been screaming out for new releases, Battalion Wars II – lovingly shortened to BWii – received a lukewarm reception at UK retail. Since its release, there has been no other game yet to see the light of day on Wii that can challenge Battalion Wars II for its intuitive combat and addictive scenarios. And as one of the first title to feature online play on Wii, it remains a shock that little has yet surpassed the online Co-Operative play option. It’s just a shame about the lack of communication between players available.

Endless Ocean

            Also a First-Party release, Endless Ocean is the antithesis of challenge. Developed with a similar outlook on the videogames market as Animal Crossing, Endless Ocean asks players to choose their own path and create their own challenges within the undemanding world presented to them. With some gorgeous visuals for an early Wii release and a day-one budget price, Endless Ocean is the perfect game to hunt down for those times when frantic waggling or challenges to your dexterity and logical puzzle solving skills are just too much for you to handle.

Metal Slug Anthology

            Metal Slug is a series that has become synonymous with Hardcore. Any gamer worth his or her salt has tackled at least one title in the series at some point – and with Metal Slug Anthology, there’s plenty of opportunity to tackle them again. Featuring seven full titles from the beloved franchise - Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, Metal Slug 5 and Metal Slug 6 – Metal Slug Anthology was a bargain at launch; especially when compared to the PlayStation2 and Xbox outings of some of these titles, which retailed at £19.99 each. Now available in most retailers at a sub-£15 price-point, you’d be hard pressed to find such tangible Arcade thrills for a better price – even when looking towards digital downloads.

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords

            “Puzzle Quest” says it all. A typical Puzzle game crossed with the more addictive conventions of a Role-Playing Game, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords has a hook that just won’t let go. Often criticised as being little more than a Mini-Game from a more elaborate Role-Playing Game, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords defies any such scorn by including a wealth of options and a deep gameplay mechanic that is quick to learn, and easy to find a personal and creative gameplay style within. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords may not be the best release in the series, but with it now being available at £19.99 or less in most retailers, it’s probably the hardest version to ignore.

Kev J.

19/10/08