IGN Elebits preview (new videos, level editor info, etc.) [Mobile/Archive]

Oops! I did it again.

12-05-2006, 02:45 AM

http://wii.ign.com/articles/749/749108p1.html

This game is looking good. Shame I might have to wait 'til the first of the month to get it.

The preview is worth reading, as are the videos worth watching, but here are some tidbits:

The FPS aiming controls in Elebits are the most precise that we have yet experienced on the Wii. It is incredibly easy to point at any single object and interact with it merely by clicking a button. The game also sports some really nice physics. While the objects in the world are ever-so-slightly floaty, it seems that this was a deliberate move to make the game a little easier to handle. Certain levels will place limits on the amount of destruction you can cause or noise you can make. This forces you to be more careful with the world as you tear it apart piece-by-piece. The game also features some intuitive puzzles all of which will yield bonus supplies of Elebits, if done correctly. In one situation we needed to insert a CD-ROM into a paper shredder, in another we were tasked with re-ordering a set of encyclopedias alphabetically. Each of these tasks is relatively simple, but when executed in the midst of all this chaos, ends up being extremely fun and engaging. Additionally, once you get bored of playing through the developer-made levels, you can dive into the game's extensive level editor. The level editor allows you to rearrange any of the game's levels to your liking. You can place any of the types of Elebits (http://wii.ign.com/objects/824/824989.html), power-ups, or pieces of furniture at points of your choosing. Furniture must be unlocked by playing through the main game first. There is a point system in place to keep the levels from becoming ridiculously cluttered, but other than that you are free to run wild. You can also adjust the gravity settings in these new worlds you create to your liking. It is all quite easy to use, and pretty captivating. The best part about this level editor is that it has support for WiiConnect24. Players can upload their creations to the Wii Message Board, and people on their Friends Lists can download those levels. Unfortunately, while this is supported on day one in Japan, Nintendo of America is a little behind. Konami reps were uncertain as to just when this would be supported in the US.

12-05-2006, 04:42 AM

I'm really looking forward to this as my family has already (gasp!) grown a bit weary of the Wii. We beat Rayman, we rented and disliked Monkey Ball, and we play Wii Sports occasionally (usually at least one or two games a day, but no more than that). The kids used to make Miis like crazy, but that has died down. And we are waiting on the component cables for Zelda. My boys have gone back to GC games (SMS, SSBM usually). Elebits sounds like something we can sink some time into though.

For a while there it looked like it might not be so great, but all the more recent buzz is making it sound like it will definitely be worth a full-price purchase. I have it preordered at EB to get the plush too. So I'll definitely stick with that, unless this glowing preview from IGN turns out to be total BS (which has happened in the past, after all ;)).

psunami

12-05-2006, 12:06 PM

Yeah, IGN is notorious for putting out glowing previews and then panning a game when it comes out.

I have high hopes for this. The videos make it look like it will be a great deal of fun to play around with. Plus, if the WiiConnect24 stuff works right away, then you'll be able to design levels to send around.

lordwow

12-05-2006, 12:08 PM

hohez

12-05-2006, 12:09 PM

Wiiconnect stuff may not be working at Elebits release, according to the IGN preview.

This was going to be my other game besides Zelda at launch. Now after I get Super Swing Golf, it will be my 4th Wii game, and final one for the year.

It's the same nonsensical, destroy the environment to collect crap style as katamari, and that's pretty much my favorite genre of games now.

Rocko

12-05-2006, 05:01 PM

I've been removed from Gaming news for a while, so I was surprised to not see Elebits at launch day when I got my Wii... preordered through Konami for the plush, can't wait to get my hands on this!

Tybee

12-05-2006, 05:33 PM

My interest in this game has never wavered. Like hohez, this was going to be my second launch title pick up. When it got pushed back, I shifted it to my Christmas list. I got more excited when I found out there was four player simultaneous play, and now with the revelation of a fully realized level editor and the awesome sounding gameplay, I'm seriously pumped for the release.

12-05-2006, 05:35 PM

Umm so is every gaming site. Have you ever seen a non-glowing preview?

I've seen the occasional "needs work" type previews. But of course they are always hopeful that whatever problems they are seeing will be fixed. That usually means the game sucks big time, so I know not to preorder it. It is kind of like the "strong buy", "buy", "hold" ratings for stocks ;) (where they rarely say "sell").

Tybee

12-05-2006, 05:41 PM

I've seen the occasional "needs work" type previews. But of course they are always hopeful that whatever problems they are seeing will be fixed. That usually means the game sucks big time, so I know not to preorder it. It is kind of like the "strong buy", "buy", "hold" ratings for stocks ;) (where they rarely say "sell").

Yeah, but here there is almost none of that "hopefully they will fix ______ by launch" speculation. The only negative they even cite is that the U.S. version may not have WiiConnect24 support at launch. It's a pretty rhapsodic preview, even for IGN.

deadite76

12-05-2006, 06:43 PM

Nice preview! It's on my "Christams list" as well!

12-05-2006, 11:03 PM

Well, I know Cheapy bought on on launch in Japan, but the attach rate for Elebits has been horrible. That is really disappointing as it certainly would have sold better than that here. Maybe most of the Japanese launch Wii's went to resellers like with the PS3's (attach rate was still a fairly low 1.8).

Here's the scoop:

http://wii.ign.com/articles/749/749151p1.html

About 350,000 Wii's were sold, and with that 176,000 Wii Sports, 175,000 Wii Play (makes sense those two go together as you get the extra controller which is pretty much needed for Wii Sports too), followed by 139,000 Zelda. Then there's a big dropoff to WarioWare at 64,000 and Super Swing Golf at 17,000. Elebits is WAY down at 5,791. That is horrendous - but I'm counting on the fact that most of this first batch of Wii's was for reselling and people probably wanted to bundle the big name Wii Sports/Play titles with it. Still, you figure there would be more interest in Elebits than that, especially in Japan! We'll have to see how well it sells through the end of the year - but by then we'll know how it's selling here. I know I'll be one sale ;).

furyk

12-06-2006, 12:00 AM

In fairness, who buys more then four games at a system launch? 1st party games screwing 3rd parties for the win. It is sad that Red Steel outsold Elebits though.

12-06-2006, 12:06 AM

In fairness, who buys more then four games at a system launch? 1st party games screwing 3rd parties for the win. It is sad that Red Steel outsold Elebits though.

Well, yes, that is the "story within a story" - that Nintendo stomped on the 3rd party developers (in Japan anyway). I'm starting to see the wisdom of Nintendo delaying Wario and Wii Play here in the US, though I'm not sure if it was for the same reason. Basically, besides Zelda, people were inclined to pick up one or two more games and generally they were 3rd party titles. If I was in Japan I would have picked up Zelda, Wii Play, Wii Sports, WarioWare, and Elebits - so heavily 1st party.

Hopefully those 3rd party sales will pick up with more Wii sales in Japan (and once all of these initial ones get to real homes).

I've said it here before - I'm fine, personally, if the Wii ends up like the GC with kick-ass 1st party games and a smattering of excellent 3rd party games. But I'd prefer if it was more robust than that.

rickonker

12-06-2006, 12:12 AM

I read an interview with EA's CEO where he sounds pissed off about Nintendo being competition.

Oops! I did it again.

12-06-2006, 01:32 PM

Elebits Developer Diary: http://wii.ign.com/articles/749/749393p1.html

It's all worth reading but here's what I conisder the main meat of the article:

I had to come back one more time before the game ships in the US on December 12th.

I was unsure of the date, but it's officially next week.

Before we begin, I have some good news to share with you all. Elebits was recently elected to the Famitsu Gold Games Hall of Fame. Famitsu is the biggest video games magazine in Japan, so it is a great honor and bodes well for the release of Elebits in the US. As you might know, Elebits was released in Japan alongside the Wii this last weekend, and we've had a great response to the game. There is already a lot of user created content on sites such as YouTube, so I'd recommend looking around to see how people are enjoying the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1I-OeZ3wB4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hszOo99xL7w

LMAO at being able to create an elaborate dominos stage like that. I love it.

A lot of you were expecting Elebits to be a launch game for the Wii in the US, but it was of course pushed back for a few weeks. I can now tell you the reason for the delay - we've been adding online functionality to the game. In fact, we will be the first Wii Connect 24 game available when Elebits is released next week. While the Wii Connect 24 service is not yet operational in the US, the game will work online whenever Nintendo chooses to begin the service.

Good, at least it'll be there in the box once Nintendo is ready to launch it.

You'll also be able to take and share screenshots from both the story mode and edit mode. It's always good to send screenshots to your friends via Wii Connect 24 to show them your latest Edit Mode creations.

Nice, nice...

Sounds like a game with tons of replay value.

Argh I wish I could get it Tuesday! I've got to wait 'til January.

Why oh why did I buy Super Monkey Ball, LOL...

evilmax17

12-06-2006, 01:35 PM

I can't tell if you can actually send your crazy User Created Rube Goldberg stages to people, or only pictures of them...

It kind of sounds like the latter, which would be a shame.

Oops! I did it again.

12-06-2006, 01:39 PM

Well the developer diary never conclusively outright says word-for-word "You can send your created stages," but it does begin the paragraph describing the level editor by saying "So I'm sure you are all wondering exactly how Elebits uses Wii Connect 24" which tells me that's what he was getting at. Also, IGN said you can send the stages, so it sounds like we can do both (screenshots and actual levels).

Tybee

12-06-2006, 02:02 PM

hohez

12-06-2006, 07:30 PM

That domino stage is unbelievable. A game with that level of customizability has to be great.

Is it really in doubt that you'll be able to share customizable stages over WiiConnect? I thought that's been confirmed for a long time. Guess not.

it has been confirmed for a long time. It is in game, you just won't be able to use that feature until the Wiiconnect24 stuff is fully operational.

12-06-2006, 07:48 PM

I was unsure of the date, but it's officially next week.

Awesome! I just found out I may have to travel for work Dec 18-22 and I thought this was coming out the 19th. If it comes out next week I can play it before I have to leave :mrgreen:.

I can also be sure to pick up the plush that way (preorder bonus at EB).

rickonker

12-06-2006, 08:13 PM

This looks pretty cool. What is your objective in the game? Will there be online multiplayer or only sharing levels?

hohez

12-06-2006, 08:53 PM

This looks pretty cool. What is your objective in the game? Will there be online multiplayer or only sharing levels?

Sharing levels and screenshots only. But, the levels will not be active yet due to the wiiconnect24 isn't ready yet.

your objective--

Elebits are the source of electricity, you use your wiimote like a gravity gun to capture them and turn on stuff in your home allowing you to capture more and turn on more stuff.

Yes, i know that's a terribly boring description, go check out some videos somewhere.

Rocko

12-06-2006, 11:09 PM

With this game sounding more and more appealing I'm beginning to wonder if preorder from Konami was a mistake over EB or Gamestop.

deadite76

12-07-2006, 02:39 PM

89/100 from Gamebrink:

http://www.gamebrink.com/nintendo-wii/1897-Elebits-reviews-1.html

Sounds great!

Oops! I did it again.

12-07-2006, 03:12 PM

12-07-2006, 03:52 PM

Over the past month or so, all the talk of Elebits I read (such as IGN), said that the game would be 480p in 16:9 presentation. Every screenshot and video we see is 4:3, though.

Have you guys conclusively heard anything, or should it be safe to assume it's 4:3 only?

Damn I hope not - just got my component cables today! :mrgreen:

Tybee

12-07-2006, 04:09 PM

Over the past month or so, all the talk of Elebits I read (such as IGN), said that the game would be 480p in 16:9 presentation. Every screenshot and video we see is 4:3, though.

Have you guys conclusively heard anything, or should it be safe to assume it's 4:3 only?

I've been concerned about that myself. Maybe we should ask Cheapy. He has it. I don't know if he has the component cables, but he could at least confirm whether or not it's 16:9.

asianxcore

12-07-2006, 04:58 PM

looks like a really fun game. I may pick it up sometime next week.

Konami is on a roll this week/coming week

Tybee

12-08-2006, 03:05 PM

I asked Cheapy in the CAGcast thread about progressive scan and 16:9. His response:

I meant to mention this....but I forgot...I will mention it next week.

Not sure on the 480p part, but there are very small black bars on the side of the screen on both Elebits and Warioware...Wii Play has none.
They are very small...maybe 1 inch or less.

So it sounds like it is widescreen, and I'm willing to bet it is also 480p. That's good news.

Lego Star Wars II for the GCN is widescreen but has those same thin black bars that just prevent the image from reaching the sides of the screen. I wonder why that is? Maybe they're compensating for overscan or something.

Oops! I did it again.

12-08-2006, 08:31 PM

^ Yeah, that's cool. Good news, thanks for posting it.

Yay for me, I just noticed that EB/GS extended the $20 bonus on console trade-ins, so I'm going to grab this game on Tuesday after trading a 'Cube plus some other stuff in.

GizmoGC

12-10-2006, 05:27 PM

Tuesday! Yes!

lilboo

12-10-2006, 07:01 PM

12-11-2006, 05:29 AM

Last preview (shows the different Elebits):

http://wii.ign.com/articles/750/750222p1.html

The interesting thing in the article is that they claim their review will be up Monday (that's today ;)). Hopefully this isn't yet another case where they over-hype the game via preview and then pan it in reviews...

botticus

12-11-2006, 09:51 AM

So, does anyone exactly know HOW you will be able to send a level to your friends..?

The reason I ask this is because we don't have anything online yet. We can just message each other and send Miis to one another.

I hope there's some sort of friend list in the game.. to let us know who of our friends have this game too...Instead of having to go through the trouble of finding out on HERE who has Elebits, and then sending it to them on your Wii.

If that's the case, I'll be kinda upset :(There appeared to be a list of people in-game to send it to. How that will work, we have no way of knowing. I have a feeling it will just be all your friends, because how WiiConnect24 will know if someone else has the game or not is beyond me. Unless that's part of the friend system that hasn't been used or implemented yet.

deadite76

12-11-2006, 12:39 PM

Tuesday! Yes!

Doesn't this ship on Tuesday?

12-11-2006, 10:02 PM

Review is up but not linked from their front page yet:

http://wii.ign.com/articles/750/750468p1.html

8.3/10, not bad...

hack

12-12-2006, 02:01 AM

Review is up but not linked from their front page yet:

http://wii.ign.com/articles/750/750468p1.html

8.3/10, not bad...

I think that's a great score. I'm looking very much forward to this game.

js1

12-12-2006, 02:07 AM

Good to see another solid review/s for another wii game. Looks like fun!

Oops! I did it again.

12-12-2006, 02:09 AM

Now I don't know if I can grab it today or not.

Have not yet been able to make it to EB/GS for a trade-in (the guy borrowing my Cube has been hard to contact) so I'm holding out hope that I can make it happen ASAP.

Either way, that review sounds great, to me! All of the flaws have been known and expected, and the positives make it sound like a game I'll be playing for a LONG LONG time.

rickonker

12-12-2006, 02:19 AM

That would be a good score if GameSpot gave it, I'm waiting to see their review.

12-12-2006, 04:23 AM

What I like in the IGN review is the following line: "Control is pixel-perfect and speedy and manipulating the objects with a sense of physics is just short of addictive".

It is the control that would make or break this game, and it sounds like that is one of their favorite parts. The horrendous voice work? - Meh, it's the least important part of a game, especially one like this. The slightly inferior graphics I can deal with. Though is it any worse than, say, Chibi-Robo, which was another game panned for it's graphics? Chibi looked great on my 51" HDTV, so sometimes I don't get the complaints about graphics. The floaty physics (Matt at IGN is confusing on this issue - he says the physics is amazing in one sentence and then says it is 'floaty' and problematic in another) could be an issue - will just have to play to see ;). I'm definitely getting and opening ASAP my preorder from EB. I think we'll see this in stores Weds and not tomorrow though (I have yet to get a call about my preorder but they have been very spotty with those recently).

12-12-2006, 05:24 AM

While the 8.3 from IGN is great and all, just note that they gave Ice Age 2 a 7.5 :rofl:.

Now, actually, that sounds like a fun game for the kids that I will definitely pick up when I can for less than $20, but still... I would kind of hope Elebits was in a whole different class. I guess you could say Ice Age 2 was graded on a curve though - it was clumped in with several categories that make it have low expectations: a kids game, a port from the older systems, and last but not least, a licensed game. So you can't compare the 7.5 and 8.3 with these two games (now the 4.5 for Happy Feet shows that it, indeed, is probably TRULY awful). I think they graded Elebits a bit harsher as it had higher expectations.

Oops! I did it again.

12-12-2006, 05:47 AM

IGN's score is right around the score I expected, all things considered. It's the critical opinion that all reviewers will probably share: they have to take into account the weak graphics and sound that is also apparently weak. But as for the areas that all people interested in Elebits are excited about (gameplay and replay value), it looks like the game has flourished. It already received lots of critical acclaim overseas, and Casamassina's thoughts help seal the deal to me that Konami accomplished what they set out to accomplish here...and that makes me a happy gamer. :)

soonersfan60

12-12-2006, 07:21 AM

I am wondering how similar this is to Chibi Robo. I haven't played that yet either, but my sister is getting that for my son. Any thoughts?

12-12-2006, 07:26 AM

I am wondering how similar this is to Chibi Robo. I haven't played that yet either, but my sister is getting that for my son. Any thoughts?

Well, I think any similarities are merely in the graphical style. I dunno, it just seems the rooms are like those in the house in Chibi-Robo. The gameplay is pretty unique, but seems more lile Pikmin and Katamari than Chibi-Robo. Though it really isn't like those two games either ;).

I suppose it is only like Pikmin in that the Elebits resemble Pikmin. The gameplay is a bit more like Katamari (with an entirely different control scheme of course) in the way you must go through a progression of upgrading your "weapon" by collecting things (literally things in Katamari, just Elebits in Elebits!). This then unlocks new areas so that you can proceed. It also seems Katamari-like in that you have various limits imposed on different missions (time, noise, etc).

psunami

12-12-2006, 11:03 AM

Tybee

12-12-2006, 12:37 PM

Gah...I have to wait 'til Christmas to play this. Putting it on my list seemed like such a good idea at the time.

Oh well. Back to Zelda.

BREVITY

12-12-2006, 12:53 PM

This game seems just right for my kids.

Scorch

12-12-2006, 12:57 PM

sigh.. I really wanted to pick this up today.. but it'll come in tomorrow :(

12-12-2006, 05:39 PM

I'm pretty sure that I'm going to trade in my unopened copy of Monkey Ball for this. I've not heard enough good about Monkey Ball to keep that one at this point. Elebits just looks like more fun, and the multiplayer looks to be very hectic and entertaining.

Good move there. I rented SMB and was glad I did instead of buying (and with a free rental coupon to boot ;)). Of course I haven't played Elebits but I'm 95% sure it will be a much better game than SMB.

botticus

12-12-2006, 08:46 PM

Got the call that my preorder will be in tomorrow. Just gotta figure out if I want it as yet. Starting a backlog one month after console launch is not necessarily a good trend.

Tybee

12-12-2006, 08:54 PM

Got the call that my preorder will be in tomorrow. Just gotta figure out if I want it as yet. Starting a backlog one month after console launch is not necessarily a good trend.

LOL...That's sig material right there.

Apossum

12-12-2006, 09:34 PM

I just got a call saying it'll be in tomorrow.

....but I don't remember pre-ordering it.

rickonker

12-12-2006, 09:35 PM

I just got a call saying it'll be in tomorrow.

....but I don't remember pre-ordering it.
You must have preordered it while sleepwalking.

Oops! I did it again.

12-13-2006, 05:10 AM

http://media.wii.ign.com/media/824/824989/vids_1.html

Video review is up. I'm about to watch.

Who knows when I'll get the game...can't get in touch with the guy who has my Cube. :(

EDIT: After watching the review, I think these graphics look better than what we've been told - not as photorealistic as one might hope but pretty damn good (like the garage, for instance). Based on the videos and what we know of the game, this could end up being my favorite Wii game thus far...possibly favorite game of '06.

12-13-2006, 05:32 AM

Got the call that my preorder will be in tomorrow. Just gotta figure out if I want it as yet. Starting a backlog one month after console launch is not necessarily a good trend.

Yeah, and of course I have NOT gotten a call that it is in. That's happened on my last 2 or 3 EB preorders, but they always have them anyway. I just have to call to be SURE that my store actually gets it before I drove over there.

And I'm definitely getting it - I expect to play it for many hours with the kids Weds evening. So no backlog for me (well, Zelda will probably get pushed there for a few days, but that's OK, it draws out the experience of that, which is good).

daroga

12-13-2006, 11:04 AM

Just watched the video review and it looks so much fun that I want to go out and get it ASAP, BUT it's on my Christmas list so I don't want to ruin that. ;)

Also, I've still got Red Steel to finish up.

psunami

12-13-2006, 11:31 AM

I just watched the video as well. That looks like a lot of fun.

Seriously though, how hard is it to get good voice acting for game scripts. Just hire Billy West to do all the voices and you're done.

Tybee

12-13-2006, 01:23 PM

I just watched the video as well. That looks like a lot of fun.

Seriously though, how hard is it to get good voice acting for game scripts. Just hire Billy West to do all the voices and you're done.

Dominic Armato could use some work.

Props to the first person who can tell me what game voice he is best known for.

psunami

12-13-2006, 02:01 PM

Thank you Google.

Guybrush Threepwood from Monkey Island.

Wouldn't have known it without searching though.

foltzie

12-13-2006, 02:38 PM

I read an interview with EA's CEO where he sounds pissed off about Nintendo being competition.

Can you post a link to the interview? That would make a good seperate topic.

Oops! I did it again.

12-13-2006, 03:37 PM

Tybee

12-13-2006, 05:08 PM

Thank you Google.

Guybrush Threepwood from Monkey Island.

Wouldn't have known it without searching though.

I met him at E3 a couple times and chatted with him online. Really nice guy.

I miss Monkey Island. :cry:

Mr Durand Pierre

12-13-2006, 06:01 PM

Well I finally got the means to head out and go grab the game...but according to EB's site, it's already sold out at every location (I want to use trade-ins so other stores are a bust).

Oh well! There's always next week. I'll trade in for the value today anyway.

I would call. The website is often inaccurate. I think when they updated it in the middle of the night it may not have arrived in stores yet, but by now it probably has. I'll probably pick it up in a day or two if the reviews are good enough. Looks promising.

12-13-2006, 06:03 PM

Well, I never got a call from my EB about my preorder (which they've had for several weeks now). But I called them and they do have it set aside for me. I'll be picking it up in about an hour - then I have to hold off playing until this evening so I can get at least a *little* work done ;).

meerkatgamer

12-13-2006, 07:14 PM

I preordered elebits a few weeks ago and i'm wondering is the preorder bonus attached to the game or is it separate from the game?

I called my GS and he said he has the game, but he doesn't know about the preorder bonus. I'm kinda worried I won't get it.

Oops! I did it again.

12-13-2006, 07:52 PM

Yaaaaaaaay. I went to an EB, ignoring the online status, and they apparently only got THREE copies of the game total. One had been pre-ordered, one the manager took home for the morning to borrow (WTF??), and one they had just opened up as I got in to put in the Wii demo unit. So I got that one. Traded in my Cube plus a few of the games (only kept Mario Sunshine from my collection), still have $15 or so left on my Edge card so that's good.

So I'm glad I got it.

LinkinPrime

12-13-2006, 08:10 PM

so what Plush toy did you guys get, the Red or the Blue? I'm hoping to get the red one when I stop by eb in about 45min.

Oops! I did it again.

12-13-2006, 08:15 PM

I asked Cheapy in the CAGcast thread about progressive scan and 16:9. His response:

So it sounds like it is widescreen, and I'm willing to bet it is also 480p. That's good news.

Lego Star Wars II for the GCN is widescreen but has those same thin black bars that just prevent the image from reaching the sides of the screen. I wonder why that is? Maybe they're compensating for overscan or something.

Just to respond to what CheapyD said, I see no small black bars on this version.

Just my screen or what? It fills up the entire widescreen like every other game does.

Oops! I did it again.

12-13-2006, 08:18 PM

OK I'm in the tutorial right now, and I had to pause to post this: the controls in this game make me feel worse about Red Steel, LOL. It's so smooth, so fluid, so glitchless, it moves EXACTLY LIKE YOU THINK a Wii FPS should. It feels like we all expected FPS gaming on Wii to feel when the console was first shown. Granted, it might be harder to get the exact aiming like you have in Red Steel, but it's like night and day as far as polish in the controls go.

Metal Boss

12-13-2006, 09:14 PM

what can i say, Great game, I've never played anything quite like it

jezebelseven

12-13-2006, 09:23 PM

so what Plush toy did you guys get, the Red or the Blue? I'm hoping to get the red one when I stop by eb in about 45min.

Blue here. I want the red one because he's just cuter, but obviously no one will want to trade the red one for a blue one because red is rarer, I imagine. Oh well.

I wish they made pink ones. Super adorable.

Metal Boss

12-13-2006, 09:34 PM

Does anyone know what the update that came with this game does?

daroga

12-13-2006, 09:52 PM

Does anyone know what the update that came with this game does?Maybe a WiiConnect24 thing?

Oops! I did it again.

12-13-2006, 10:12 PM

I didn't notice an update, when would I have seen it Metal Boss?

I just went straight into tutorial/story mode and didn't notice anything.

Apossum

12-13-2006, 10:41 PM

my hand hurts from this game. fun stuff though.

edit: damn, why'd I pay $50 for this...it's good but not $50 good. *shakes fist*

Metal Boss

12-13-2006, 10:56 PM

I didn't notice an update, when would I have seen it Metal Boss?

I just went straight into tutorial/story mode and didn't notice anything.

mine updated while i was in the wii menu, after i inserted the disc. have you recieved any of the updates from wiiconnect yet?

LinkinPrime

12-13-2006, 11:08 PM

damn it i got the blue one as a bonus.

botticus

12-13-2006, 11:10 PM

I'm going to see if I can grab another tomorrow or this weekend, if they had more than enough for preorders. My fiancee wants one badly.

Now more people need to tell me this is worth full price so I can decide if I should return it or not.

Oops! I did it again.

12-13-2006, 11:23 PM

botticus.

Keep the game. If your goal in spending $50 in any game is to have a ball playing it, this is worth the cash.

It's FUN FUN FUN. I can only imagine what multiplayer will be like.

Apossum

12-13-2006, 11:34 PM

sold!

12-14-2006, 04:18 AM

Blue here. I want the red one because he's just cuter, but obviously no one will want to trade the red one for a blue one because red is rarer, I imagine. Oh well.

I wish they made pink ones. Super adorable.

You know, that's what I heard, but that wasn't the experience at my store. Of course, I got screwed because I was the last one to pick the game up (hell, I went at 4pm - hard to believe everyone else was there first).

They apparently OPENED up all the plush at my EB. They got 9 total - 6 were red, 3 were blue. The manager is pretty cool with me, so THINKING THE BLUE ONE WAS RARE he saved that one for me #-o. Damn, oh well... I would have rather preferred they left them sealed and took my chances! Anyway, can't imagine the red one is as rare as Konami stated.

On to the game:

The game is kick ass - Botticus KEEP THE DAMN THING! We played about 3 hours, and I'd say it is my favorite Wii game. Yes, better than Zelda (if only in that it is *meant* for the Wii and Zelda is not, really).

The graphics look great on my 51" HDTV (screw the reviewers). In fact, it appears much less jaggy than Zelda. I was worried about Wii games in component/480p after Wii Sports and Zelda. But in Elebits they seem to have discovered the technique of anti-aliasing and I don't notice pixel crawl all over the screen like in the other games :lol:. It could just be the art style that is resulting in less obvious jaggies, but whatever, it looks nice.

As I suspected the interiors are very Chibi-Robo-like. And the gameplay (while using an entirely different control mechanic of course) is VERY much like Katamari. If you don't figure out the right "path" to take you end up messing around in areas that don't get you alot of Elebits and you run out of time. So there's definitely some challenge there - and particularly if you want to unlock the other modes. I'm not sure how, but I unlocked everything on the 1st level (Score Attack, Challenge mode, Edit mode, and Eternal mode). Then I could only get one or two of those on the next 4 levels (I know the 3 pink Elebits unlock Eternal mode). My son was able to (barely) clear 3 of the 5 first missions (I did the other two).

Another way it is Katamari-like is that you unlock areas (literally in this case as doors get unlocked) after you collect a certain amount of wattage - just as you open up areas (usually fenced off) by getting to a certain size in Katamari.

The music isn't as good as Katamari. And though I was prepared for awful voice-acting from the reviews, I actually didn't think it was that bad. The story itself is rather weak - just a bare bones thing to link the levels together. But it was similar in Katamari (though I give Katamari the nod because of the King of All Cosmos, can't beat that character).

The sharing mode seemed to be active at first. The good (EXCELLENT, actually) news is that after taking a snapshot and then going to the picture viewer I was able to select ANYONE OFF MY WII FRIENDS LIST to send it to. I think we all weren't sure it would go down that way - that we might need codes for each game like on the DS. It appears this is not the case, and this is excellent news. I tried to send my picture to Botticus and it said nothing at first. So I tried to send another and it said something like "sharing was not active yet". So, that's as expected.

Then I tried to make a level. Maybe I haven't unlocked enough yet, but I wasn't able to place any objects. All I could do was place Elebits in the kid's room - which was otherwise empty (the bulit-in closets and drawers were there though). I could open the closet and place them on the shelves. Since I couldn't place any furniture, I used all the points to place Elebits - mist have dropped a few hundred. Anyway, MUCHO slowdown ensued when I played the level ;). But it looks like this will be fun ONCE you get more things to place.

Oops! I did it again.

12-14-2006, 04:27 AM

^ Great review. For what it's worth, I echo your impressions of the game - the graphics especially. Looks better than I expected on my HDTV, absolutely...and I also agree that I would take this game over Zelda.

rickonker

12-14-2006, 04:38 AM

I still don't understand exactly what you do in this game. Is it basically just going around and lifting stuff up to find these Elebits?

12-14-2006, 05:07 AM

I still don't understand exactly what you do in this game. Is it basically just going around and lifting stuff up to find these Elebits?

OK, I left out the main means of progression. You start off every level with 0 Watts and your goal is some preset amount (like 3000 Watts). When you collect Elebits (merely by shooting them) your wattage goes up. You get different amounts for the same Elebits depending on the state they are in - sleeping, awake, running away (thus strategy element #1).

Once you hit certain levels of Wattage messages pop up telling you that certain appliances have power - such as a flashlight, a toaster, a lamp, a computer, a CD shredder ;), etc. Also, lights will come on in the room at a certain level. When the appliances go active, you need to find them and turn them on. When you do this, special Elebits pop out that don't give you wattage, but power up your gun so that you can lift heavier objects. This allows you to find more Elebits. Your gun will go through several levels of upgrades that allow you to lift more things.

The Elebits can be anywhere - out in the open, inside things, under things. You also get them by doing things like turning a sink faucet on, or putting frozen Elebit icecubes (from the fridge) into the oven.

Also, certain wattage levels unlock doors, which you can then open and go into the next room. The second strategy element is trying to get the power to turn things on and get your gun upgraded in the right order (especially in multi-room levels where you need to go back and forth a few times) so that you always have things to lift/move and Elebits to find. Otherwise you will run out of time.

There are also special items you can use: a cookie that attracts Elebits (and when you zap them you get the most favorable wattage from them), an EM pulse bomb that stuns them, a homing laser that lets you get a bunch at a time, and a few others. All of these things last for 30 seconds (it seems).

The goal of every level is to reach a certain wattage - then it is "cleared". However, you can continue to play for the rest of the time to get a better score or find the hidden pink Elebits (which unlock Eternal mode for that level). You get ranked A, B, C, (and presumably S) at the end. I've gotten one A and a bunch of C's ;).

Some levels introduce other limits than time. In one I had to break no more than 7 breakable objects (like pots, vases). In another I had to keep my noise level down, so I couldn't throw everything around to shake out all the Elebits.

And, note, all this is in the first 5 levels which is all I've played so far. I assume there will be more variety to come.

My other worry about this game prior to playing was the 3D control. In Super Monkey Ball I couldn't get any of the minigames that required depth perception of the Wiimote to work. This game requires it when you pick up objects and move them forward or backward in the room. I've had to do fairly precise things like put a CD in the CD shredder and put toast in a toaster (each of which resulted in a hail of Elebits). While these tasks are a bit tricky (you have to rotate them upright as well as moving them to the right place), it worked much better than the minigames of SMB, so I was relieved.

Basically, that's it (so far). I haven't played any of the other modes (Score attack, Challenge mode, Eternal mode). I poked around in the menus and it is also similar to Katamari in that you can look at the objects you've collected (presumbly just by interacting with them). You can rotate them and all that - just like Katamari. There appears to be some rare items that you can find. But there is also a multiplayer mode, and you can create levels and send them (in addition to snapshot pictures) to others once Nintendo activates that on WiiConnect24.

Oh, and apparently there are boss levels too but I haven't reached one of those yet. So that's some more variety. I'll be playing through more levels and trying the multiplayer Thursday evening.

psunami

12-14-2006, 11:13 AM

Great impressions io.

I'll be running out to pick this one up before the weekend.

Tybee

12-14-2006, 12:27 PM

Cheapy talked about this more on this week's CAGcast and gave it a much more enthusiastic thumbs up. He said the game was much deeper and more challenging (and more addictive) than he had at first realized (his impressions in last week's show were somewhat lukewarm). They talked about the game for longer than I think I've ever heard them talk about any game except maybe Oblivion. So that should tell you something.

Rocko

12-14-2006, 02:08 PM

Mine shipped from Konami today. I'm hoping for the blue plush, so cute!

Oops! I did it again.

12-14-2006, 02:11 PM

judyjudyjudy

12-14-2006, 02:15 PM

I should be getting my Friday in the mail. Thanks for the initial impressions, io. I'm so, SO relieved the depth detection doesn't suck like in SMB, which makes it pretty clear it's a developer problem and not a controller flaw. Man, I really want to play this game now!

meerkatgamer

12-14-2006, 02:58 PM

I'm really having fun on Elebits the little elebits are very cute I like the red one and the pink one.

It took awhile to get used to it and picking things and rotating them, but it was better after getting used to it i'm only did three levels and it still is fun.

The Gamestop I preordered it at didn't get any toys so he called another one and they had a couple of extras and all the preordered ones was picked up so I was able to get a elebit toy anyways and it was a orange one i'm happy I got that one.

12-14-2006, 04:39 PM

io, I've played the same levels as you it seems (the first five), and I have achieved the same results pretty much (I think I have two As and three Cs). But this game makes it so I want to go back and try to get As in each stage, because once you get an A in a stage, not only can you edit it in the editor, but you also have access to the items from that stage apparently (I have not messed with the editor yet, but I only see the "You can use items from this stage in the editor" message after getting an A grade). Also, the last stage I completed and got an A on gave me the option to play the level in ultimited time mode which is cool, it makes it more fun to explore and hunt for every last secret and Elebit.

Also, I completely agree regarding how it handles depth. It works VERY well and becomes second nature pretty quickly. I am not too surprised considering Red Steel handles depth pretty well too, but yeah, Monkey Ball's horrible depth problems in some minigames had me worried about how some developers would pull it off.

I've found out some more - you get different things unlocked in the editor for getting 'B' or better rankings.' The first few levels (which I got A's on) unlock the rooms themselves. It appears unlocking levels beyond 5 or so unlock sets of items that you can place in the rooms. So that's how it works for unlocking items for edit ('B' or better rankings).

You only get Eternal for getting the 3 pink Elebits, not for getting an 'A'. I'm not sure what unlocks "Challenge Mode" and "Score Attack".

And the first boss level is number 7 - it is pretty fun and a nice variation from the standard levels.

I looked at my EGM after playing last night. What the hell were those fuckers thinking? Two of them give it ratings in the 4's! I mean, I understand having some issues and rating it as low as 6, perhaps, if you just aren't into this kind of game (say, if you hated Katamari). But these guys specifically compare it to Katamari and say it is much worse. Bah, morons...

asianxcore

12-14-2006, 04:42 PM

I picked this up last night.

I probably won't get a chance to play it until Saturday.

Good to see everyone is enjoying it.

rendil

12-14-2006, 05:06 PM

12-14-2006, 06:05 PM

Reading this thread and seeing some reviews has quickly moved Elebits from 'looks alright' to the top of my Christmas list (gaming-wise at least).

Does anyone have impressions of the level editor? The ability to make levels/download others' levels (I know this isn't available yet) is a big selling point for me.

Well, I said a bit about it in my long posts...

I had only unlocked 2 rooms and 3 types of Elebits and NO objects. So all I could do was place about 300 Elebits all over the room (and in the cabinets). It was very easy to do and placement works very well in 3D space. There are lots of save slots for different rooms. A nice feature is "Save a Copy" so you can take one design, tweak it, and save it in another slot.

There was a whole slew of rotation options, none of which did a damn thing for me as they probably work on objects (of which I had none).

Oh, you can place the Elebits in 3 positions - awake, asleep, and squashed flat. For whatever reason, I only had the red, green (like the plush - it is light blue but they call it green in the game) and the rounder blue ones. I assume the others will be unlocked later.

You can also set the time, the gravity gun power, the "Clear" condition, and any side conditions like the decibels and whatnot.

Looks pretty in-depth to me. Those stupid IGN reviews didn't even mention this part. Imagine if Katamari had a level editor.

Oh, one more bit from EGM (this time good news): the rumor section says there will be a Katamari for the Wii in 2007. Sweet, if true.

judyjudyjudy

12-14-2006, 06:49 PM

Did anyone see this?
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120022

Reviews

Wii

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess:
10/10/10 Also receives the Platinum Award and is EGM's Game of the Month

Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam:
7.5/8.0/7.0

Madden NFL 07: (Kind of surprising)
6.5/6.0/4.5

Red Steel: (Same scores as Madden? C'mon EGM)
5.0/4.5/6.0

Wii Sports:
6.0/5.5/7.0

Excite Truck:
7.0/7.5/6.5

Elebits:
7.0/4.0/4.5

Trauma Center: Second Opinion:
6.5/7.5/7.0

Rayman Raving Rabbids:
7.0/7.5/7.5
Am I reading that right? If you go by numbers, Elebits is one of the worst games for the Wii.

boyward

12-14-2006, 06:59 PM

I got this game today along with an orange plush Elebit, the one with the horns. Is he rarer than the red? The blue one is most common, right, followed by the red, and then how rare is the orange one?

Anyway, after playing the game for 2 hours I'm pleased with it. My first impression was, "Whoa, these controls are tight!" And they are very accurate. The only time I have trouble getting a response is when opening doors or when trying to slam the weapons against the wall/ceiling/floor to activate them, but I just have to get used to the timing. I also have a little trouble when I want to turn around quickly and I move my remote too far offscreen. Then I have to get readjusted.

But the main thing about this game is it's fun. And it's cool that there are so many modes and the game keeps track of your points and the mood of the Elebits when you capture them. This could last a while if I decide to get a perfect score or catch Elebits only when they're happy.

Metal Boss

12-14-2006, 07:06 PM

Did anyone see this?
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120022
Am I reading that right? If you go by numbers, Elebits is one of the worst games for the Wii.

Wrong.

Oops! I did it again.

12-14-2006, 07:21 PM

^ Yup. If you go buy those numbers, Tony Hawk is better than Madden (WTF?).

They're wrong. The game is close to, if not THE, best game on Wii out of the 6 + WiiSports I own.

As io said, even if they don't enjoy this type of game, I don't see how it would deserve scores that low. Technically, as far as gameplay goes, the game is smoother than any Wii game I've experienced - by far. The technical aspects (physics, depth interaction, etc) are SPOT ON. Graphics are not out of this world, but they get the job done. A low score for Elebits makes no sense.

rickonker

12-14-2006, 07:30 PM

Thanks io. This game sounds good enough for me to at least try it. I'll probably rent this along with Far Cry and maybe buy it when the online features are turned on.

12-14-2006, 07:35 PM

Did anyone see this?
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120022
Am I reading that right? If you go by numbers, Elebits is one of the worst games for the Wii.

Yeah, I mentioned that above. I got my EGM a few days ago but didn't read it until last night, right after putting about 5 hours into Elebits. They are WAY off base. I mean, the first one (a 7.0) is OK. But I will have to disregard any further reviews by "Jeremy" (who gave it a 4.0) and "Jared" (who gave it a 4.5). Jeremy said it is a rough draft of a game. Utter BS. Jared says it is like Katamari without the personality and complains of slowdown in later levels (we'll see about that).

How those can be reconciled with the IGN review is beyond me. I'll take the IGN one as a much better representation. I'd probably dial back a bit on my statement that I like this better than Zelda. Obviously, I would play Zelda if I could only get ONE game one the Wii. But this is definitely my second-favorite and it's not even close.

The funny thing is EGM has good reviews on some of the other games: 10/10/10 (very rare!) for Zelda. The 7.0/7.5/7.5 for Rayman is about right. Excite Truck at 7.0/7.5/6.5 is spot on. They bag on Wii Sports a bit too much though (6.5/5.5/7.0). "Bryan" of the 5.5 for Wii Sports is another one to disregard in the future ;).

rickconker - it is definitely worth a rent. You won't regret that one bit. I do have a nagging suspicion that the game is a bit on the short side (one review said 25 missions and I've already gone through 8 or so). So you can probably beat it during a rental, and then, as you say, pick it up later for the level building stuff.

Purple Flames

12-14-2006, 07:45 PM

Did anyone see this?
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120022
Am I reading that right? If you go by numbers, Konami didn't buy enough addspace in EGM to warrant a good review for Elebits.

Fixed

botticus

12-14-2006, 07:46 PM

Heh, once EGM/1up gave Trauma Center and Madden 6.5s, I knew to ignore them for the rest of this generation.

12-14-2006, 07:52 PM

Heh, once EGM/1up gave Trauma Center and Madden 6.5s, I knew to ignore them for the rest of this generation.

Hehe - I haven't played either of those, but it did seem their Madden review was a bit harsh. They basically say it is unplayable (on defense anyway).

It just sucks that this crappy (as in crappily-written) review will pull down Elebits' score in Metacritic and GameRankings. Right now it is sitting at a respectible 80 on Metacritic (putting it, interestingly enough, behind only Zelda, Trauma Center, and Madden), but they haven't gotten the EGM average in there yet.

Apossum

12-14-2006, 10:55 PM

Was I the only one who noticed a ton of slowdown?

Scobie

12-14-2006, 11:31 PM

Much respect to io for the great review. I'll hopefully pick Elebits up on Saturday (Friday night traffic is too much of a pain in the ass around here for me to want to deal with). I had high hopes for this one, and it looks like it was largely justified.

12-14-2006, 11:52 PM

My kids are playing around with the level editor now. Apparently I unlocked 2 sets of objects to place and my youngest is placing Wiis and Wiimotes all over the floor ;).

I apologize for the crappy, crooked picture (had to hold the Wiimote steady while snapping the pic as well), but you get the idea anyway.

http://img437.imageshack.us/img437/9247/elebitswiiscb5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

12-15-2006, 12:04 AM

Was I the only one who noticed a ton of slowdown?

The only slowdown I've seen so far is when I made my own level with about 500 Elebits in it. It got a bit choppy then, but not too bad. I just played a multiplayer level (on a normal level) with my son and we were throwing stuff all over and there was no slowdown.

Edit - OK, I played Mission 12 tonight, which is a fully outside, in-the-town mission. Now, first off, I was surprised by this because I thought the whole thing took place in the house and yard. So this was a pleasant surprise. This is a HUGE town. It was a 15 minute (I think) mission and I didn't get to half the town (yet I still managed to get a 'B' ranking). the negative, though, is that there is quite a bit of slowdown out there. It comes and goes, but gets pretty bad at times. A slight disappointment to be sure. However, this mission adds a ton of variety. It is a completely different thing than the very cramped first mission that you do in the kid's room. And I'm still getting hit with new Elebit types, new powerups, and new mission restrictions (the latest is to not let too many black Elebits attack you).

This game is going to be *very* challenging to get all 'A' ranks (is there an 'S', I don't know ;)) and find all three pink Elebits in each level. This last level was just enormous - I kept getting messages for things I could activate that I never ended up seeing.

It looks like the next level is back indoors but in a different location than the house. Very nice.

12-16-2006, 03:18 AM

What, no other comments from anyone else? I can't be the only person playing this game ;). My kids worked on the level editor a bit more. They stacked the Wii's into towers, then played the level and threw them all over the place. Fun stuff.

One concern with the editor. Maybe I haven't figured this out or unlocked it (and the manual is useless), but what I can't seem to do is put Elebits in the appliances or INTO objects. You can put them under just by dropping an Elebit and then placing the object on top of it. When you play the level they pop out from beneath as expected. But how do you put them IN things, like the pizza boxes, or cups, or garbage cans? If you try to put them in through the top (of, say, a cup) they just end up on top of it. There should be a button to hold down to place them within things and that would work with regular objects and appliances (that need to be turned on when playing).

I have a nagging suspicion though that the level editor is lacking this feature and that is a bit unfortunate. However, it says something in the manual about the '2' button (during editing) doing something with 'time'. I can't figure out what it does though. See that X'ed out icon in the top left of my screenshot under "Total Cost"? The '2' button toggles that off and on but I don't know what that means.

sonderiaom

12-16-2006, 03:24 AM

I love this game; how's that for a comment?

I'm curious to know how many of the pink elebits on the certain levels others have gotten.

12-16-2006, 03:27 AM

I love this game; how's that for a comment?

I'm curious to know how many of the pink elebits on the certain levels others have gotten.

I've gotten them all on about 3 of the 15 levels I've played (well, they don't exist on levels 7 and 15 as those are boss battles). Besides Mission 1, I can't remember which others I've gotten them in. When you get them, it comes up in one of the other sections what the criteria for getting the last one to pop up is. Though maybe you only have to get 2 to see how to get the 3rd? Because I've got it showing me how to get them on 2 levels where I haven't actually gotten all 3 yet. When I play in a bit I'll write down the criteria and post it here along with the levels I've cleared them on already.

sonderiaom

12-16-2006, 03:44 AM

I've gotten them all on about 3 of the 15 levels I've played (well, they don't exist on levels 7 and 15 as those are boss battles). Besides Mission 1, I can't remember which others I've gotten them in. When you get them, it comes up in one of the other sections what the criteria for getting the last one to pop up is. Though maybe you only have to get 2 to see how to get the 3rd? Because I've got it showing me how to get them on 2 levels where I haven't actually gotten all 3 yet. When I play in a bit I'll write down the criteria and post it here along with the levels I've cleared them on already.

I've only got all 3 on one of the levels.

Within the Elebits notes, it only states how to get the last pink elebit on levels 4 and 5 by getting "less than 3 noise violations". On mine anyway.

12-16-2006, 06:04 AM

I've only got all 3 on one of the levels.

Within the Elebits notes, it only states how to get the last pink elebit on levels 4 and 5 by getting "less than 3 noise violations". On mine anyway.

OK, I have the notes for Missions 1, 5, 11, and 14.

1 - Clear in under 5 minutes
5 - Less than 3 loud noises
11 - Clear with 80% of capture gun durability (ie, keep the black Elebits from hitting you too much)
14 - Less than 6 broken objects

I have no idea what triggered the notes on the two levels that I haven't gotten all 3 pink Elebits (11 and 14). Apparently I've only done it in Mission 1 and 5. In Mission 1, I think I unlocked everything first try - at first I thought the game was going to be too easy ;).

On Missions 11 and 14 I got a C on one and a B on the other but for whatever reason I have Score Attack more and Challenge Mode unlocked on both. So maybe when you do that you get the hidden Elebit clue? Either that or maybe I caught 2 of the 3 on those levels.

Anyway, I'm off to play!

12-16-2006, 07:40 AM

Ah, apparently you can get 'S' rankings. Just got 3 tonight. Once you've been playing for a while go back to the first mission - it's pretty easy to get there. Strangely, though, I got an 'S' on my first try of one of the later missions (the amusement park - yay, new location!).

I wasn't able to get any more 3rd Elebits or get any more clues for them either. It does seem that once you get the pink Elebits, they don't show in the levels any more. On that first one I had already gotten them and I replayed it (to get the 'S') and never saw them again.

It is going to be very hard and time-consuming to unlock every mode for every mission (ie, that's the depth to the game).

judyjudyjudy

12-16-2006, 04:07 PM

I started playing this last night, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far. I can see how it's comparable to Katamari Damacy (everything eventually and gradually is pickup-able and unlockable, object layout sometimes wacky, simple graphics, different play modes). I think IGN's review is fair, with the exception of the graphics comments; they're simple but not enough to make me think about it. I've never thought, gee, I wish these objects were prettier. I do wish the physics were a little more realistic, with everything not being so bouncy. I also have a really hard time with the drawers and such because instead of staying closed, they bounce back open. I also find it a little hard to do "insert" stuff, like DVDs into DVD players. I also wish you could zoom in your view. Maybe not during gameplay, since that would be unrealistic, but like in the Elebits room. They're really cute, and I'd like to just observe them from any angle and location I want. (Maybe you can do this, and I just don't know how.) And I have noticed few very, very brief periods of slowdown; nothing totally distractng yet.

I know I just listed all criticisms, but I do like this game. I've only gone up to the first boss, but I already want to replay missions to get all the pink Elebits and get better grades. In fact, I think I'll go do that right now.

btw, anyone else think the Epson product placement kind of odd?

Oh, and I got the blue/green Elebit. Not rare, but I'm kinda glad to get the most recognizable Elebit anyways.

Oops! I did it again.

12-16-2006, 04:10 PM

I just played the first boss and with like 2.5 minutes left, I was stuck with apparently one more split ghost to find. Could not find it anywhere. Looked up, looked down, tore that place apart! Never found it, time ran out, LOL. I figure I'll try again tonight.

boyward

12-16-2006, 09:54 PM

The novelty of the game is wearing out for me, but I'm still enjoying it. That's always a good sign.

judyjudyjudy

12-16-2006, 11:25 PM

I played up to level 22 today, and I think my hand is gonna fall apart into little pieces. This game needs those "Why not take a break?" warnings for stupid people like me :(

12-17-2006, 01:56 AM

I played up to level 22 today, and I think my hand is gonna fall apart into little pieces. This game needs those "Why not take a break?" warnings for stupid people like me :(

We must be living parallel lives, I'm at about the same place ;). The third boss (not sure if that is level 22 or 23) is TOUGH. I had to play that level about 8 times before I beat it. Now my hand is thoroughly cramped.

I looked at the special notes section and now I'm seeing alot more things unlocked in there - apparently you can get capture gun upgrades and restriction-elimination, things like that by clearing certain stages. However, I don't quite get it because I've cleared those stages and the things are not active. These are the "Hidden Items".

The slowdown on some of these levels is unfortunate. That is something that should definitely be improved if they make a sequel. I would imagine more power can be squeezed out of the Wii to make this work a bit better. But there really is a lot going on in some of these levels. Not only do you have all the Elebits but once you start tossing large objects around they bounce and jostle up against each other, trying to work out the physics. It is an impressive amount of stuff to keep track of.

sonderiaom

12-17-2006, 02:01 AM

12-17-2006, 02:08 AM

I found a "hidden" item. It's on level 11, right outside the front door of the main house inside one of those chests. It looks like a dark crystal of some sort and when I selected it, it says that it "couldn't be broken yet...".

I see, so maybe if you play through the level the hidden item is there the next time? I just don't get the "instructions" on them - it just says clear such and such level, which I've done. I'll try 11 again and look for that.

hack

12-17-2006, 02:16 AM

I just picked up the game tonight to rent (and I plan on actually getting it to own later, but I want to play it so bad, so I rented it).

I do have to say that I'm really enjoy it. I love the simple presentation, and I like lots of the music. The sound effects are wonderful, and throwing around everything in the house is a real treat. I laugh and stare in amazement everytime I trash an entire room. Then I pickup something and do it some more.

I do notice slowdown, especially when I'm really close to a bunch of Elebits that have just popped out of a device or something. But its nothing bothersome. A quick slowdown and its back to destruction. And while the physics may not be incredibly realistic, I find the bounce to be a little more 'fun'.

One thing that really amazes me is the fact that the little red Elebits always manage to find a place to hide really quickly. With all the chaos and things out of place, it just seems really amazing to me.

Now back to playing. I want to get lots of time in before I leave to start the Wii line at Circuit City. T_T

sonderiaom

12-17-2006, 02:39 AM

I see, so maybe if you play through the level the hidden item is there the next time? I just don't get the "instructions" on them - it just says clear such and such level, which I've done. I'll try 11 again and look for that.
My Bad, it wasn't Level 11, it was Level 10; I thought I was farther along.

And as well, the Noise restriction things before on the pink elebits were on levels 5 and 6.

Edit: hmmm, my bad again, I was right the first time on the hidden item.

12-17-2006, 02:51 AM

My Bad, it wasn't Level 11, it was Level 10; I thought I was farther along.

And as well, the Noise restriction things before on the pink elebits were on levels 5 and 6.

Edit: hmmm, my bad again, I was right the first time on the hidden item.

OK, I haven't started yet - so it IS level 11? :rofl:

sonderiaom

12-17-2006, 04:00 AM

OK, I haven't started yet - so it IS level 11? :rofl:

Heh, yeah, it is. And I found it again, finally being able to pass the level, and when I threw it around, it didn't give me any message. The message popped up originally such as when you select one of the new items around.

12-17-2006, 04:38 AM

Heh, yeah, it is. And I found it again, finally being able to pass the level, and when I threw it around, it didn't give me any message. The message popped up originally such as when you select one of the new items around.

I played it twice and I can't find it. I don't even see any chests. Oh well, maybe I'll try it one more time.

I did figure something out, I think. Getting the second pink Elebit (or *possibly* the first, I'm not sure) seems to unlock Score Attack mode AND give you the clue for the 3rd Elebit in the Elebits Notes section.

Also, I completed 5 Challenge missions and unlocked the first "hidden item" (as opposed to "rare item" which is what I think we were talking about originally). It is very pathetic as what it does is DISABLE all items and gun upgrades so you have to play with the level 1 gun and no item boosts. OK then... Some of the later ones are pretty good though - but I need to unlock more Challenge modes (and then beat them!) to get anywhere near those. Some of the Challenges are pretty tough.

botticus

12-17-2006, 06:59 PM

12-17-2006, 07:05 PM

Still haven't decided if I'm going to keep my preorder yet (I saw it on the shelf at Blockbuster, think I'll use one of my free rental coupons first), but I was lucky enough to have a store with few preorders, so I snagged an extra Elebit for my fiancee. Even luckier, it was a red one, so I'll be wrapping that one up and giving it to her next week, and I get to keep my blue one.

Bastard! ;)... I told you how the manager at my store opened all of them and held me a blue one because he thought it was rarer (out of 9, the store got 6 red ones). Oh well... I've been very tempted to go to eBay for a red one, but so far I'm resisting the urge.

The game is fun though, definitely worth keeping. But, yeah, they did have it for rent (but not for sale of course) at my GR as well. I think I'm going to rent Excite Truck myself.

Tybee

12-18-2006, 01:57 PM

daroga

12-18-2006, 02:29 PM

So, the game's been out for a weekish now. Does it have some legs or get old after a few days?

I'm hoping it'll be under the tree this time next week, but we'll see. :)

Tybee

12-18-2006, 04:26 PM

I'm hoping it'll be under the tree this time next week, but we'll see. :)

You and me both.

12-18-2006, 05:07 PM

So, the game's been out for a weekish now. Does it have some legs or get old after a few days?

I'm hoping it'll be under the tree this time next week, but we'll see. :)

I could *see* it getting old after a few days, but not for me. I'm taking a break from it now because I rented Excite Truck and want to play that as much as possible during the rental period.

See Blaine's Elebits editor thread for a link to a video of a cool user-made level. I want that level! The editor could keep you busy for a long time by itself.

Scorch

12-18-2006, 05:08 PM

I love this game.. I need the red plush one, my store got one in (and 0 preorders, so I got to take it home) and it was, unfortunately, the ugly blue one.

Rocko

12-18-2006, 11:00 PM

Could someone post pictures of the plushies? I can't seem to find them.

GizmoGC

12-18-2006, 11:20 PM

I'm at level 6 or so...damn my hand hurts. Feels like a really long jerk-err, never mind. Anyway, the narration scares the crap out of me.

jer7583

12-19-2006, 12:09 AM

yeah any additional impressions, after a little bit of the game being owned? I bought metal slug today, but I'm hesitating on opening it, because this game looks good too.

MAH4546

12-19-2006, 02:16 AM

This game is awesome. Perfect "pick up and play game" that you can play in quick spurts.

judyjudyjudy

12-19-2006, 04:19 AM

12-19-2006, 04:43 AM

I gave my hand two days rest before starting up again today. Only got up to stage 26 before I decided I want to play a level more leisurely. The stages are getting pretty big, and I'm haven't found any pink elebits for several levels now. I wanted to feel more productive by replaying some of the first several stages and maybe unlocking some stuff I missed. I got S-level on the first couple, and I unlocked a rare item in stage 3, I think. I got a permanent elebit radar, which is pretty handy. I really enjoying replaying the levels, much like I did for Katamari Damacy.

Judy, damn I played level 3 OVER AND OVER trying to find that. Can you tell me (in spoiler tags) where/how you found it?
Otherwise I did the same as you - went back to the earlier levels after progressing pretty far. They are pretty easy to ace (get 'S') once you play some of the longer ones. I still haven't found the rare items though. And I'm missing some 3rd pink Elebits even in some of the early stages. Have you done many of the Challenge levels? Those are a definite change of pace and some are quite difficult (tend to be very short, tricky, goals to achieve).

I'm taking a break to play Excite Truck now (a rental).

I'm glad to hear there's 26+ stages. I stopped at 23 or so because I had heard it had 25 levels (which is why I thought it was a bit short). Didn't some review say 25 levels?? Does anyone know exactly how many levels there are?

And for those asking, just read back through this thread - I posted some VERY LONG impressions of the game a few pages back. Summary - it is well worth it. I consider it the best game out for the Wii (along with Zelda). If you liked Katamari Damacy at all, you will like this. And likewise you probably won't like it if you didn't like Katamari - for all the freaky KD haters out there ;).

judyjudyjudy

12-19-2006, 04:50 AM

Judy, damn I played level 3 OVER AND OVER trying to find that. Can you tell me (in spoiler tags) where/how you found it?I hope I'm talking about the right level. You start off in a bedroom facing the bed. If you turn around, there's a closet in the corner. There's like a top shelf to that closet (I think it has it's own door), and the item is sitting on that shelf.

Edited to add: Yeah, I noticed the first two are really easy to get S-rank. For some reason, I can't get better than a C on the third stage. :bomb: I tried a couple challenge modes (passed stages 1 & 5 challenges), but I don't have very many unlocked. I'm way behind in terms of extras, so yeah, definitely didn't mind taking a break from the story mode.

12-19-2006, 04:55 AM

I hope I'm talking about the right level. You start off in a bedroom facing the bed. If you turn around, there's a closet in the corner. There's like a top shelf to that closet (I think it has it's own door), and the item is sitting on that shelf.

See, I'm wondering if there's something that needs to be done to trigger these. Like I said I played that level several times and tore it all up each time. I know exactly what you are talking about - there's nothing up there but some Elebits when I play it. What does it look like? I've gotten everything else on this level as far as I know (unlocked all modes, gotten an 'S', etc)...

Scorch

12-19-2006, 04:57 AM

Could someone post pictures of the plushies? I can't seem to find them.
http://i15.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/7f/79/7f5f_1.JPG

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v637/vihena/elebits2.jpg

rickonker

12-19-2006, 05:02 AM

http://i15.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/7f/79/7f5f_1.JPG

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v637/vihena/elebits2.jpg
I'm not really into these things but I have to say the red one is way better. But maybe that's because it reminds me of Psychonauts...

judyjudyjudy

12-19-2006, 05:29 AM

See, I'm wondering if there's something that needs to be done to trigger these. Like I said I played that level several times and tore it all up each time. I know exactly what you are talking about - there's nothing up there but some Elebits when I play it. What does it look like? I've gotten everything else on this level as far as I know (unlocked all modes, gotten an 'S', etc)...I can't remember, but I think it was like a glowing white ball. I couldn't see it very well because of my view angle of the shelf. Shooting it first brings up a message saying you found a hidden item or something. Then you shoot it again to actually take it, I think? Like I said, my grade on this stage right now is a C, so rank obviously isn't it. (btw, am I supposed to do this stage faster? Break less stuff??) I know I have the challenge mode unlocked for this one, as I've repeatedly failed it over and over again. Not sure if I got score attack or eternal... but yeah, my stage 3 stuff is pretty incomplete. Not sure what triggers it...

12-19-2006, 05:53 AM

sonderiaom

12-19-2006, 03:31 PM

ok, I figured it out. I just finished Level 23, that godawful boss and then I checked the Elebits Notes and several more things appeared for me.

Under Rare Items it has:
Fixed Radar, Obtain this item in Mission 3. Complete Mission 3
Camouflage Unit, Obtain this item in Mission 11. Complete Mission 11
Repair Unit, Obtain this item in Mission 6. Complete Mission 6
Auto Repair unit, Obtain this item in Mission 12. Complete Mission 12
Capture Range Exp., Obtain this item in mission 20. Complete Mission 20
Item Boost Unit, Obtain this item in mission 18. Complete Mission 18
Sensible Shoes, Obtain this item in mission 8. Complete Mission 8

Once I found the item in mission 11, the crystal like I was talking about before, I couldn't break it; I could only select it and it didn't come up with anything. I have no idea how to "complete" these missions.

judyjudyjudy

12-24-2006, 06:15 PM

Well, I beat Story Mode today. It is a fairly short game, with only 29 stages. I think I had 11 or 12 hours clocked. However, I haven't unlocked most of the stuff, so I still spent a couple hours playing it after I beat Story Mode. I managed to find a couple more pink elebits and unlocked Sensible Shoes. It's certainly got replay value, and I'm probably going to spend the next couple weekends trying to unlock more stuff. Also, some of the hidden items can only be obtained getting a certain rank for beating the game (I think I got "King of Silence"). I'm not sure how to start a new game while retaining all the stuff you've already earned...

botticus

12-28-2006, 10:56 PM

FriskyTanuki

12-29-2006, 04:56 AM

Finally got this in from Gamefly and I was surprised at how similar it is to Katamari Damacy. I'd have to say Katamari's better since you can get both of the PS2 games for the same price for a better experience. I got up to level 20 within about 8 hours, so I'm hoping there's not much more to go. The levels where you're in the open city/town are the best since it's less crowded and easier to mess around in. The vacuum power-up is the coolest part of the game.

12-29-2006, 05:11 AM

Finally rented this and started playing - half hour got me through the tutorial and first chapter. Fun but chaotic game.

io, thought you would be interested to know that the picture you sent me was waiting for me two weeks later, told me I had received an image as soon as I started up the game.

Really? It told me that service was unavailable or something when I did it. I think I did that on the first day :rofl:. I thought we heard this wouldn't be active for some time until Nintendo made the WiiConnect stuff available to third parties? This seems like big news that has gone unreported!

Well, has anyone made any cool custom levels - send 'em to me! I really want the one in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hszOo99xL7w

shipwreck

12-29-2006, 10:00 AM

I returned an extra copy of Zelda I got for Christmas and picked this game up last night and it's better than I expected. I knew it was going to be good, but for some reason I was still a little weary of whether there would be enough depth to keep my interest. Granted, I've only played through the tutorial and the first three levels, but so far it's kept me entertained.

I didn't even realize that this game had any kind of level trading or online functionality, so that was a pleasant surprise as well. The not quite widescreen presentation, not so pleasant. For some reason 4:3 games don't bother me, but if a game is some strange geometry, it constantly makes me want to try and adjust some settings.

Lan_Zer0

12-31-2006, 02:44 AM

Finally got around to playing this game. So far, it's a blast. After Red Steel and Zelda, its nice to finally play a game without laggy aiming (besides Monkey Wars).

Squall835

01-01-2007, 09:52 PM

I picked this game up at Shopko today, and interestingly enough, they had they plush elebits right next to it. I asked a clerk if it came with the game (even though I know it should) and found out they're charging almost $12 for them. Lame.

jer7583

01-01-2007, 11:20 PM

Rented this one today. Very impressed. Might be an eventual purchase.

01-02-2007, 04:29 AM

I can't remember, but I think it was like a glowing white ball. I couldn't see it very well because of my view angle of the shelf. Shooting it first brings up a message saying you found a hidden item or something. Then you shoot it again to actually take it, I think? Like I said, my grade on this stage right now is a C, so rank obviously isn't it. (btw, am I supposed to do this stage faster? Break less stuff??) I know I have the challenge mode unlocked for this one, as I've repeatedly failed it over and over again. Not sure if I got score attack or eternal... but yeah, my stage 3 stuff is pretty incomplete. Not sure what triggers it...

OK, I found the one in Level 3 finally. It was not at all what I was expecting. It is like a dark gray crystalline bottle (with stopper and all). When I first found it, it said I couldn't activate it yet. So I cleared the level and then went back to it and I could do nothing at all with it - smashed it all over the place and nothing happened. So I played it again and this time I didn't touch it until I cleared the level. Then I got the behavior you mentioned above - touch it once and then again to activate (and at that point I think it looked like a glowing white ball). But it seems to be a minor glitch in the game that if you touch it before clearing it doesn't let you activate it even after clearing.

But since these are so nondescript until activated they are going to be VERY hard to find in other levels.

On another note, I finally finished the game tonight. The last levels are so wide-open it gets pretty intense. Too bad the slowdown gets pretty horrific at times though, especially in level 28. Now I've still got tons to do in terms of unlocking things. And I still want some cool domino levels like in that video I linked. No one has sent me anything yet ;).

One of my favorite parts of the game are the Challenge Mode levels. These are a bitch to unlock in the first place as you need to find the 3 pink Elebits in a level before unlocking its challenge. The challenges are tricky time-limited puzzles that you need to solve within the level. As they tend to have minimal objects the slowdown issue is gone and the game is really repsonsive which is good as you need very fast and precise control to solve some of them. I've only unlocked 7 or 8 of them so far, and I've cleared all but 1 of those.

evilmax17

01-12-2007, 07:18 PM

Anyone else have any trouble moving things along the z-axis (into/out of the screen?) It doesn't seem to work as well as I'd like it to...

01-12-2007, 07:51 PM

Anyone else have any trouble moving things along the z-axis (into/out of the screen?) It doesn't seem to work as well as I'd like it to...

It's a bit tricky, but it works a hell of a lot better than in the minigames in Super Monkey Ball. That game had me worried that the whole depth-senstivity of the Wiimotes was just not going to work well. But I've been able to do lots of depth-related things in Elebits - such as putting the CD's in the CD shredder, putting the basketball through the hoop, etc. The hard part me is getting the rotation right. For example, if I knock over the CD shredder and then want to use it I have a hard time picking it up, rotating it, and placing it down so it stays upright. And sometimes the bread can be a bit tricky to get into the toasters if it is in the wrong position.