Art Style Cubello (Wii) Review

The intent of the ArtStyle series is that the titles under its banner are simplistic, experimental titles that might not necessarily have concepts considered substantial enough for full retail releases; in fact there's a significant chance that WiiWare was created because of the ArtStyle games rather than the other way around. Cubello is an odd mix of a puzzler and target shooting game. You're presented with a clear cube, the Cubello, that rotates in three dimensions in the middle of the screen with several colours of blocks attached to it. Your objective is to remove the coloured blocks and leave the Cubello floating around on its own, completing the level. Simple enough, right? Well, this is where the shooting comes in. On the left of the screen is an ammo meter filled with coloured cartridges to represent further blocks. Aiming with the Wii pointer, you shoot these at the blocky mess residing in the middle of the screen by clicking A, trying to match up colours. Once you have four or more of the same colour connecting they'll explode away and any blocks left floating in the air will rearrange themselves so that they connect to the central mass. Still easy enough, though, isn't it?

Wrong. As mentioned, the Cubello is continually spinning around, and with it go the coloured blocks, meaning that your reactions and aiming have to be in tip top shape if you want the blocks to land where you want them. However, you can't just sit there waiting for the mass to swivel round to get your optimal shot if you miss it the first time - the structure moves towards the screen as it spins, getting larger and larger until it hits the screen: game over. While completing a section of blocks and removing them will send it all the way back to its starting point, merely shooting at it without taking anything out will push it back a little. Thus, the game becomes a balancing act: do you wait as long as possible for the best shot, hoping that you can send it all the way back, or do you opt to send anything anywhere to buy yourself a little more time?

To add another layer, you've only got a limited amount of ammunition. Removing blocks from the structure will refill your meter with a few more squares, but fail to get rid of anything for a few turns in a row and you'll find yourself with nothing left in reserve facing a big game over. To aid you there's the chance of bonus time. Whenever you blast away a few blocks in succession a slot machine-style spinner will appear, and if the symbols all match up you'll get one of two bonus rounds: a flashing cube above your ammo meter which gives you unlimited ammo of whatever colour you desire (cue: shooting at the cluster like a maniac until time runs out, ensuring combos a-plenty), or unlimited blocks of one colour (which will switch over to a different colour should you clear the original lot, and so forth until the time runs down). Bonus time, though it only lasts for thirty seconds or so, is a lifesaver when your situation is looking dire, but players cannot get complacent and rely upon it due to the random nature of their appearances.

Cubello is a confusing game to get your head around at first, and in your first couple of goes it's highly likely that you'll fail near instantly. After the initial few rounds, however, the gameplay just clicks and blocks are collapsing away all over the place in no time. The pointer control is perfect, and there's rarely a time that blocks don't land where intended such is its accuracy, threatening to make the experience too easy, but this is offset by the limitations imposed: the lack of ammo available and the danger of the mass crashing, plus the incessant spinning that ensures players have to be careful with their timing. Some of the puzzles will take just a couple of minutes while others can last around ten (frustratingly, levels can be extended by a minute or so on occasions due to the game not giving you the right coloured blocks you need to finish off, but when that's the only negative to be garnered something has gone well), and once you've got through the 30-odd puzzles there's an endless mode to test yourself on. For 600 points, Cubello is more than worthy of taking up some of the 'blocks' of your Wii memory.