Whip It Good with Ivy the Kiwi and XSEED

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Just because kids are small doesn't mean they won't appreciate good game design... Ivy the Kiwi is coming for Wii and DS, and we predict it will make at least a few games targeted at younger gamers look positively dull by comparison. We have XSEED and developer PROPE to thank for this interesting project, based on art from Mizuho Umezu. During the demo, we even saw a cute children's book developed alongside the game, that parallels events playing out during the game's story. The game itself is the first property from Sonic creator Yuji Naka, since his departure from SEGA. The primary gameplay mechanic in Ivy the Kiwi is drawing vines on the screen that obstruct and redirect Ivy as she runs through each level. You can't control Ivy directly, so you have to use the vines strategically to push, flip, bounce, and lead her to each level's end goal. Along the way you'll find enemies, traps, and obstacles that require careful use of the vines. This mechanic reminded us a bit of something like the Mario variant Minis March Again! or Boing! Docomodake, where you have to think more like an architect than a twitchy, action gamer. Where these games have leaned more toward creating a robust puzzle experience for gamers, Ivy the Kiwi provides a vehicle for young gamers that aren't ready to think about more abstract puzzles.

One of the more interesting elements of Ivy the Kiwi we saw on Wii was when a second player joined in to control another set of four vines. This leads to some good opportunities for cooperative gameplay, but there are often unintentional competitive elements that creep in, similar to what we saw in the latest evolution of Mario Bros for the Wii. Getting Ivy the Kiwi tied up by accident, or blocking another player's vine makes for a laugh and is inevitable, considering that the Wii version supports four players concurrently, each able to draw up to four vines! The potential is here for some fun multiplayer modes that challenge players to rack up maximum scores, working against each other. The art style for Ivy the Kiwi is instantly endearing, and we can imagine younger gamers being very pleased when this launches in Summer 2010. Stayed tuned for full reviews.

STAT BOX
Product
Ivy the Kiwi
Company
XSEED Games
Date
06/20/2010