de Blob was an infectiously charming and undeniably fun puzzle platformer. It was well-received by critics and review outlets (this one included). Those who played and enjoyed de Blob are in for a happy surprise: THQ is bringing the colorful new IP back for a second run. It doesn't end there, though; gamers who want to play the game no longer need a Wii. de Blob: The Underground will be coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Nintendo DS. Hopefully, this investment will pay off in spades for THQ, because The Underground is looking pretty great.

The idea behind The Underground is essentially the same as it was in the original de Blob. Comrade Black (incognito as Papa Blanc) has risen to power, and he's got an admittedly funny cult on his side. It's up to de Blob to save the Graydians from the influence of Black and the Blancs. The premise is comical in several ways; for example, the stage select screens display what look like comic strips. Lots of these are peppered with bits of subtle political humor. This kind of stuff can work against a game if it's not handled correctly. Since the story is set against a parallel political backdrop, it works in this context.

The first level of the E3 demo introduces de Blob vets to a new style of play. The Underground features 2D levels. While the level I played offered a more linear and simplistic experience than the standard 3D action, the gameplay mechanics hold up well in the transition, making the 2D stuff feel right at home.

I only got my hands on the Wii version of de Blob: The Underground, but I've got enough experience with the first game to have noticed that this new game doesn't look like it will stray too far from the formula originally established in the first de Blob. You'll still splat the messy little hero all over the place, gradually restoring color to the world. The core mechanics and original game objectives seem to be very much intact; changing de Blob's color and introducing variety to each area is still very much a part of the gameplay. However, a few noticeable tweaks prove that this sequel won't be a cut/paste job. For example, the Wii version no longer requires you to resort to Wii waggle in order to jump around. It would appear that motion controls are being mapped to the more mindless mechanics (such as getting leech-like enemies off of de Blob).

Gamers who are itching to liberate more Graydians won't get their chance to jump into de Blob's next adventure until next year. That may seem unfortunate, but with the game already looking and playing as well as it does, it's exciting to know that things will only get better between now and the game's spring 2011 release. If you haven't played de Blob, do yourself a favor and check it out; you'll soon be excited to join The Underground. ¡Viva la Revolución!