GameBoy

  News 
  Reviews
  Previews
  Hardware
  Interviews
  All Features

Areas

  3DS
  Android
  iPad
  iPhone
  Mac
  PC
  PlayStation 3
  PlayStation 4
  Switch
  Vita
  Wii U
  Xbox 360
  Xbox One
  Media
  Archives
  Search
  Contests

 

Wendy Every Witch Way

Score: 100%
ESRB: Everybody
Publisher: TDK Mediactive
Developer: WayForward Technologies
Media: Cart/1
Players: 1
Genre: Platformer


Graphics & Sound:

Too often, games for kids get stuck in a rut and end up trying to just be watered down versions of the big kids' games. In my mind, a game should be fun, period. I'm older than 10, and my tastes have changed since then, but I still remember enjoying good action, fun characters, good music, etc. All the stuff that makes any game fun. Wendy Every Witch Way could just as easily be a hardcore shoot-em-up Platformer as it could be a colorful kids' game, and just because it happens to be the latter hasn't made it any worse for the wear.

Wendy Every Witch Way is a romp through a weird world, in the persona of a blonde girl who happens to be a witch. Leaving the witch thing aside for the moment, how nice to see a videogame with a girl as the main character! Even though she's not a full-blown witch, Wendy has the ability to flip gravity and walk on ceilings, and also can shoot fireballs from her wand at enemies. The levels she traipses through are uniquely designed, and get progressively more detailed and densely populated as the game progresses. With new levels come new designs, new music, and good quality stuff to boot. The enemies Wendy fights are a funny bunch, with animations that can be a real crack-up. Many will attack viciously, but some will hide or run away as you approach, even setting traps for you if you're not careful. Since 3 Game Boy Advance levels are included, those with GBA systems can see Wendy in 32-bit goodness! A taste of things to come if we see another Wendy game exclusive for GBA, but in the meantime, GBC owners won't be complaining about these simple, bright graphics for the 'older' system.


Gameplay:

Calling Wendy Every Witch Way a platforming game doesn't quite do it justice. Platformer fans will find plenty to enjoy here, and there's a new twist to keep gamers on their toes. Wendy gets stuck hunting down magical stones in a creepy castle that seems to be one big optical illusion. In one section, everything looks correct, but walking into the next you find chandeliers on the floor and chairs on the ceiling. If this happened at my house, I'd be pretty worried, but Wendy has special powers as a witch, and simply reverses gravity to be able to walk on the ceiling. Now, instead of jumping up, she jumps...down. And then falls...up. It's a little strange at first, until you're used to it, but the idea behind Wendy Every Witch Way is a brilliant step in Platformer gameplay. I'm sure at least one copycat will pop up within the next year, but this is the first time I can remember playing something like this. The normal jumping and object collection we expect are here, but sometimes it's necessary to flip gravity several times, combined with jumping, to get what you want.

The glowing stones that are lost in the castle show up at the end of a level, so the items that Wendy collects during the level are power-ups, pure and simple. Borrowing from side-scroller shooters of old, each star that Wendy collects gives her wand special powers to shoot fireballs, and changes the type of shot she uses. Each time an enemy gets you, you lose a star. Lose all your stars, and it's back to the beginning of the level. The enemies take Wendy's gravity skills to the limit, sometimes testing you and leading you into traps, or just demanding some skillful switching in order to beat them. Between the traps, like spikes and slime, you run into as part of the landscape, tricky enemies make collecting stars and completing levels a real challenge. Luckily, Wendy gets a break in the platforming action between stages, and jumps on her broom to fly from one part of the castle to another. These are classic side-scrolling shooter levels, and you'll need to keep a sharp eye on the horizon to grab stars and shoot down enemies before they take you out.


Difficulty:

Wendy Every Witch Way doesn't throw in much more than the gravity shtick, but it really does a great job of introducing new gameplay elements and enemy characters gradually, building up to the final most difficult levels. Stars can sometimes seem unreachable, or areas impassable, but tricks learned along the way will always see Wendy through. Enemies are many, and usually have a weakness related to gravity. Sometimes, it is as simple as flipping them, but other times the reaction they'll have to gravity in one state or another teaches you how to use them, avoid them or beat them. Working around traps in the castle is done the same way, and I like how TDK doesn't throw everything at us in the first few levels. The pacing makes for good gameplay, and a more manageable difficulty level for youngsters.

Game Mechanics:

Wendy Every Witch Way runs very smooth, with nice responsive controls and good looking graphics for GBC. There's no question that the engine underneath this would drive a good Platformer, even if it weren't made for kids. The control scheme is simple enough, moving with the D-Pad and jumping with the (A) button. The (B) button controls Wendy's wand power, letting you fire at enemies from in the air. Something else you can do is reverse gravity, done by pressing (A) plus the direction you want to go. The control for this is sensitive enough that I did it often without meaning to, and to the point that you can jump and reverse gravity mid-jump. This is very helpful in getting to the hard-to-reach stars and solving some of the trickiest puzzles. Wendy can do a 'peek' move to view areas just above or below her, helping you plan how to move around, jump and flip gravity. The objects you encounter are fairly standard, but one special object is the one-way platform. These can be jumped through, if you're standing under them, but then you can't jump back in the opposite direction without reversing gravity. Long sections of these platforms make for some very interesting strategy, but the nice thing is that it's never too late to correct a bad move. Because Wendy can collect up to 5 stars, giving her 5 chances to be hit by an enemy or run into a trap, moving through even the worst areas isn't that difficult. Wendy starts a level with no stars, and the hardest levels to collect stars in must be the flying sections, with Wendy on her broom. These test you because enemies come from both directions, and stars fall quickly off the screen. Shooting enemies or dodging enemies, it's still tough to zip back and forth collecting stars. Flipping gravity is the least of your worries, although it's possible here too.

The extra levels available to GBA owners are fun to play, and show you a bit more of Wendy Every Witch Way than GBC can offer. Still, it doesn't really matter what platform you play this on. If you like running and jumping games, this is a real gem. It may feel a bit too easy for older gamers, but it still makes for some fun playing. Best audience will be the younger set, and they'll have much to keep them occupied. It is really a thinking person's Platformer, in the sense that it's rarely frantic, making you choose carefully before jumping and even more carefully before reversing gravity. The puzzles are challenging but accessible to even the youngest kids, and the lessons learned here will produce savvy future Platform fans, for sure! Wendy Every Witch Way makes a case for there still being some unique, fun ideas for gameplay left in the world. Sure, we can't all be original, but it's refreshing to see a break from the sequel-driven, copycat mentality so common in the industry these days. No promises that you won't beat this in an afternoon if you've been playing games forever, but newer gamers won't find a better place to hone their skills.


-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications
AKA Matt Paddock

GameBoy Color/Pocket Toy Story Racer Macintosh Beach Head 2002

 
Game Vortex :: PSIllustrated