WireWay Hands-On

Cute and addictive puzzle games have an odd tendency to flock to Nintendo's handheld, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. WireWay is a charming puzzle platformer that changes up the traditional walk/run to the right and jump gameplay by using springy wires as your primary mode of transportation. We had an opportunity to check out this incredibly fun game at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con, and we're excited to see more.

Who's Making This Game: Konami is developing and publishing this fresh new take on platform puzzlers.

What the Game Looks Like: WireWay takes on a simple, 2D, cartoony approach, but it's really all about the gameplay. The action stretches across both screens as you slingshot your adorable alien friend in all directions.

What There Is to Do: You are Wiley Springer, a mischievous and spunky alien that is trying to find his way home. Your job is to launch Wiley from one wire to another until he gets to the end of the stage. There are 60 stages to clear, and you're given a score at the end that is based on how long you took and how many stars you collected along the way. There's a Puzzle mode in which you can create your own stages and share them with friends, and you can also race against three other players locally.

How the Game Is Played: By using the stylus, you pull back on the black wires--which essentially act like rubber bands--and fling your extraterrestrial to the next string. Wiley doesn't do well on land, so if you happen to miss, he freaks out a bit and then hops back onto the nearest wire so that you can try again. The game will display how much oomph is behind a particular wire. The thicker the wire, the more height you're going to get, and there's a helpful dotted line to indicate your trajectory. The levels will get trickier because you'll also be dodging rocks and avoiding spiky floors--all so that you can get Wiley home safely.

What They Say: Delivering a whole new type of gameplay to the DS, WireWay is an interactive action puzzle game that introduces a loveable, yet troublesome alien that has been dropped off by his ship and travels the planet jumping through wacky adventures.

What We Say: We'd like to keep a closer eye on WireWay. There are other modes and features that we haven't had a chance to try out, so we're eager to get more time with all this springboard action. The cute and simple presentation works really well, and even though we didn't pay close attention to Wiley and his cheerful banter, we imagine that his quest to get home will be an endearing one. Look for WireWay when it is released on the DS this fall.