Spectrobes: Origins Hands-On

The last time we saw Spectrobes: Origins, we were given a quick overview of the game but didn't actually get a chance to play it. But more recently, at Disney Interactive Studios' event in Anaheim, we were able to play for ourselves to see how well this original series translates to the Nintendo Wii. We not only got our hands on the fast-paced battle system, but we also got to excavate a fossil with a variety of tools and even play with some baby spectrobes in the incubator.

Origins follows the lives of Rallen and Jeena, and you can choose to play as one or the other, depending on who you relate to. The story is similar regardless of who you play, but the dialogue will be slightly different to accommodate the two personalities. Battles are fought in real time once the fight is initiated, and you can rumble with your spectrobe sidekick. Up to six spectrobes can be taken with you, and you can scroll through at any time if you feel like calling on another. Your pet will fight on its own, but you can get it to attack a specific enemy by locking on to the target and swinging the Wii Remote forward. You can also call it back by waving the remote toward you. The controls are really easy to get the hang of, given that you're spending most of the time using the A button to attack. After landing several consecutive attacks, the enemy gets tossed into the air, which gives you an opportunity to follow up with a combo. When the enemy is airborne, you swing the remote so that your spectrobe follows up with a combo. If you time it correctly, your friend can unleash a stronger attack. We didn't get to try it out because there wasn't a second controller, but you can play Origins with a friend who will control the spectrobe.

As you progress through the game, you'll discover fossils that need to be excavated so that you can raise new, powerful spectrobes. The excavation process was interesting because it's like a separate game. You have access to a variety of tools, such as a scanner, that will let you see the spectrobe inside. You have to chip away the exterior and free the spectrobe without damaging it. You'll rotate the cube with the analog stick and use the motion controls to hammer away at the fossil. You can place bombs to take out larger chunks, and then drill and hammer at the smaller pieces. Once you get down to the remaining bits, you can use a blow dryer to clear away the leftover debris. The spectrobe has a life meter, which will go down if you damage it in the process. You're also on a timer that determines how strong your future pet will be, so you don't want to take too long. We were told that there will be leaderboard rankings online to compare your chiseling skills.

Once you have freed your spectrobe, it's time to put it in an incubator so that it can grow to adulthood and evolve. When we thought of an incubator, we weren't exactly picturing a beautiful field with a flowing waterfall in the background, but that's where the spectrobes hang out while they're in the process of growing up. In the incubator, you can run up to them and pet them, feed them minerals, work out with them, and even take pictures of them. There's an album in which you can save up to 10 photos and send them to friends.

Spectrobes: Origins is coming along nicely, and it controls really well on the Wii. There will be more than 100 spectrobes to find once the game ships, and we should be able to find out more details at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June. Right now, Origins is expected to be released in September.