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Art Style: Rotozoa (Nintendo WiiWare) Review
Review by 
Santi N
7.98/10 from 9 user ratings
 
This game is a prime example of what a WiiWare title should be. Given its huge limitations, titles on the service should not try to emulate full retail releases, but rather be simple, original and straight-up fun concepts executed well. Take a game like Jett Rocket for example. While it is a great game, in the end it just makes you wish it were a retail game so it could look better, last longer, and be overall bigger.

But then there are games which don't need to be bigger, and so are perfect for WiiWare. The Art Style games are a good example of that. There's five of them already, all very good, however one of them stands as easily the best: Art Style Rotozoa.


In the game you control that ... thing with tentacles you see in the picture above, maneuvering it around ... somewhere with the d-pad, and twsiting it clockwise with the 2 Button, and counter-clockwise with the 1 button. The goal of each stage is to collect as many "pieces" of the tentacles as you're told in the beginning (for example, in the first stage you have to collect 10 yellow pieces and 10 red pieces). Then 15 of each, and so on. Touching a piece with the appropriate color adds it to your tentacle, and touching it with the wrong color destroys your whole tentacle. You start out with two tentacles of different colors, and by the end you'll have five.

So basically, you have to move and twist around to collect little orbs, and avoid touching orbs with the wrong color. That's it. Sounds simple? Well, guess what, it is. But it's that special kind of simple that completely hooks you. It's so easy to understand, yet as the levels progress and you have more tentacles it gets very hard so you don't lose interest.

You know those kinds of games where you get so "into" them yet they're so simple you're almost playing on auto-pilot? Hypnotized, even? Like Tetris or Pac-Man, for example. Well Rotozoa is also like that. Music is nice and atmospheric and the graphics are simple yet stylish. It won't "wow" you, but it's very appealing. Like all Art Style games.


Regardless of what kind of games you like, you should try this out. And while you're at it, you should try out every Art Style game. But this one first, as it's easily the best.

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Posted: 07/27/10, 22:36:36  - Edited by 
Santi N
  on: 07/27/10, 22:37:59    
 
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In before Simbabbad!

Interesting take on the game. I've played and enjoyed every other Wii Art Style game thus far, so I'll have to try this one out for myself, for sure. The mechanics sound like they are similar to Rotohex, which I enjoyed.


Posted by 
anon_mastermind
  on: 07/27/10, 22:50:49
I have yet to try this game. I know some people don't like it, but it really seems like a concept that would appeal to me.


Posted by 
Anand
  on: 07/27/10, 23:24:49
Yeah, I'm tempted to download this. It definitely seems like it's one of those love it or hate it type games.

Also, it sounds and looks a lot like flOw on the PSN, a game that I got for free and is kind of fun for about an hour tops. Can anyone who has played both games comment if they are indeed similar and which is better?


Posted by 
canonj
  on: 07/27/10, 23:41:47
Well, I found it to be the most enjoyable. Cubello and Light Trax come close. Rotohex and Orbient are pretty boring.


Posted by 
GelatinousEncore
  on: 07/28/10, 00:17:35
What's the only way to solve this, again? Can't remember.

Oh yeah: a fight to the death.

Or was it that we need to burn both of you at the stake, and the flames will spare the righteous?

I need to brush up on this stuff.


Posted by 
Pandareus
  on: 07/28/10, 01:19:33
That doesn't work though, because I'm already banned. The power of Rotozoa allows me to post regardless


Posted by 
GelatinousEncore
  on: 07/28/10, 01:50:54
@Simbabbad Well, there is one item, the uber spinny thing. Unfortunately, once you get to the last few stages, your ONLY reasonable path for beating them is to run around waiting for the item to drop. Actually there are two items, if you count the health item.

I guess I'm in between you and Gelatinous. I got my fun out of it, but ultimately enjoyed Orbient much more. And Light Trax as well, though I haven't had much time to crack into that one yet.

Yes, I did indeed 7.9 Rotozoa...


Posted by 
Zero
  on: 07/28/10, 02:39:56
Orbient will most likely always remain at the top of my favorite Art Style games, or even WiiWare games for that matter, but Rotozoa is an easy second. I had a feeling I'd like the game when it was first announced, but once I had the chance to download and play it, I was amazed. Granted, the soundtrack alone made the game for me, but just about every aspect thrilled me. Much like Orbient, I couldn't put it down. In place of having the heightened desire to collect each crescent moon, I wanted to complete each level unscathed, without ever using the cyclone power-up, and to finish each level as quickly as I could. This urge doesn't present itself within me much anymore. The dynamic music kept me so focused on progressing well and damage free, that I was able to glide through some levels with ease. Not all by any means, of course. Some remain blemished by imperfection. Endless mode is chaotic, but fun, and a welcomed experience to be certain. And there are varying enemies, and the game does allow for analog play using both of the classic controller's analog sticks (unless I'm weirdly mistaken). That being said, I liked using the digital pad/Wii remote sideways, myself. It kept things from being too confusing. Anyway, the game is simply wonderful and I couldn't recommend it enough. I'm actually surprised to read of any negative comments directed its way. Not that any game isn't due its share of healthy criticism, only that I was under the impression that the game was an instant classic. I guess not. So far my Art Style list of favorites is: Orbient, Rotozoa, Cubello, light trax, and Rotohex. Not that anyone asked.


Posted by 
NoName
  on: 07/28/10, 04:26:31  - Edited by 
NoName
  on: 07/28/10, 04:29:09
FINALLY got around to downloading this game. It's fun! I played through about half of the "stage" puzzles and tried the first endless mode once. It's simple but fun, I really like how your rotozoa responds to twisting and turning. It allows a lot of creative play in collecting the goo-creatures. I was wishing there was more variety in the backgrounds, but the colour does change now and then. I think it was kept basic for a reason. The sound effects and music similarly take a backseat but they are interesting and incorporate into gameplay well enough. I had fun with it for about an hour last night, and I'm eager to play more.

@Simbabbad
I see why you hate this game. It's true, the game literally stands on its basic mechanics, and challenge stems from adding complexity to these. I didn't experience your discomfort, but I did encounter some lack of control. Though, I think the "less-than-perfect" controls make the game more interesting, in that you have to really learn how the Rotozoa moves and gameplay becomes careful yet rewarding. Again, I'm basing this off an hour of play but that's my initial impression. It may very well get frustrating on the harder levels.


Posted by 
anon_mastermind
  on: 02/01/11, 20:27:02
Oh it does... it really, really does. I still enjoyed the game, but it becomes like nearly impossible near the end. The controls just don't have the subtlety needed to pull off what they are asking of you.


Posted by 
Zero
  on: 02/01/11, 22:07:07
I'm at the end, and I don't think it's a problem with the controls. It's the fact that the enemies are avoiding your tentacles, and they actively try to sabotage you. Holy shit, it's crazy frustrating to lose a 12-chain at the core when they fuck you over. I'm getting the hang of it though. You have to approach them in a certain way, and it's not bad - still, very difficult when the screen is full of critters.


Posted by 
anon_mastermind
  on: 03/22/11, 21:22:30
I've been playing this game for the first time, and I really like it, though it's true what you said @anon_mastermind, the final stages are frustratingly hard.

I love the physics of your spinning Rotozoa creature and how your movement affects the manner in which the tentacles move.

I almost finished all the stages, but I may give up. Stage 7 of both the 4-tentacle and the 5-tentacle mode are just frustrating, as mentioned before. Indeed, @Zero, the controls make it hard to make such precise movements needed when you have multiple color type enemies coming at you from all directions moving in various patterns.

Endless and Snake modes are fun to play.

@NoName, I also think the music in this game is fantastic.

Orbient is still my favorite Art Style game, though there are still quite a few others left for me to play.

Wow, this thread reads weird, like some posts are missing or something.


Posted by 
roykoopa64
  on: 03/20/13, 02:20:51
@roykoopa64

Yay! More love for Rotozoa!

Orbient is and probably always and forever will be my favorite Art Style game (for many reasons, but I think those little crescent moons and the unusually beautiful, quiet but brooding dynamic music sealed the deal for me), but Rotozoa is a very close second, and nearly equal to its greatness. The music and sound effects, I should say, are the reason. I crank the sound system volume way up when I play this game! I have searched for a soundtrack, but to no avail. The game can certainly become maddening, and I have a perfectionist play style with this game, but it is one that is quite hard to put down once started.

I'm glad you like it!

Oh, and I think the thread reads weird because of the missing posts from a certain someone that didn't much care for the game.


Posted by 
NoName
  on: 03/20/13, 03:10:50
I thought Rotozoa was ok, but not great. Cubello, the only other Art Style game I've played, was a better, more interesting game.

I certainly liked Rotozoa's music, and the art style is attractive and interesting. The physics of your little dot swimming and swirling around felt very good. But in the end, it just wasn't very interesting. As Zero said, in the last few levels, the only real way to win is to avoid the enemies until you get the one power-up. I think a couple more different power ups would have served the game very well.

Rotozoa is in some ways pretty similar to Bit Trip Void, and is priced about the same. However, I find Void a much, much more interesting game. Quite a bit harder to finish, too.


Posted by 
chrisguy
  on: 03/20/13, 06:04:57
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