Boingz is a 2D puzzle/platformer from Ninja Bee for WiiWare. The game has a relatively simple but enjoyable concept. You control an elastic character that you grab onto and then slingshot up and down platforms. The goal of the game is to find all the colored boingz in each level and lead them to their marked goal. For example, you might have to find a red boingz and lead him to the red goal and a blue boingz to the blue goal. Once you’ve found and led all the boingz to their goals, you complete the level and move onto the next one. In total, there are 30 levels planned for the game.
Granted, the concept is simple enough, but the game isn’t as easy as simply delivering each boingz to their marked goal. Along the way, you’ll encounter situations that require you to use multiple boingz to surpass obstacles and puzzles. Although Ninja Bee described Boingz as a puzzle/platformer, it’s the puzzle elements that are at the heart of the game’s design.
In the time that I spent with Boingz, there was one issue that I found troublesome. The game is very animated and the movement speed of your boingz is quite slow, which in itself is not much of a problem. But there will be times in which you want to move one boingz forward but to do so you’ll have to jump over another boingz that is in the way. It’s easy to just jump over your boingz when they get in the way, but the fact that you encounter them getting in the way so often becomes tiresome. Perhaps Ninja Bee should consider having it so your boingz can pass through each other.
Overall, Boingz is simple and straightforward but simultaneously novel and is satisfying because it requires thinking to play. This is definitely a WiiWare title to keep your eye on.
