Released in 2007, the first Spectrobes title was a huge success – becoming one of the biggest-selling third party titles on Nintendo DS.
It was perhaps the most ambitious game to challenge Pokemon’s monster-collecting crown. Not content with following the same concept with its own set of beasts, the game explored the genre further and enchanced the experience with some innovative uses of the DS’s functionality.
The premise, along with other gameplay twists and its original characters, proved to be popular enough to prompt a sequel last year, but now the series reaches for new heights – on a new format.
“Spectrobes comes to Nintendo Wii for the first time with an all-new storyline in the shape of Spectrobes: Origins,” says product manager James Thornby. “The game features will appeal strongly to boys as they lead the army of Spectrobes they have uncovered and trained into epic multiplayer battles.
“With the installed base of the Wii and the large number of boys actively playing on the platform, there is an opportunity to extend the experience of current Spectrobes fans and extend the franchise to a new audience.”
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Players once again take on the role of young Planetary Patrol officers Rallen and Jeena, as they continue the fight against the Krawl – vicious creatures that pose a threat to the galaxy. The only way to foil their diabolical plot is to capture as many Spectrobes as they can, train them up and lead them into battle.
CREATURE FEATURES
As with the DS versions, Spectrobes are recruited by digging up their fossils and resurrecting them. In the absence of a stylus, players use Wii Remote gestures that recreate the sensation of using the on-screen tools, including hammers, drills and chisels. There’s even a scanner to let players see the creature inside and a blow drier to clear away the debris from their digging.
Once they have been excavated, incubated and educated, the Spectrobes accompany gamers on their travels. When a battle is triggered, the monsters fight alongside Planetary Patrol officers in real time, so gamers are advised to have the strongest Spectrobes with the most effective attacks in their party at all times.
There are hundreds of Spectrobes for players to collect, with a mixture of old favourites from the DS titles and brand new ones created specifically for the series’ Wii debut.
Only by thoroughly exploring the vast worlds and patiently progressing through the story will players be able to find them all.
Disney is employing similar marketing initiatives to those used for its DS Spectrobes games in years gone by. The publisher believes that retail can expect the Wii version to reap similar attention from gamers.
From online videos that expand the game’s narrative to
other products that unlock additional in-game content, the company will be going all out to recreate the series’ handheld success on Nintendo’s home console.
“There will be a strong focus on marketing at retail level for this game,” says Thornby. “There are also interactive cards that unlock exclusive characters and items within the game that we will be using to add value to retail accounts. In addition, there are a range of competitions and ads going into key kids press, such as Jetix magazine.
“We also have Spectrobes ‘webisodes’ that will be hosted on the Disney XD site. These are available for use on retailers’ sites as well.”
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