Review: Roogoo: Twisted Towers

Just because a game looks cute doesn’t mean that it isn’t difficult. Roogoo: Twisted Towers on the Nintendo Wii is a game that requires you to think critically and multitask in a Tetris like world of matching different shaped blocks with the correct hole in the Tower. Sounds complicated? It’s not.

Developer: SpiderMonk 
Publisher: SouthPeak Games
Platforms: Wii

One of Roogoo’s greatest assets is game play simplicity. Play as one of the Roogoo and save the planet from the evil plans of the Meemoo, which somehow involves making sure that these stacks of blocks all line up correctly.

Players must manipulate the different shaped holes, catch creatures with a net, drill holes, arrange colors, and save Roo all at once. No one ever said saving a planet was easy. Roogoo: TT starts off by teaching players the basics. The first lesson is how to twist the towers to allow the falling blocks to fit through to the next platform. From that instruction, the game gradually adds more for the player to do. Sometimes, there are butterflies or bats on the screen while the blocks fall that the player must catch with a net. Sometimes, there are problems with the platforms that require the player to perform additional moves with the Wiimote to bypass. From a learning standpoint, the game has the right idea. Start with the basics and slowly throw more things at the player. This way, the game is able to bring players up to speed gradually so that they don’t feel overwhelmed. The game also has three levels of difficulty so that once the player has mastered the basics on the easy level, they can move up to intermediate and eventually the difficult level.

Roogoo: TT also has game play modes for multiple players in the same room. As a party game it is very fun. Think of playing head to head battles of Dr. Mario or Tetris. There is enough competitiveness to make it challenging and fun. As a co-op game, it is lacking. There’s really not a lot of cooperation involved. Instead of both players controlling the spinning platforms one player does that work and the other one catches butterflies or bats with the net. Helpful to player one: yes. Enjoyable for player two: no.

Roogoo: TT also enchants players with the simple yet refreshing graphics. The games environments are varied and colorful. The only downfall to this title is the strange camera angles that the game sometimes employs. When the game changes angles it may take a minute for the player to register where exactly the stack of shapes is going to fall, which may lead to some stumbles in the more difficult levels.

Boss fights in this game are both challenging and amusing. Each battle requires the player to do something different, from bopping enemies on the head while blocks fall, or wiping frost off of the screen to increase visibility. All in all, this is a great game for a casual gamer who loves a good puzzle. It doesn’t take long to play through a level, and the increasing difficulty levels give it great replay value. Roogoo: TT is fun for the whole family, and it is highly recommended.

SCORE: 7.5/10