uDraw GameTablet for Nintendo Wii games roundup
The uDraw GameTablet for the Nintendo Wii is a new drawing and gaming accessory for the Nintendo Wii that combines art and video games together in one package. Stephen Ebert got his hands on the launch games for the uDraw GameTablet ahead of release later this week, and one not in stores till April. Read on for the first impressions.
uDraw GameTablet launch titles include uDraw Studio, Dood's Big Adventure and uDraw Pictionary.
uDraw Studio
Packaged with the uDraw GameTablet, uDraw Studio is the flagship title for the new Wii accessory. uDraw Studio is a drawing suite designed to showcase how easy it is to draw and paint on the Wii. Using uDraw takes some initial getting used to as you become accustomed to using a stylus and figure out what options do what. Thankfully the bright clear easy-to-read menus should be easy to understand for most ages.
Once you do there is plenty for its youngsters, its target audience to explore. It’s very basic stuff, but for kids learning to draw, the essentials are there: virtual paintbrushes, pens, adjustable pen and paintbrush sizes, opacity adjustment and a healthy colour palette range. Neat features include the ability to playback your drawing to see how it was created, and save them to an SD card to share.
uDraw Pictionary
Developer THQ worked with toy maker, Mattel to make dictionary for uDraw play just like the physical version, with success we’d say. The aim is the same. You scribble down an image based on a word you’ve been randomly allocated. The other players then have to guess the word from your drawing. Only this time you ditch the pencil and paper for the uDraw tablet.
The array of drawing tools available make playing uDraw Pictionary a cinch. Games can last as long as you want them to. A Mania Mode challenges players to draw pictures while the virtual ink runs out. Speedy sketching skills are key. Another mode has players attempting to draw without lifting the stylus off the board. Good luck to those guessing. What we love about uDraw Pictionary is adults can play it and have fun, so younger audiences should love it.
Dood’s Big Adventure
This is a bit more of a gamers game than the previous two, and better suited to slightly older gamers, though it is still a kids title. Dood’s Big Adventure is a platform game where you draw trampolines enabling a character named Dood to bounce over spikes and other nasty obstacles.
Buttons on the stylus control Dood’s movements, as does literally tilting the tablet from left to right to roll through obstacles Sonic The Hedgehog style in some of the game’s more challenging moments as the tablet reacts to the motion sensors within the Wii Remote, making handling very accurate. An interesting quirk is being able to customise the main character by drawing on him. You can do the same with the background to add a personal touch to levels.
Spongebob Squigglepants
Coming soon, Spongebob Squigglepants is an assortment of more than 100 quicktime mini-games for youngsters reminiscent of Nintendo’s Warioware.
It’s great fun, and full of tutorials to help players get to grips with the control methods, of which there are lots including tapping on the tablet using the stylus to make Spongebob fly and avoid electrifying obstacles, drawing virtual paths across roads, moving the whole tablet from side to side to blow out candles on a birthday cake and lots more.
The challenges are trickier than they look. Spongebob Squigglepants makes full use of the Wii Remote’s motion sensor sorcery to deliver one of the more entertaining of the first batch of uDraw launch games.
The uDraw GameTablet for the Nintendo Wii launches in stores today.
