Welcome to another installment of Wiikly WiiWare Wiiview. This week, the WiiWare gods have decided to punish us a bit and then confuse the heck out of us with a reward. The games this week are Christmas Clix!, Copter Crisis, My Zoo, and Tales of Monkey Island 4: The Trial & Execution of Guybrush Threepwood.

Christmas Clix!
Many WiiWare veterans may know JV Games as a developer with a reputation for making majorly unwanted games with exclamation points in their titles. So, when Christmas Clix! arrived on the scene, these same people probably didn’t give it a second thought. And for the most part, such a reaction is justified. As the name implies, this is a Christmas-themed game. It is most likely a chance to cash in on the holidays, but it actually works quite well with the gameplay. Santa Claus stands off to the side, throwing presents into the playing field where you then match said presents in a color-coded fashion by clicking one end/corner and then clicking the opposite end/corner. Much like Tetris and the like, presents fall down onto the screen and you have to clear them before they can reach the top. While doing this, you can collect candy canes and coins. As you progress through each level, a Christmas tree is gradually decorated, and once all of the decorations are in place, you may progress to the next level and do it all over again.

Although a bit overly cutesy, the theme is actually incorporated quite well. And surprisingly, the game sets itself apart from other similar titles. Rather than simply matching colors, you have to use your Wii remote to select groups of the same color, which requires some strategy not typically used in other games. For that, I give my praise to JV Games.   However, Christmas Clix! is not without its flaws. One of the biggest flaws is the problem with the visuals. The first couple of levels are completely fine. Everything is crisp and clear and it looks quite nice. Play for a few more levels, though, and you will be bombarded by painfully bright colors that wash over nearly the entire screen. While playing, I had to take frequent breaks because the bright colors blending together caused my eyes great strain and distress.

Christmas Clix! is also insultingly easy. Usually, I’ll commend a game for increasing the difficulty level at a gradual pace, but this is ridiculous. Twenty levels into this game, I was still wondering when it was going to pick up and give me a real challenge. There are 100 levels, so as you can imagine, I was nearly bored to tears trying to make it to the end. This is one of the few games that would actually benefit from being harder and half as long. The mini-games are a nice distraction, but they are even easier than the main game, so they won’t distract you for long. The game could perhaps benefit from a multiplayer mode, but that is nowhere to be scene; a major faux pas in the casual gaming community. While you drudge through the many levels of Christmas Clix!, you may be pleased to know that you will be delighted by the same small handful of slightly-recognizable Christmas tunes over and over again. If you need a reason to be sick of the holidays, this game is for you. But in all fairness, there is potential for a decent game, so if you want to give it a chance, then I suggest playing the official Christmas Clix! demo.

Score: 5/10

Copter Crisis
Let me preface this by stating that I enjoy reviewing games. Really, I do. I get to sit around and play video games all day and then explain to you why I think you should either buy them or save your money. It’s a nice little gig. But then there are times when trying to muster up the words to talk about a game just pains me so. This, ladies and gentlemen, is one of those times. It is difficult to even know where to start with this one, so please, let me just cut to the chase here: Copter Crisis is one of the biggest loads of shovelware I have ever had the misfortune of playing. The worst part about it is that it doesn’t seem so bad at first. I mean, you get to pilot a helicopter through obstacle courses with your Wii remote…not so bad, right? Sadly, the fun ends right about there.

Upon starting Copter Crisis, the first thing I did was slam into a rock because the game isn’t explained very well prior to playing. Unbeknownst to me, you immediately start the level fighting to stay aloft. Once you figure that out, it’s not so bad. After you fly around and collect pointless points (ironic) for a few minutes, you might even start to have some fun. But I assure you, that won’t last for long. Right off the bat, one will likely notice the depressingly bland 32-bit visuals. I hope you love canyons because you’ll be flying through the same one for the entire duration of the game while listening to two different songs. The obstacles may change and sometimes you get bombarded with falling rocks, but you will never feel like you are in unfamiliar territory. If you ever get bored of the scenery and music, worry not because you are occasionally treated with bits of painfully unfunny dialog accompanied by horrible drawings that could have only come from a child.

The biggest flaw of Copter Crisis is the unapologetically butchered set of controls. These controls can’t seem to decide if they’re going to be unresponsive or too responsive. One minute will feel like a struggle to budge the copter from its current course, and the next minute, the blasted machine will zip around the screen and slam into rocks at the slightest tremble of the hand. When a developer has to implement controls like these in order to create any sort of challenge, it is never a good sign. It is also not a good sign when extra additional helicopters are the only DLC available and they cost $1 each. The only remotely redeeming quality of this game is found when trying to play it with the Wii balance board. Trying to beat the game this way will be nearly impossible, but I guarantee it’s a lot more fun. However, it is not enough to justify a purchase. Copter Crisis is a perfect example of why WiiWare titles so desperately need free demos.

2/10

My Zoo
All of the fun of the zoo without actually going to the zoo…or doing anything at all, really. Although advertised as a simulation game, My Zoo is actually no more than a glamorized screensaver. At the beginning, you are given a choice between four small habitats and eight different animals. Once you have made your two choices, you then get to sit around and watch your new virtual pet also just sit around. While you watch, you can feed your animal, pet it, or call it over to you. Every now and then, you get an opportunity to sweep up. If you chose the special kids room, you can dim the lights. Those who spend enough hours may even see their pet grow and eventually reproduce. I hate to say it, but I’ve already spoiled 99% of the game for you.

The game’s visuals are decent and a couple of the animals are nice to look at, but aside from that, there are no redeeming qualities to be found. My Zoo is less engaging than a Tamagotchi pet. At least Tamagotchi pets can be interacted with and carried around. When they need something, they beep to get your attention. To “interact” with your My Zoo pets, you have to turn on your Wii and load up the game. And doing so doesn’t reward you with anything. You aren’t greeted by a playful critter frolicking through the habitat; instead, it’s the same boring animal sitting there and sniffing the grass. If you’re that lonely, get a cat. If you truly insist on having a virtual pet and are too embarrassed to carry around a Tamagotchi, then I strongly urge you to get an old Dreamcast and find a copy of Seaman, which is far more interactive, compelling, intuitive, and entertaining. You’ll be glad you passed this one up.

Score: 2/10

Tales of Monkey Island 4: The Trial & Execution of Guybrush Threepwood
Episodic games like this are tricky because each game is essentially just part of a whole. The stories vary, but the gameplay typically remains the same through all titles. If you have already played through the previous incarnations of Tales of Monkey Island, you have most likely already made up your mind about this latest installment. If you aren’t familiar with the series and would like more information, then you’re starting in the wrong place. For those of you stuck somewhere in the middle, in the middle of the series but not quite sold on it yet, this Tales of Monkey Island 4 review is for you, although I must admit it may not sway you either way if you are still on the fence.

In the latest chapter of Tales of Monkey Island, Guybrush Threepwood returns to Flotsam Island, only to be captured and charged with several crimes. In typical Guybrush fashion, our pirate pal takes the matter into his own hands and sets out to acquit himself by gathering as much evidence as possible, even if that means a bit of tampering and deceit. Through this whole portion of the game, which makes up the first half, the dialog is very strong and entertaining. It also provides a nice change of pace from the previous chapter. The second half, however, slows things down a bit and loses some of its charm.

The latter half of the game involves a bit of map-based trekking that, although executed in a clever manner, is somewhat tedious and doesn’t go very well with the flow of the first half. The second half is also significantly less funny. The humor unfortunately falls flat at times, and in some scenes, the game actually takes on somewhat of a serious tone. I enjoy serious games and I know that Telltale can pull off a serious game quite well, but it feels very much out of place in a Tales of Monkey Island game, as they are commonly known for their quirky humor. Given Telltale’s history, some of Chapter 4 was slightly disappointing because we all know they can do better. Of course, that doesn’t mean the game as a whole was a disappointment; if you enjoyed the previous games, you will enjoy this one as well and it is a good way to whet your appetite while you wait for the final installment, which arrives later this month (or next week for the PC).

Score: 7/10

Christmas Clix! was developed by JV Games and MunsieGames. It was published by JV Games.

Copter Crisis was developed and published by Digital Leisure.

My Zoo was developed and published by Hudson Entertainment

Tales of Monkey Island 4 was developed and published by Telltale Games.

All titles were released for WiiWare in North America on 11/30/2009.