‘Icarian’ for Wii helps Break My Gaming Spirit

I don’t know if it’s because I’m totally hooked on Gamerscore or if it’s the lack of social functionality, but I really don’t think of the Wii as a game console anymore; it’s the Wii Sports party machine. Yes, there are some good games out there (many on WiiWare surprisingly), but I just don’t feel the need to play most of them. Icarian: Kindred Spirits is yet another one that has me feeling like a confused little girl on the cusp of puberty.

This WiiWare title being developed by Over the Top Games out of Madrid, Spain culls up memories of Kid Icarus but only because they both share the same influences. After Icarus flies to the heavens and meets Nyx, he (and the Earth) mysteriously disappear and she sets off on an action/platform adventure to find him. The game plays a bit like Super Mario Galaxy with Remote+’chuk controls and parts where you point at the screen to interact with objects and enemies. Thanks to some godly powers you’ll also be able to rearrange elements to solve simple puzzles and your wings let you fly all around the stages.

It looks really good for a game you download on your Wii and I should be excited but I find myself realistically thinking about how I’ll probably never, ever buy it. The social aspects of the Xbox and even PS3 have really changed the way I think about gaming. It’s not enough to simply play a game for me anymore, I really like seeing what others are doing and having the ability to chat with them and jump into a multiplayer game if the urge hits us. Gaming on the Wii feels like I’m going back to the GameCube, playing games that don’t look that great that no one in my online-extended personal bubble are talking about.

I don’t mean to dump on Icarian because it looks great, it’s just the next Wii game on the pile that finally broke me, forcing me to put keys to board and write about this odd situation I find myself in. Maybe I’ll get over it some day and get back to enjoying games for what they are. All the praise for World of Goo really has me on the verge of buying it, but then again, I still haven’t. But don’t let my mascara-smudging emo angst ruin your high for Icarian: Kindred Spirits, check out much more from WiWare World.