Some mild control errors and pacing issues don't get too much in the way of Platinum Games' mostly joyous effort.
That's what makes the game work better than expected. Along with a likable group of superheroes – which you can always re-enforce should you run short – there's a superb story here. It takes a little while to pick up, but once it revs up, it's Platinum Games at its finest. I won't spoil it for you here, but just keep digging – the game's later moments fare better than its opening ones.
Along with a great storyline, The Wonderful 101 also benefits from a strong presentation. Even with the camera issues and the lack of seeing what you need to do at times – again, we needed to figure out saving civilians for ourselves – the graphics are definitely a highlight. Watching these characters interact with items and each other is a real triumph, and the epic battles they have with enemies are worthwhile ones for Wii U owners. Likewise, the audio is good fun, with a great "heroic" score in place and plenty of dialogue that would put the corny Spider-Man 3 to shame. But then again, most good comic book flicks would do that anyway…
After you finish single player, which will take a good amount of time to do, you can try your luck with some additional Wonderful Missions, where up to four friends can team up with you in co-op to battle enemies. It's fun, but the catch is that each player needs his or her own Wii U Pro Controller. If you know friends that own these already, it's worth trying. But don't go and plunk down $200+ to experience it, it's a secondary mode at best. You could use Wii remotes with Pro Controllers attached, but that's even more problematic to organize.
While I wish The Wonderful 101 had tighter gameplay and less camera problems, it innovates enough to muster a recommendation. Platinum Games has some great stuff here, mainly with the story, the dialogue and the ridiculous combat that emerges with certain situations. It's certainly worth a look, especially to those who have been waiting to validate their ownership of a Wii U. These guys may not be Wonderful, but there's no problem being good.
Score: 8 / 10
