Home > Control Your Own Block Army! - Cubemen 2 [Wii U] Review
Originally published on Nintendo Castle.
Cubemen 2 is the latest strategy/tower defense entry on the Wii U eShop. The game boasts seven unique modes and a campaign and online (cross-platform) multiplayer. It also features achievements, online rankings,leaderboards, and a custom level-builder. Read More to find out if it's worth the $7.99 price tag.
Platforms: Wii U [Reviewed], PC, Mac, iOS
Developer: Nnooo & 3Sprockets
Release: September 4, 2014
MSRP: $7.99
Press Copy provdided by Nnooo
In Cubemen 2, you'll find yourself controlling an army of cube-based men. The primary game mode (used in either of the two campaigns) is classic tower defense. An enemy beacon will launch minions at you; you'll have to fend them off by purchasing and attacking with Cubemen units. There's nine different Cubemen than each have a special attack or ability and unique stats. After a certain number of minion waves has been defeated, you'll be proclaimed the victor of that game. This traditional tower defense mode is fun, but far from the best the game has to offer.
There's six other game modes in addition to tower defense, five of which can be played online with up to five other players. These modes include Rescue (single player only), Skirmish, Capture the Flag, Territory, King of the Hill, and Defector. These modes play pretty much exactly how they sound. My personal favorites are Skirmish and Territory. Skirmish is basically a multiplayer tower defense, where all players have bases that send out minions that can attack other bases. They also buy Cubemen to protect and attack minions. In territory, each player sends out Cubemen to cover as much of the map as possible, whoever holds the highest percentage at the end of the allotted time is the victor. Online multiplayer is the highlight of Cubemen 2. Not only can you play with up to five other Wii U owners, but there's also cross-platform that allows you to play against PC, Mac, and iOS players. I've only had a chance to play one online game due to the relatively small user base right now, but the game I played worked perfectly and was incredibly fun. There's also a level-up system via exp points awarded by doing well in games. A set of Achievements and Missions that organize goals for you and your Cubemen army to strive for is also present. The online multiplayer in Cubemen 2 is way better than anything Nintendo's been able to accomplish on their own systems.
Cubemen 2 is also presented quite well. The soundtrack is solid (it can be purchased here) and it looks great. There's even 20+ skins for your Cubemen and an equal number of level themes that completely change how the game looks. The game is played entirely on the gamepad, so it's a little hard to tell just how good the game looks. On a 1080p 60 inch T.V. you'd notice the incredibly detail put into Cubemen 2; Because you'll likely be playing it on the much smaller gamepad screen with a 480p resolution, you probably won't be enjoying the visuals as much as you could. The difficulty in Cubemen 2 seems a little steep. In some game modes, I even had trouble beating easy bots. The main problem is that bots can control and dictate multiple units at once, while you need to do so manually and one at a time. The small screen and huge maps make it hard to control all of your Cubemen, especially against bots. Some won't mind this at all, but I think a slightly easier difficulty might be good for a future update.
Cubemen 2's level builder is another awesome aspect of the game. There's over 8,000 user created levels right now, and tons more are being added daily. You can play any of these levels when connected to the internet, and you can download your favorites for offline play. The level builder works well, but it's in dire need of an undo button.
Wii U Unlike many Wii U ports, Cubemen 2 is optimized for Wii U. It features crips visuals and sound and runs just as well as the PC, Mac, and iOS versions. It makes use of the gamepad almost exclusively via touch-screen controls. Cubemen 2 also has the best online system of any game on the Wii U to date.
Although an easier difficulty and bigger screen would be nice for beginners, they don't change the fact that Cubemen 2 is an awesome game. With fun gameplay, tons of customization and options, and an online system that far surpasses anything Nintendo's been able to do on their own system, Cubemen 2 is a must buy on the Wii U eShop.
Verdict:
Great
Great games are generally good buying decisions and are recommended for those with an interest in the genre. There might be a few flaws that detract from the gameplay, stories, controls, presentations, or value, but the game is still an enjoyable experience that justifies a full playthrough.
Want to know what this score means? Check out our Scoring Guidelines page.
