Heave Ho

There's no shortage of generic multiplayer party video games available these days. Pretty much all Nintendo consoles of the last 20 years have guaranteed that, especially with the Wii's introduction. The problem is with their explosion of popularity - came to a sort of blandness. Developers continued churning them out without any rhyme or reason. Heave Ho is one of those games that seemingly fit that category at first.

There has been more of a buzz about this one, however. It's said to actually be phenomenally entertaining and definitive of what a multiplayer party experience should be. That notion alone is worth checking out - further considering it's not another franchised party game that does nothing more than tickle a few nerves.

With Arms Wide Open

It's a rare feat when developers create a party game with the players in mind - rather than building a flat atmosphere of humor and somewhat familiar characters. Heave Ho looks incredibly basic on the surface. But it has a direct impact on how well made the game is for multiplayer. The players have been thought of - for once.

The game will have you take control of creatures having only but arms and heads, with up to 4 simultaneous players. You'll be using these flailing arms to grapple onto environmental assets on each level - with the simple premise of getting from start to finish. The long arms are controlled by analog sticks, giving a little difficulty - with the level design encouraging teamwork to overcome obstacles.

The way each player maneuvers in this game provides some great laughs - where the difficulty and control schematics are highly accessible and the challenges aren't overly complex. The lighthearted nature of the characters and hand-drawn visuals sets the appropriate scenes for hours of entertainment.

Apart from the task of navigating each level in the most comical way possible, there's more to it. There are plenty of minigames that take advantage of the mechanics. Basketball, dancing, and others are featured to bolster activity and keep those laughs rolling in - and completing them is just as satisfying as the overall feel of the game.

Fall on the Ground Fun

Sometimes the principle of Occam's Razor must come into account to build a successful game. The simplest explanation is probably the right one. Heave Ho uses basic character mechanics and environments to bring out entertainment levels not found in similar offerings. Developers understood that leaving a liberal approach to gameplay is the most rewarding for a multiplayer experience.

Pros:

• One of the better multiplayer experiences out there
• Simple mechanics are very accessible
• Hours of entertainment and humor

Cons:

• Environmental assets sometimes distort views
• Challenging levels can get a bit more frustrating