Fluidity (video game)
Encyclopedia
Fluidity, known as Hydroventure in Europe
and Oceania
, is a physics puzzle game developed by Curve Studios and published by Nintendo
exclusively for WiiWare
on the Wii
video game console. The game focuses on controlling a small body of water that is utilized in its different states of matter to progress through the game's levels
.
Fluidity was released in North America on December 6, 2010 and in Europe on December 24, 2010, priced at 1200 Wii Points, which is the equivalent of $12.
elements, in which the player takes control of a large pool of water. The pool is moved by holding the Wii Remote
sideways and tilting it left or right, which tilts the game world, while shaking the Remote will cause the pool to bounce upwards. The player is tasked with exploring the pages of a magical encyclopedia known as the Aquaticus, which has been infected by a dark substance called the Influence. The player must acquire Rainbow Drops, usually done by surmounting obstacles and completing environmental puzzles, in order to purge the book of the Influence.
The pool of water gains the ability to transform into two other states (a block of ice
and a cloud of vapor
) as the game progresses. The ice block can smash through barriers, weigh down switches and cling to objects, and the cloud can float around freely and expel gusts of wind, as well as electrify objects via a bolt of lightning
. Some of the water can be lost due to damage from monsters and hazards, which results in a Game Over
when all the water in reserve has been depleted, and can be restored by collecting water droplets. Later in the game, the player gains the ability to form into a water man who can walk around and interact with other in game characters.
As the studio was busy with other projects, development on Fluidity did not begin until after the 2008 Game Developers Conference
. During the convention, Curve Studios met with Masa Miyazaki and Azusa Tajima, two producers from Nintendo, who signed a publishing agreement following a pitch of the game idea.
Biddle described that the Wii Remote was a natural fit for Fluidity, although he did explain that there had been difficulties in fine-tuning the responsiveness of the controls, particularly the jumping mechanism. Elsewhere, he cites the images in airline safety brochures as the inspiration for the visual style of the game.
The music for Fluidity was done by Allister Brimble & Anthony Putson from www.orchestralmedia.co.uk
gave it an 8.5/10, calling it an "invigorating puzzle game that's easy on the eyes, although I can't help but think that I could have made this game in my own spare time" GameSpot
also gave it an 8.5/10, with praise going to the charming graphics, superb level design and great additional features. Nintendo World Report
presented Fluidity with the award for 'WiiWare Game of the Year' for 2010.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
, is a physics puzzle game developed by Curve Studios and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
exclusively for WiiWare
WiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
video game console. The game focuses on controlling a small body of water that is utilized in its different states of matter to progress through the game's levels
Level (video gaming)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
.
Fluidity was released in North America on December 6, 2010 and in Europe on December 24, 2010, priced at 1200 Wii Points, which is the equivalent of $12.
Gameplay
Fluidity is a 2D puzzle game with platformingPlatform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
elements, in which the player takes control of a large pool of water. The pool is moved by holding the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
sideways and tilting it left or right, which tilts the game world, while shaking the Remote will cause the pool to bounce upwards. The player is tasked with exploring the pages of a magical encyclopedia known as the Aquaticus, which has been infected by a dark substance called the Influence. The player must acquire Rainbow Drops, usually done by surmounting obstacles and completing environmental puzzles, in order to purge the book of the Influence.
The pool of water gains the ability to transform into two other states (a block of ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
and a cloud of vapor
Water vapor
Water vapor or water vapour , also aqueous vapor, is the gas phase of water. It is one state of water within the hydrosphere. Water vapor can be produced from the evaporation or boiling of liquid water or from the sublimation of ice. Under typical atmospheric conditions, water vapor is continuously...
) as the game progresses. The ice block can smash through barriers, weigh down switches and cling to objects, and the cloud can float around freely and expel gusts of wind, as well as electrify objects via a bolt of lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
. Some of the water can be lost due to damage from monsters and hazards, which results in a Game Over
Game over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
when all the water in reserve has been depleted, and can be restored by collecting water droplets. Later in the game, the player gains the ability to form into a water man who can walk around and interact with other in game characters.
Development
The idea of a physics-based 'water game' was originally conceived in 2005, shortly after the formation of Curve Studios. During a development interview, design director Jonathan Biddle discussed the concept in these terms: "Water is so universal...The basics of freezing water to make ice and boiling it to make steam are things that no one needs explaining to them. We thought that all of these elements could be brought together to make a great game with really unique mechanics, and when we saw the Wii Remote, we instantly saw how it could be done."As the studio was busy with other projects, development on Fluidity did not begin until after the 2008 Game Developers Conference
Game Developers Conference
The Game Developers Conference is the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers, focusing on learning, inspiration, and networking...
. During the convention, Curve Studios met with Masa Miyazaki and Azusa Tajima, two producers from Nintendo, who signed a publishing agreement following a pitch of the game idea.
Biddle described that the Wii Remote was a natural fit for Fluidity, although he did explain that there had been difficulties in fine-tuning the responsiveness of the controls, particularly the jumping mechanism. Elsewhere, he cites the images in airline safety brochures as the inspiration for the visual style of the game.
The music for Fluidity was done by Allister Brimble & Anthony Putson from www.orchestralmedia.co.uk
Reception
Fluidity garnered a largely positive critical reception. Edge scored the game with an 8/10, praising the simple idea behind the game and the fun it provides. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave it an 8.5/10, calling it an "invigorating puzzle game that's easy on the eyes, although I can't help but think that I could have made this game in my own spare time" GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
also gave it an 8.5/10, with praise going to the charming graphics, superb level design and great additional features. Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report is a Nintendo-specific video game website that covers Nintendo's current consoles, the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, and Wii.-History:...
presented Fluidity with the award for 'WiiWare Game of the Year' for 2010.
External links
- Fluidity at Nintendo.com
- Hydroventure at Nintendo.co.uk
- Fluidity at curve-studios.com