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One Piece: Unlimited Adventure Hands-On Preview for the Nintendo Wii

One Piece: Unlimited Adventure Hands-On Preview for the Nintendo Wii

We got to savor some of One Piece’s Unlimited Adventure this year at Otakon, and this is what we got!

July 31, 2007 – One title that I was really excited to be able to spend time with was One Piece: Ultimate Adventure. And the great thing about this title? It’s coming stateside extremely soon. Like in the next couple of months! Of course this is a very timely release, as the new and improved US version of the One Piece anime should be debuting sometime around then as well.

One Piece: Unlimited Adventure screenshot

The concept behind One Piece: Ultimate Adventure is unlike any other One Piece game before. It’s a platformer, infused with RPG elements that truly make this game a delight to play. The level I was able to play was a snowy level where you had to destroy things and defeat all the baddies. It sounds pretty simple, and at its heart the game is pretty simple. But the combination of party elements, item usage, and strong story focus make this one that is on this fall’s must play list for any anime fan.

One of the first things I noticed was the ease of the controls. You use the Nunchuk to move around and the A button to execute attacks. But the game makes several strides to make the gameplay more than a one-button mash-fest. When defeating a big enemy, combos for your character will appear on screen. Complete these combo chains successfully, and you’ll pull out a super-awesome finisher move complete with some helpful items to reward you for your efforts. This is a very cool system and helps to ease some of the boredom that may come about from just pressing the A button repeatedly. But the system is surprisingly engaging, and it’s just plain fun to play. You’ll also be able to use the Wii-mote to wield specific weapons, though I didn’t have much hands-on time with this specific function.

One Piece: Unlimited Adventure screenshot

Visually, this game looks great. It’s got those familiar cel-shaded characters that you’ve seen before, but environments and textures are very rich. And if you’re somewhat dissuaded by the visually tacky/scary graphics of last year’s One Piece: Pirate’s Carnival, don’t be. From my playtime, I have to say that there were no immobile cutscenes or cheeky situations. Although the series is, more often then not, a very lighthearted and goofy series, there’s also a serious element to the story that hasn’t been fully realized in the game’s franchise. Straight up, this is definitely going to be a more serious One Piece game from what I saw, and I am glad for it.

One Piece: Ultimate Adventure, may be written off immediately by those who are either unfamiliar with the series or don’t like anime games. But I challenge anyone to play this game come fall and tell me they don’t like it. Its combination of platforming and RPG elements is a real winner, and I can definitely see this one being another triumph for the Wii this fall!

One Piece: Unlimited Adventure screenshot

Features:

  • The first platform title for One Piece on the Nintendo Wii.
  • Use the Wii control scheme to perform special moves.
  • Play as all the Straw Hat Pirates, including Robin, Usopp, and Zolo!
  • Switch players out whenever you need to.

  • Finally! An anime game that is NOT a Dragon Ball Z fighting game rip off!

    July 18, 2007 – As an anime fan, I have endured the worst in gaming adaptations of my favorite anime television shows. I’ve played Dragon Ball Z Sagas, Inuyasha, Eureka Seven, a ton of Naruto titles, and the list goes on. All of which seem to be generic watered down clones of the Dragon Ball Z game developed by Atari. To put it simply, anime games have are never innovative. In most cases, developers just take the cast of characters and throw them into a one on one fighting tournament for no reason. Yet there is now hope for us anime gamers that cover the globe with our Spirit Bomb casting hands. Namco Bandai is currently developing a game based off the popular and awkwardly drawn anime known as One Piece.

    One Piece: Unlimited Adventure screenshot

    Known for its innovation, the Wii isn’t bringing us another mediocre anime fighter. The game is titled One Piece: Unlimited Adventure and with good reason because this game looks great! You play as Luffy’s team known as the Straw Hat pirates, which includes Luffy, Zolo, Sanji, Chopper, and company. The story takes place on a mysterious island that hides a strange element that can control time. By first glance, it seems the game takes place in the distant future of the series. The cast are dressed in different clothes, slightly similar to their appearance on the current manga and television show. There are also characters onboard that I, personally, have yet to see. One new character being a peculiar looking muscular man who actually looks very entertaining to play as.

    As you play the game, all characters are at your access, and you can change to any one of them instantly. Each possesses their trademark fighting styles which makes them true to the manga and TV show. For instance, Zolo, with his promise to be the best swordsman ever, fights using his three sword technique. As he dashes through herds of enemies, the blur effects and graphical dashes add a specific anime style touch that brings a lot to the characters. I can only hope that each character has a specific usefulness that gives you more of an incentive to use them all. As you level up, you develop new moves which add to more flamboyant and deadlier combos. It appears that the many enemies Luffy has made on his adventures will also show their ugly cursed fruit faces.

    One Piece: Unlimited Adventure screenshot

    After you’ve defeated an enemy in the single player game, he becomes unlocked and you can challenge a second player in versus mode. If you’ve played One Piece: Grand Battle for the PS2, then you know exactly what to expect: one on one fighting in small arena with a One Piece background setting. The only real difference looks to be the enhanced Wii graphics and fighting with the Wii-mote and Nunchuk. I think the single player game is going to be well worth it though

    All the characters can use key items such as nets, fishing rods, and pickaxes. The pickaxe, for example, can be used to break down boulders, and the nets can be used to capture bugs, which I can only imagine bug catching is part of some peculiar type of mini game. One of the more unique features is the use of fish you catch with the use of the fishing pole. After fishing, you can use Sanji, the chef, to cook them into health potions and other useful items, which you can use anytime during gameplay.

    One Piece: Unlimited Adventure screenshot

    Though the Wii isn’t necessarily known for it’s graphical power, One Piece: UA looks really great. It has a new generation cell-shading effect that brings the characters into a three dimensional world while still keeping their anime appeal. Sanji’s flurries of kicks are followed by long wide swipe effects that give a great sense of power, and dashing gives a fast paced blur effect that fans of anime have come to love. As the characters run, jump, and, of course, pose dramatically subtle details such as clothes and capes floating in the wind and water particle effects are done in good measure. Even watching Sanji cook looks cool!

    With this being a Wii only title, the Wii-mote and Nunchuk play their parts. Using the bug net or pickaxe, for example, requires you to flip the Nunchuk back and forth in order to pull fish out of the water or break boulders down. A demo showcasing a gamer playing as Zolo the swordsman looked fast paced and enjoyable. Just be sure to move all breakable objects from your immediate surroundings as you play as Zolo while standing in your living room.

    One Piece: Unlimited Adventure is shaping up to be the anime game we have all been waiting for. With inspiring anime graphics, great fighting combos, and innovative gameplay, and use of the Wii mote, this is going to be a must have for One Piece fans. Keep checking back for updates!

    Features:

  • Play as your favorite Straw Hat Pirates
  • Unleash all the crazy anime fighting combos of the Straw Hat crew
  • Use the Nunchuk and Wii-mote for fishing, catching bugs, and fighting enemies
  • Use the goods you find or catch and have Sanji cook for useful items
  • Switch players on the fly to use different fighting styles.

  • Yo Ho Ho, it’s a pirates life for wii!

    May 15, 2006 – One Piece: Unlimited Adventure is based on the anime/manga One Piece, the story of several bands of pirates searching for the ultimate treasure. As far as we know, One Piece: Unlimited Adventure will be a Wii exclusive, since the gameplay is being completely centered on the Wii-mote and the systems motion-sensing capabilities.

    The demo shown featured El Capitano Monkey D. Luffy exploring an island, looking for – what else? – buried treasure and pirate booty. Not that kind of pirate booty…. Once you come across the treasure chest which yields a pick axe, Luffy can then dig in the ground for glowing orb-things or smash rocks. Like your typical 3D action/platformer, movement is handled with the analog stick on the nunchuck while jumping is mapped to the Wii-mote. Using the pickaxe comes courtesy of the Wii-mote motion-sensors as you swing it up or down or side to side to smash things onscreen.

    The game will feature many cool puzzles, the first of which we discovered when we located the Orb of Time which is used to speed time up (at a cost). We used the Orb of Time to grow a tree several hundred years into the future, which helped move a large boulder blocking our path. The next area was much larger but we weren’t allowed to play any further as someone else was rushed in ahead of us. We watched him play the next area which involved catching butterflies with a net (using the Wii-mote) and jumping onto red mushrooms that allowed Luffy to jump higher into the air. Next came a fishing demo using the Wii-mote, much like we saw Link do in the Twilight Princess demonstration.

    The look of the game captures the anime-stylings of the series and the control, while in need of tweaks here and there, is shaping up to be quite engaging and entertaining. With its large areas completely geared for exploration and action and the unique control scheme, One Piece: Unlimited Adventure is one game that is shaping up to live up to its title.

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