Elebits
Encyclopedia
, known in PAL territories
as Eledees, is an action
/first person shooter game developed by Konami Digital Entertainment and published by Konami
for the Wii
. It was released as a launch title on December 2, 2006 in Japan, then December 12, 2006 in North America, May 4, 2007 in Europe and May 7, 2007 in Australia.
s). Levels in the Story Mode are completed when the player reaches a certain power (usually within some pre-defined time limit).
The player manipulates objects in the world in order to hunt for Elebits, using the Wii controller as a "capture gun" similar to the Gravity Gun
in Half-Life 2
. As the majority of Elebits on a given level are hidden within or underneath objects, players must interact with the environment to reveal these hidden Elebits. Throughout the game, the Wii controller's motion-sensing abilities are gradually introduced. With selected objects, players turn, pull, and wave the Wii Remote
to perform a variety of actions including opening a door (twisting the doorknob), pulling out drawers, turning on a faucet, tossing a variety of items, smashing vases against a wall, etc. Moving the Wii Remote without selecting an item rotates the player's camera-view, while the Nunchuk is used to move, duck, and stretch.
As more Elebits are collected during a given level, the area's energy is gradually restored. This causes dark rooms to become well-lit, and more importantly, allows various electrical appliances to be utilized. Once sufficient power is available, players can activate these appliances, such as computers, microwaves and electric toy-cars, which in return release Power-Elebits. Power-Elebits, when captured, slowly increase the strength of the "capture gun", allowing the player to lift and move heavier objects.
Some levels of the game feature additional conditions for successful completion. These include a limitation on how many breakable objects can be broken (i.e., a limit on property destruction), and/or a limitation on how much noise the player can make when interacting with the environment. Since Elebits themselves can cause objects to move or fall, players must be careful to take this into account when rousing them.
The mood of the Elebits, indicated by graphics above their heads, can affect how many watts the player earned when they are captured. Elebits that are happy or sleeping earn more watts than those that are angry or scared. Special power-up items can assist in taming the mood of the Elebits; one can put nearby Elebits to sleep, while another can help lure Elebits towards it. Other temporary power-ups are also available that can increase the power of the Capture Gun, muffle all sound, or enable auto-lock-on for the Capture Gun, among other effects.
Not all Elebits are captured easily. Some will move quickly or fly around, while others will attempt to attack the player, which damages the Capture Gun. In some cases, an Elebit must be thrown against an object or hit with an object as to stun it. If the Capture Gun takes too much damage, the level ends prematurely in failure.
After completing a level, the player is given a ranking based on the time it took to gain the required number of energy from Elebits, how much extra energy from Elebits they captured, the condition of the Capture Gun, and when part of the level requirements, how many times the player made too much noise, or when objects were broken. Achieving a high rank allows for players to use objects from that level within Edit mode.
The game supports up to four players in a competitive multiplayer mode.
. In single player and Edit Mode, players can take screenshots and send them to other Wii consoles. Players can also send levels that they created in Edit Mode.
s. Following a thunderstorm
, they cease producing energy and go into hiding, causing a blackout
. Kai's parents, who are Elebit researchers, leave home to investigate the Elebits' unusual behavior. Meanwhile Kai, who possesses dislike towards, and jealousy of, Elebits because his parents spent more time researching them than they do on him, decides to use his father's Capture Gun to capture the Elebits and restore the electrical power. He also feels responsible for the Elebits' unusual behaviour because the storm happened right after her wished all the Elebits would go away.
Kai's adventures lead him through the town and towards the amusement park
. He is contacted via phone by his parents, who reveal that a lightning bolt
during the thunderstorm created a previously undiscovered type of Elebit, the Zero Elebit, determined to be cause of the blackout. Kai travels deeper into the amusement park and finds that the Zero Elebit is absorbing all other Elebits and dangerously increasing in size. Kai manages to subdue and tame the Zero Elebit, lifting its influence on the Elebits. Kai takes pity on the helpless Zero Elebit and decides to adopt it. Kai reunites with his parents and they travel back home together.
first demonstrated the Wii
hardware to Konami
employees. Mukaitoge desired to utilize the new and unique pointing
and motion sensing capabilities of the Wii Remote
and designed the game around the idea of freely touching or moving objects in a room. Dennis Lee, the project manager for the game, stated that the main goal was to "create a game that was easy to pick up and play" with a hide-and-seek-inspired game design, citing Half-Life 2
as an influence on the game control. The game's controls were constantly adjusted during development in order to provide a "proper feel" to handling the in-game objects.
Though Konami
originally stated at E3 2006 that Elebits would only feature a single-player mode, competitive multiplayer was implemented before the game's release.
, was released on the Nintendo DS
in Japan on December 11, 2008 and in North America on January 6, 2009.
Naoyuki Sato's song "The Smile of You" (from the game's soundtrack) has been featured in some of Konami's Bemani
music games, including Beatmania IIDX
and pop'n music
. The song is credited to his Bemani alias, Nekomata Master
and GameRankings. Several previews compared the game to Pikmin
and Katamari Damacy
due to the similar art style and character design. IGN
gave Elebits much praise for its innovative gameplay as well as its beautiful illustrations, giving it a rating of 8.3/10. GameSpot
gave the game a 7.5/10.
Elebits sold approximately 70,738 copies in Japan by the end of 2007. The game has received the CESA Japan Game Award 2006: Future Award. It has also received the "Best Wii Action Game of 2006", "Wii Game with Most Innovative Design of 2006", and "Wii Game with Best Use of the Wii Remote of 2006" awards from IGN
.
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
as Eledees, is an action
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
/first person shooter game developed by Konami Digital Entertainment and published by Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
for 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...
. It was released as a launch title on December 2, 2006 in Japan, then December 12, 2006 in North America, May 4, 2007 in Europe and May 7, 2007 in Australia.
Gameplay
The game is divided into small stages, each of which represents a certain area (e.g., a few rooms or a street). As the game progresses, the player gradually moves from exploring individual rooms in a house out into the street and the areas beyond. Using the on-screen cursor, the player aims at and captures Elebits, extracting their energy (measured in wattWatt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s). Levels in the Story Mode are completed when the player reaches a certain power (usually within some pre-defined time limit).
The player manipulates objects in the world in order to hunt for Elebits, using the Wii controller as a "capture gun" similar to the Gravity Gun
Gravity gun
Gravity gun can refer to various fictional devices:* Gravity gun, a gameplay concept in video games that allows players to manipulate the game's physics.* Gravitational Beam Emitter, a fictional gun used by Killy in the manga series Blame! and NOiSE...
in Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
. As the majority of Elebits on a given level are hidden within or underneath objects, players must interact with the environment to reveal these hidden Elebits. Throughout the game, the Wii controller's motion-sensing abilities are gradually introduced. With selected objects, players turn, pull, and wave 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...
to perform a variety of actions including opening a door (twisting the doorknob), pulling out drawers, turning on a faucet, tossing a variety of items, smashing vases against a wall, etc. Moving the Wii Remote without selecting an item rotates the player's camera-view, while the Nunchuk is used to move, duck, and stretch.
As more Elebits are collected during a given level, the area's energy is gradually restored. This causes dark rooms to become well-lit, and more importantly, allows various electrical appliances to be utilized. Once sufficient power is available, players can activate these appliances, such as computers, microwaves and electric toy-cars, which in return release Power-Elebits. Power-Elebits, when captured, slowly increase the strength of the "capture gun", allowing the player to lift and move heavier objects.
Some levels of the game feature additional conditions for successful completion. These include a limitation on how many breakable objects can be broken (i.e., a limit on property destruction), and/or a limitation on how much noise the player can make when interacting with the environment. Since Elebits themselves can cause objects to move or fall, players must be careful to take this into account when rousing them.
The mood of the Elebits, indicated by graphics above their heads, can affect how many watts the player earned when they are captured. Elebits that are happy or sleeping earn more watts than those that are angry or scared. Special power-up items can assist in taming the mood of the Elebits; one can put nearby Elebits to sleep, while another can help lure Elebits towards it. Other temporary power-ups are also available that can increase the power of the Capture Gun, muffle all sound, or enable auto-lock-on for the Capture Gun, among other effects.
Not all Elebits are captured easily. Some will move quickly or fly around, while others will attempt to attack the player, which damages the Capture Gun. In some cases, an Elebit must be thrown against an object or hit with an object as to stun it. If the Capture Gun takes too much damage, the level ends prematurely in failure.
After completing a level, the player is given a ranking based on the time it took to gain the required number of energy from Elebits, how much extra energy from Elebits they captured, the condition of the Capture Gun, and when part of the level requirements, how many times the player made too much noise, or when objects were broken. Achieving a high rank allows for players to use objects from that level within Edit mode.
The game supports up to four players in a competitive multiplayer mode.
Edit Mode
One of the modes in Elebits is "Edit Mode". In Edit Mode, players can create their own stages by placing different kinds of objects and Elebits throughout any of the 29 stages in the game. Levels are only available in edit mode if they have previously been completed in Story Mode. One can also adjust the gameplay by changing the watts needed for completion, how strong the gravity is, or what kind of items the player can use. The furniture and objects that can be used in Edit Mode are also dependent on the completion of Story Mode. The player must get at least a 'B' rank in a stage before he/she can use the stage-specific items.http://wii.ign.com/articles/749/749393p1.htmlOnline connectivity
Elebits utilizes Wii's online service, WiiConnect24WiiConnect24
WiiConnect24 is a feature of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for the Wii console. It was first announced at E3 2006 by Nintendo. It enables the user to remain connected to the Internet while the console is on standby...
. In single player and Edit Mode, players can take screenshots and send them to other Wii consoles. Players can also send levels that they created in Edit Mode.
Plot
Elebits (a portmanteau of "electronics" and "bits") are small creatures that coexist with humans and are the world's source of electric energy, powering all machines and applianceHome appliance
Home appliances are electrical/mechanical machines which accomplish some household functions, such as cooking or cleaning. Home appliances can be classified into:*Major appliances, or White goods*Small appliances, or Brown goods...
s. Following a thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
, they cease producing energy and go into hiding, causing a blackout
Power outage
A power outage is a short- or long-term loss of the electric power to an area.There are many causes of power failures in an electricity network...
. Kai's parents, who are Elebit researchers, leave home to investigate the Elebits' unusual behavior. Meanwhile Kai, who possesses dislike towards, and jealousy of, Elebits because his parents spent more time researching them than they do on him, decides to use his father's Capture Gun to capture the Elebits and restore the electrical power. He also feels responsible for the Elebits' unusual behaviour because the storm happened right after her wished all the Elebits would go away.
Kai's adventures lead him through the town and towards the amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
. He is contacted via phone by his parents, who reveal that a lightning bolt
Lightning bolt
Lightning bolt may refer to* Lightning discharge, electrical discharge within clouds or between clouds and the ground* Thunderbolt, a traditional expression for a discharge of lightning or a symbolic representation thereof...
during the thunderstorm created a previously undiscovered type of Elebit, the Zero Elebit, determined to be cause of the blackout. Kai travels deeper into the amusement park and finds that the Zero Elebit is absorbing all other Elebits and dangerously increasing in size. Kai manages to subdue and tame the Zero Elebit, lifting its influence on the Elebits. Kai takes pity on the helpless Zero Elebit and decides to adopt it. Kai reunites with his parents and they travel back home together.
Development
According to producer Shingo Mukaitoge, Elebits began development almost immediately after NintendoNintendo
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....
first demonstrated 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...
hardware to Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
employees. Mukaitoge desired to utilize the new and unique pointing
Pointing device
A pointing device is an input interface that allows a user to input spatial data to a computer...
and motion sensing capabilities of 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...
and designed the game around the idea of freely touching or moving objects in a room. Dennis Lee, the project manager for the game, stated that the main goal was to "create a game that was easy to pick up and play" with a hide-and-seek-inspired game design, citing Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
as an influence on the game control. The game's controls were constantly adjusted during development in order to provide a "proper feel" to handling the in-game objects.
Though Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
originally stated at E3 2006 that Elebits would only feature a single-player mode, competitive multiplayer was implemented before the game's release.
Sequels and Other Appearances
The sequel to Elebits, Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and ZeroElebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero
The Adventures of Kai and Zero received generally favorable reviews, with an aggregated score of 75% from Metacritic. IGN called the game less ambitious than its predecessor, but still praised it as a rewarding game nonetheless. Nintendo Power considered it a "cute, enjoyable diversion" and...
, was released on the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
in Japan on December 11, 2008 and in North America on January 6, 2009.
Naoyuki Sato's song "The Smile of You" (from the game's soundtrack) has been featured in some of Konami's Bemani
Bemani
is Konami's music video game division. Originally named the Games & Music Division, or simply G.M.D., it changed its name in honor of its first and most successful game, Beatmania, and expanded into other music-based games.-Bemani video games:...
music games, including Beatmania IIDX
Beatmania IIDX
is a series of rhythm video games and the sequel to Beatmania that was first introduced by Konami in Japan on February 26, 1999. IIDX has since spawned over 19 arcade releases and over 13 console releases on the Sony PlayStation 2...
and pop'n music
Pop'n Music
, commonly abbreviated as Pop'n, PM or PNM, is a music video game in the Bemani series made by the Konami Corporation. This game is known for its bright colors, upbeat songs, and cartoon character graphics...
. The song is credited to his Bemani alias, Nekomata Master
Reception
Elebits received generally favorable reviews, ranking 75 and 75.75% on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and GameRankings. Several previews compared the game to Pikmin
Pikmin
is a strategy video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001. Pikmin is the first game in the Pikmin series of video games, and the third game for the Gamecube overall. It was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto. Pikmin was released on October 26, 2001...
and Katamari Damacy
Katamari Damacy
Katamari Damacy is a third-person puzzle-action video game that is published and developed by Namco for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was first released in Japan, and then later in South Korea and North America...
due to the similar art style and character design. IGN
IGN
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 Elebits much praise for its innovative gameplay as well as its beautiful illustrations, giving it a rating of 8.3/10. 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...
gave the game a 7.5/10.
Elebits sold approximately 70,738 copies in Japan by the end of 2007. The game has received the CESA Japan Game Award 2006: Future Award. It has also received the "Best Wii Action Game of 2006", "Wii Game with Most Innovative Design of 2006", and "Wii Game with Best Use of the Wii Remote of 2006" awards from IGN
IGN
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...
.