E3 2010: Super Scribblenauts (Hands On)

by: Chuck - posted: 6/16/2010 9:20:00 AM

For fans of the Scribblenauts this is how you turn on the new d-pad controls in Super Scribblenauts. Hit the start button, click options, and then click the little d-pad icon. Once that’s done you’re now able to control Maxwell with the d-pad, freeing you to use the stylus to control the environment. It’s a small change (and you’ll probably be switching control mechanisms back and forth) but it removes one of the biggest headaches I had with the original Scribblenauts.

The sequel to last year’s most innovative game gets 120 new levels, 100 new nouns and thousands of new verbs. Super Scribblenauts also supports adjectives which are critical to solving puzzles. So you can now have a zombie elephant and a rainbow cow or even a zombie rainbow cow if you so choose. Other refinements include an indicator at the top of the screen that allows you to see your progress through multi-stage levels and a new level editor that will allow you to create and share your own levels.

I got to play a few levels of the new game including a James Bond style mission where I had to infiltrate a party full of politicians and super models, bribe a contact, get past a security guard, and then trick a pressure weighted safe into thinking it’s contents were still there. I also got to play a Mario style level where I had to defeat some Koopa Troopa like turtles and bump a few blocks to try and find the hidden Starite.

Outside of that, the core gameplay remains unchanged as you’ll have complete freedom to solve the game’s puzzles in any way you want using whatever your mind can think of but this time around the user interface isn’t going to pose as much of a barrier which should make a lot of people (including me) very happy.