Cubello

Cubello
WiiWare image
Developer(s)	Skip Ltd.
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Series	Art Style
Platform(s)	WiiWare
Release	NA: October 13, 2008 PAL: November 21, 2008 JP: May 12, 2009
Genre(s)	Puzzle
Mode(s)	Single-player

Cubello, known in Japan as Cubeleo, was released in North America for WiiWare on October 13, 2008. While it was the third series release (after both Orbient and Rotohex, respectively), Cubello was the first fully original Art Style series entry, having no bit Generations series counterpart.

In Cubello, using the pointer function of the Wii Remote players aim and launch colored cubes at a three-dimensional object called a Cubello, itself consisting of many colored cubes, that floats and rotates in empty space. The objective of the game is to strip the Cubello of cubes by matching four or more of the same color in order to reveal the Cubello's inner core.

The player is initially given only a limited number of cubes in a "magazine" to complete the objective in each stage, but more cubes are added in the magazine to the player the more cubes they take away from the Cubello. However, unlike many other games, such as Puzzle Bobble, where the goal is to eliminate objects of certain colors or shapes, Cubello continues to provide the player with cube colors that are either still in the magazine or on the stage, so the player has to calculate to have the color disappear from the magazine and the stage at the same time to win. There is also a "Bonus Time" on the slot machine device that gives the player unlimited cubes to shoot of one color, or "Super Bonus Time" which gives cubes of different colors depending on where they are launched at.

Players also lose cubes in the magazine if the Cubello bumps into the screen towards them.

The game features an endless play mode in addition to players progressing through increasingly more difficult stages.

Cubello was released in North America on October 13, 2008, in PAL regions on November 21, 2008 and in Japan on May 12, 2009.

Cubello received mixed to positive reviews from critics upon release. On Metacritic, the game holds a score of 73/100 based on 11 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".^[1]

Scoring it a 7.7/10, IGN said Cubello had an "entertaining core concept" done with "simplicity and polish" and with a "really, really rewarding" gameplay mechanic that needed some balancing.^[2]