Ivy the Kiwi? a charming platformer for DS and Wii

Ivy the Kiwi? (Xseed; DS, Wii; rated everyone)

This is an unassuming yet charming platformer that has players controlling the path travelled by a little bird.

Rather than having control over Ivy, though, players use the Wii remote controller or DS stylus to create lengths of vine that help the kiwi navigate obstacles and dangers in the environment.

Draw a vertical line to create a hanging vine, for example, to prevent Ivy from running into a spike. Or gently slope a vine to help the kiwi ascend a wall.

The vines are somewhat elastic, too, so you can draw a line to create one across a gap, and then use it as a trampoline to launch Ivy into the air.

It’s a simple but effective mechanic.

There’s not much more to Ivy the Kiwi than that. For real platformer aficionados, developing the skill to find all the collectibles and navigate 100 levels will be more than enough of a challenge.

Others, though, might find it nothing more than a temporary distraction.