Tomb Raider Anniversary

The great Wii debate questions whether motion controls are truly worth the hype. Are they good for all kinds of games, as Nintendo (and every Wii adopter) hopes? First-party games have been rewarding, but many titles – mainly ports – have led us to believe that maybe the Wii isn't cut out for every type of game. Call of Duty is one of many that just didn't work in this format.

Could that change in the future? Like Nintendo, that's what we're hoping. We don't yet know if developers have caught onto Metroid Prime 3, the console's best FPS. If not, hopefully they'll play Tomb Raider Anniversary. It is another PS2-to-Wii port, which tells players how the graphics will look before the first screenshot is released. But unlike the majority of the games shoveled onto the Wii, this one isn't merely here to cash in on the new console's success. The note on the box – "Wii exclusive features" – wasn't stamped on solely for marketing purposes. This game, unlike the zillions of ports you've likely played and despised, feels like it was made for Wii from the ground up.

I Second That Motion

In an industry known for following trends, the developers of Tomb Raider Anniversary made some unexpected (if not bold) decisions, starting with the way Lara Croft moves and attacks. Analog movements were a given – you'll use the nunchuck to navigate through each world, and press the A button to climb and leap across every enormous structure.

When it comes time for Lara to defend herself, players have a couple of different options. The Wii remote always functions like a pointing device, but you don't have to keep it aimed at the screen at all times. Press the B button and Lara will fire in the direction of the remote, either where it currently is or where it was before it was pointed away from the screen (along the screen’s edge). For now, the camera is unaffected by this move. To keep it that away, leave the other buttons alone.

The Z button brings up the targeting feature, which locks your camera view – but not your weapon – onto the nearest enemy. Jump, roll, and back-flip around the area to dodge a bear's most deadly assault (one that involves his claws and his teeth). While doing this, the camera stays locked onto the targeted enemy. But this doesn't mean players can get away with one-button kills. Weapon control is still manual, meaning you have to aim while performing Lara's coolest and most evasive maneuvers – just as if this were a third-person shooter made for the PC.

 
Dust this off (by waving the Wii remote) to reveal the hidden symbols.

These controls work great, but you'll eventually come to an area where the view isn't quite right. Camera adjustments are done by moving the remote while holding the C button.

If you've played other games with a motion-based camera system, this probably sounds less exciting than the thought of Michael Bay directing Transformers. Amazingly, Bay's jaw-dropping battle scenes silenced the critics and gave moviegoers something to cheer about. At the same time, Tomb Raider Anniversary beats the odds of becoming another game that's ruined by camera problems. The game is very sensitive to player movement and, as a result, allows you to delicately adjust the remote to get the desired view. It's also fairly stable and may be moved very quickly.

This is important because, in a Nintendo Wii first, players may combine the independent camera and firing controls with the targeting system. Technically it's nothing you haven't seen before in another form. But since each element is separate, players can add or take away one of them at any time.

If you're running from a wolf and another sneaks up from behind, hold the C button and you'll be able to adjust the camera while repositioning your weapon to take out the new threat. If you'd prefer to stay focused on the first wolf, hold the Z button. The camera will still move, clarifying the second wolf's location, giving Lara the information she needs to evade both dangers. But the focus of the camera stays on the animal being targeted.

 
Jumping is a way of life for tomb raiders.

Raiders of the Lost Key

Tomb Raider Anniversary offers the same key-finding, switch-flipping gameplay the series is known for. It’s a dated objective set for certain, but is made entertaining through the game’s excellent level designs. To flip a switch, for example, you’ll spend anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes exploring ancient tombs. Ledges, platforms, and climbable areas are strategically placed in each level – once found, their location seems too perfect, because you just know these tombs wouldn’t be as user-friendly in real life. They’re very cool, and finding the best (and often only) path to the goal is a rewarding and time-consuming experience.

In addition to keys, players will have to collect other items to complete each level, some of which lead to new mini-games. Cogs, the integral pieces needed to make platforms spin, aren’t utilized automatically. You have to place them in the proper location, aligning them in such a way that each cog is connected to another.

 
To solve this puzzle, players must spin the cylinders to match that of an old wall marking.

New puzzles don’t give Tomb Raider Anniversary an edge over its PS2 and Xbox 360 predecessors. The motion controls, however, are implemented with much greater depth than you’d expect from a port. Those who have played the game before don’t have much of a reason to play through it again. But if you’ve yet to take the journey, the Wii version is the one to get.

Gameplay: 8.0
Tomb Raider Anniversary's Wii remote features don't change the game enough to turn it into a new experience. They are, however, a stellar alternative to the old dual-thumbstick controls, and a thousand times superior to the D-pad-only controls of the original game.

Graphics: 7.9
Lara looks good on Wii. With an abundance of unique textures, realistic interiors and fluid animations, this is one Nintendo console debut you won't soon forget.

Sound: 7.9
Not groundbreaking by any means, Tomb Raider Anniversary’s interesting score and above-average (though not spectacular) voice acting help keep the mute button from being utilized.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Blame ICO and Prince of Persia, who raised the bar on this style of gameplay, but Tomb Raider isn’t as challenging as it once was.

Concept: 8.0
The concept doesn't sound all that unusual: take an old game, remake it, and apply a set of old gameplay mechanics to a new, motion-based control scheme. The difference between Tomb Raider Anniversary and the majority of the others is that this game doesn't play like a port – it plays like it was made for Wii.

Overall: 8.0
The Wii version of Tomb Raider Anniversary won’t pull in those who have already played the game on PS2 or Xbox 360. Everyone else, however, will be pleasantly surprised by the Wii remote implementation. This is one tomb that should be explored thoroughly.