WayForward Talks New A Boy And His Blob, Teases Future

I probably shouldn't let the week end without some new information about the Majesco-published and WayForward-developed reimagining of the classic A Boy and His Blob.  Joystiq landed an interview with a few of the folks that have a hand in the new Nintendo Wii title in which they discuss what remains the same about the twenty-year-old gameplay concept, what has changed for the better, and if/how we'll be seeing the original Nintendo Entertainment System game again.

[B]eing neither a sequel, nor a remake, do you have some specific examples of how this version of A Boy and His Blob is similar to the original?

SV – Well, the game still features the titular boy and blob! The core gameplay theme of the game, using an AI character to transform and help you advance, is retained. There are also slight story similarities and some of the blob's transformations are the same.

RA – The core game mechanic of feeding jelly beans to the blob which then transforms him into an object to help you solve puzzles is still there. You may recognize some of the locations, the jelly beans, etc, but I don't want to give too much away.

Then can you say how it is different?

SV- Gameplay-wise, this game is a massive reworking of the entire A Boy and His Blob concept. The play control and game flow has all been thrown out and totally rethought. You can jump, aim your jellybean throws, select beans quickly, and interact in more meaningful ways with the blob. The previous game could be confusing and obtuse; this game has a smoother learning curve that ramps up to very fiendish puzzles, especially towards the end.

Presentation-wise, the game has obviously undergone a complete overhaul too. The hand-drawn animation and heartwarming look cause the player to become very invested in the characters. The soaring musical score also adds to the charm. While the gameplay is always the key to the fun, the presentation helps to elevate the entire experience.

The new game's smooth visual style is a definite attention-getter, and while it's probably the Boy that stands out at first glance, I have high hopes for the new design of the Blob.  The original Blob didn't have much in the way of character development, but even in 8-bit format he oozed personality.  The next time you play the game (you have played it, right?) take note of how he bobs along with a smile on his face and eagerly opens his mouth wide to swallow a thrown jellybean.  If your aim is off and Blob misses your tossed treat, he'll mope and sulk until he's properly fed.  It's a very cute effect and I'd like to see it retained.

At one point in the interview the question is raised as to which other dusty and otherwise abandoned properties WayForward would love to acquire and remake.  The reply includes a forgotten NES game that was also ahead of its time, Clash at Demonhead.  Now there's another game I'd like to revisit in a shiny new remake, but let's start with saving the planet Blobolonia first.