GENRE
	Puzzle
	DEVELOPER
	inXile Entertainment
	PUBLISHER
	Genius Products
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1
	WI-FI ENHANCED
	Yes
	DS COMPATIBLE
	No
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Sledding is a timeless winter sport. A sport that's been around for decades, even centuries. One that requires speed and skill. A sport that involves both snow and slope. One that necessitates... lines?

That's the theory behind Line Rider 2: Unbound for Wii, which is accompanied by a DS version, both of them based on the original Flash game. In order to win, the player must draw lines correctly in order to get his or her sledder to the finish.

visuals

Line Rider 2 features somewhat of a low-frills environment. While environments and characters can be changed depending on the level, the game is in some ways very reminiscent of the Flash original. Characters are only slightly better-looking than stick figures and the game's lines look like just that -- lines. There is some line variety, though, as lines with different properties do have slightly different coloring or efects: a speed line, for example, consists of red arrows pulsing forward, indicating direction.

The game also sports an updated character design look more in line (pun intended) with modern animation. The look is pleasant and far more appealing than the look of the original Flash game. The characters -- Bosh, Bailey, and Chaz -- also appear in 3D cut scenes throughout the Story mode, enacting several Saturday-morning-like scenarios as Bosh is put through his paces on the Line Rider courses.

audio

The game does feature some voice acting, but this is mainly limited to "Yeah!", "Hey!", and "Huh?", among other small samples. While they don't add a whole lot to the game's cutscenes in general, they do contribute to a crippling sense of guilt when Bosh or another sledder sounds really happy or excited right before crashing to a punishingly painful collapse thanks to poorly drawn lines.

The game's music, meanwhile, features some surprisingly up-tempo tracks. This actually seems out of place in the winter environment. What's more, the music can be a distraction when trying to puzzle out the solution to a head-scratching track.

gameplay

At its core, the basis of Line Rider remains unchanged despite its move to a console. The 2D courses show a route for the sled to get to the finish line, most with some specific gaps. The player's job is to guide the character to the finish by drawing lines in the blank areas. In addition to normal lines, the player can also draw lines that speed up or slow down the sled, or even lines that disappear when ridden over. The catch is that lines can only be drawn in a designated area -- the rest of the course is off limits.

In addition to a robust Story mode -- the object is to help Bosch get around traps that the villainous Chaz has set and win Bailey's heart -- the game also features Freestyle and Puzzle modes, where the player is free to create his or her own Line Rider courses to play. In addition to creating the lines themselves, aspiring Line Rider designers can also design the backgrounds and environments from components that are progressively unlocked in Story mode.

The interface makes extensive use of the Wii Remote's pointer, both for selecting from menus and for the actual drawing of lines. The IR acts as a pencil tool, much like in Microsoft Paint, or a tool which makes a straight line between two points, which can then be twisted and curved in different ways. Since the Wii pointer isn't known for its pinpoint accuracy, the second tool will generally be the one most often used. In addition to simply completing a track, there are also medals scattered across each level which can only be picked up if lines are drawn impeccably, those medals will unlock additional content as they are accumulated.

multiplayer

No multiplayer to speak of, but levels can be shared across the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in the spirit of the original Flash game. Ambitious level designers can create their own levels with Puzzle Mode, complete with medals and tokens, and upload them to the Internet. Extremely well-designed puzzles will be rated in the Top Ten at linerider.com, and other tracks and content can be downloaded from the site as well.

overall

Line Rider 2: Unbound is a fairly decent port of an interesting Flash game, but there are some problems keeping the Wii experience from fully living up to its potential. For one thing, the Wii interface isn't as accurate as it could be, meaning pencil lines can be off-center at best. As the game was designed to have been played with a mouse, it seems as though it might work better with the DS touch screen. Having to switch between tools by pointing at menus is somewhat cumbersome and could have been done better with button shortcuts. On the positive side, creating, uploading and downloading levels can provide a large amount of replay value for those who love the game, and the character designs are quite catchy. Overall, the results seem mixed, but the title may be worth a try for those who find the concept intriguing.

7.1/10