On a gaming console already stuffed and ready to explode with more than its fair share of casual mini-games, its only appropriate that one of the faithful should rise to the top and (quite literally) explode on the scene. Although not a company known for its radical leaps in innovation, EA has demonstrated a keen sense on how to make great use of the Wii’s unconventional motion-controls, and with the creative forces of Steven Spielberg on board as the game’s director you can bet the end result would be anything but just another puzzle game.

At its heart, Boom Blox can best be described as an interactive 3D puzzler, with real-time strategy elements thrown in for good measure. But its more than that – much more. With the famed director intent on crafting what he explains is “a game to play with my kids”, Spielberg’s vision on the future of family-accessible entertainment may play out more Tiny Toons than E.T, but then again there’s little in the way of dramatic story to get in the way of all the blasting and collapsing. At your disposal is a localized 3D universe built with differently shaped blocks (aka blox), destined for demolition and absolute destruction. With over 300 levels and plenty of modes available, how the player will come out of the Boom Blox experience depends entirely on what they put into it.

Depending on which mode is selected, a variety of different ‘weapons’ are made available to help level and decimate the task at hand. Baseballs, bombs, laser beams, grab tools and more help add muscle to brain power, and you’ll need every piece of gray matter available if you’re going to get very far. Get ready to calculate bank shots, loosen the beams, and think outside the blox - literally - by throwing, pushing, and trying not to go completely insane at the sheer variety of it all. This is real Brain Training for everyone in the family, and quite possibly the only game to bridge the worlds of Tetris and Halo into one neat package. Sound impossible? Then you, my friends, have yet to chain-explode armies of invading chickens. This is that game!

The most revolutionary thing about Boom Blox are its controls, which if there’s any justice will completely change how developers look at the potential of the console’s abilities. A razor-sharp and deadly accurate reticule makes pinpoint aiming extremely easy, while navigating the 3D arena works exactly like it should. Pressing the A-button locks the aiming reticule in place, allowing complex motions to be carried out, and then releasing the button for maximum effectiveness and destructive potential. The B-button, when pressed, allows for full 3D arena rotation and opens up a world of aiming possibilities. The game’s velocity-meter is perhaps the most accurate ever featured in a game, measuring your throws and pulls so fluidly that you’ll finally have to start blaming lack of skills, and not the hardware anymore.

Coupled with the unique use of motion-controls is an incredible physics model that helps render and bring to life this crazy cartoon world populated with Jenga-like structures. Every blox on-screen is its own unique structure, and as such reacts to stimulus in varied and unique ways. Some blox disappear, others explode, while most just tumble into masses of clutter. It’s here where the game’s apparent simplicity can turn vicious, often requiring a level of mental acuity and physical dexterity that betrays its overly-cute aesthetic. If the goal of Tetris was to best intelligently utilize shaped blocks to bring down growing structures, Boom Blox successfully brings the concept into the world of physicality and real danger.

But thankfully its not just push and pull, as the vigorous Adventure Mode helps break the mental grind and gives players a bit more strategy to deal with. While it’d be a stretch to compare these levels to Age of Empires, the combination of defense and conquer can be very exciting, and there’s nothing quite like keeping the oncoming troops (however cute they be) from stealing your precious gems. A fantastically good multiplayer experience (up to 4-players!) adds nearly infinite replay value with a spate of modes and options guaranteed to keep just about everyone happy. It’s a shame that there’s no online multiplayer available, but you’ll relish the chance to see a buddies face when his well-laid strategy goes up in flames after a well-timed throw. Ka-BOOM!

With so much built-in replay value, you’d think the game’s stage editor couldn’t possibly hold much interest – but you’d be wrong! Completing single-player missions help unlock and make available the tools and characters to play with here, which shouldn’t be much of a detractor considering how much fun the game really is. A highly intuitive and engaging for what it is, and the editor even keeps track of your maximum stage-output to help keep everything working the way it should. It’s all deceptively simple, and if you’re like me you’ll wonder just where the last few hours went. Best of all, you can use WiiConnect24 to upload and share your masterpieces with friends online, provided they too have the game.

With the bulk of the “Wow!” factor going towards rendering those fancy physics models, very little seems left for the audio/video portion. While the game certainly looks good, its fidelity alone won’t be knocking any socks loose anytime soon. Although I wasn’t that impressed with the lazy character designs (all based on the singular and ever-present Blox motif), the overall look is very clean, and just stylized enough to look impressive on larger displays. Full progressive-scan and 480p output help clean things up a bit, and while nothing particularly memorable, the game’s audio is pleasant enough and gets the job done.

If there’s any one area where the game stumbles, it’s in very spot that can’t be helped. Much like its fellow Wii brain-twister Zack and Wiki, the cartoonish Boom Blox suffers from a serious case of identity crisis. Scrape away its childish façade and you’ve find one of the most intensely competitive, and in-depth experiences to date on any platform. Unfortunately, EA seems unsure exactly just who the audience is for the game and nearly ruins whatever chance it has in succeeding beyond its family-friendly exterior. Whether this questionable style is the work of Spielberg or EA’s marketing department, I’m not sure, but introducing new concepts is always a challenge, one made all the more difficult by the Wii’s indefinable user-base.

Still, those open-minded and frisky enough to give this one a chance will find one of the most singular and creative experiences on any console. While most of today’s blockbuster games seem content on refining the player’s experience, the thoughtfulness and ingenuity behind Boom Blox speak towards redefining it. There's nothing quite like it available on any platform, and its difficult to see how such a thing could have been thought up pre-Wii motion-controls. The future is looking might bright, and any game that gets developers dreaming can't be all that bad. HIGHLY recommended!