As expected, the Wii will end up with games that would work fine but have sloppy control schemes, rendering them unplayable. Rampage Total Destruction is one of those. A fun little monster mash has been slaughtered because of the control options.
Having been out on current consoles since the summer, this Wii update is in perfect sync with its title. It truly is Total Destruction on the gameplay, massively crushing any hope of a decent playing edition of this flawed retro update. Rampage is worth playing for some, just not here.
A complete roster of flaws follows this title onto the new console. Depth is nearly impossible to judge as your giant monster tears apart various cities, and the addition of the ability to move in front of the buildings does more harm than good. Fighting off the military is nearly impossible because of the depth issue. Helicopters are especially tricky.
Of course, the game is brutally repetitive and goes on far too long to sustain the bland gameplay. The upgraded 3-D graphics shine a little brighter on the Wii thanks to some enhanced lighting and textures, yet do nothing to make this any less monotonous. You're better off playing one of the two available original games unlocked from the start, the original Rampage and the successful 1998 update Rampage World Tour.
The latter two games are playable because they in no way require using motion. The remote use here is simply abysmal. The moves required to pull off a critical and generally easy task like kicking are ridiculous. Total Destruction isn't going to pull you in or make you feel like you're one of the 30 included monsters.
Midway's Wii launch title uses every imaginable motion you can think of. While the nunchuck handles basic movement, and the buttons perform some standard punches, everything else uses the console's standout feature. To perform something as easy as a punt kick (to send cars careening across the screen), you need to flick the remote down and press A.
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