Just about everyone expects that videogames based on movies aren't going to be particularly good, but sometimes a movie game comes out that you really want to like. Such is the case with Pixar games. The movies are so darn good, chock full of colorful characters and interesting locales. Why wouldn't you want to step into the shoes (or wheels or flippers or paws or treads) of a beloved Pixar character? Okay, maybe the other Pixar games weren't all that hot, but maybe this one will be the exception.
That was the hope going in to WALL-E. The movie is outstanding, and if the game were half as charming as its source material, you'd be in for a good time. Unfortunately, this game seems eager to remind us that we can go ahead and continue with our negative assumptions about movie-based games. Though not a bad title by any stretch of the imagination, WALL-E ends up being about as average as a game can get.
Like the film, the game begins with the little trash-compacting robot all alone on a trash-filled future Earth. As he's the only "living" thing left on the planet (save his cockroach buddy), there aren't any enemies to fight in the first few levels. Instead, your goal is to simply navigate the often hazardous environment and collect items along the way.
To get through the stages, you'll need WALL-E's ability to create trash cubes from random piles of garbage or vending stations. There are four types of cubes to create, each with its own purpose. The Simple Cubes are the most common, but they're only useful for tossing at switches. Heavy Cubes make a bigger impact when tossed, allowing you to knock over large objects. Charge Cubes power up energy beacons (usually to activate a machine), and they explode a few seconds after they're tossed. Finally, Magnet Cubes attract and repel certain objects in the world.
The multiple cubes are a nice concept, but not enough is done with them. Switching between different cubes for different occasions would have added an interesting puzzle element to the game, but as it is, the proper cube dispenser is usually right by the area where you need to use it. With no strategy in using the cubes, gathering and tossing them quickly becomes a chore. You'll also get quite tired of the slightly-too-long-for-its-own-good animation of WALL-E scooping trash into his body, compacting it, and tossing the completed cube up over his head.