World of Goo is a puzzle video game developed and published by independent game developer 2D Boy. The game was released on Microsoft Windows and Wii platforms on October 13, 2008, with releases on Nintendo Switch, Mac OS X, Linux, and various mobile devices in subsequent years. A physics-based puzzler, World of Goo has the player use small balls of goo to create bridges and similar structures over chasms and obstacles to help other goo balls reach a goal point, with the challenge to use as few goo balls as possible to build this structure.
World of Goo released on GOG.com!
The game is built around the idea of creating large structures using balls of goo.[4] The game is divided into five chapters, each containing several levels. Each level has its own graphic and musical theme, giving a unique atmosphere. There is also a bonus meta-game called World of Goo Corporation, where the objective is to build the highest tower using goo balls which the player collected through the course of the game. Players from all over the world can compete, as the height of the tower and number of goo balls used are being constantly uploaded to the 2D Boy server.
The main objective of the game is to get a requisite number of goo balls to a pipe designed to represent the exit. In order to do so, the player must use the goo balls to construct bridges, towers, and other structures to overcome gravity and various terrain difficulties such as chasms, hills, spikes, windmills, or cliffs. There are several types of goo balls in the game, each of which has unique properties. The player must exploit combinations of these goo balls in order to complete each level. Extra goos recovered in the pipe are pumped through to World of Goo Corporation, a sandbox area where the objective is to compete with other players worldwide by building the tallest tower possible.[5] Players can also try to achieve the "Obsessive Completion Distinction Flag" for each level by completing the level under more stringent criteria, such as collecting a larger number of Goo balls, finishing under a set amount of time or using as few moves as possible.
World of Goo is split up into four chapters and an epilogue, each containing a number of levels. The chapters are set over the course of a year in the World of Goo. Each chapter takes place over one season, beginning in the start of summer, and ending at the end of spring the next year.[note 1] The 4th chapter is seasonless, and is set in a virtual world. Levels and chapters in the game are interspersed with cut scenes.
In an interview the developers stated that the retail version released in Europe would receive an additional sixth chapter, set on the Moon.[7] Few details were disclosed, but reportedly this chapter would have featured a freeform sandbox mode, similar to that of the World of Goo Corporation. This addition was canceled for Wii when 2D Boy announced they were releasing the game on WiiWare in Europe
In the second chapter, more pipes appear in a hostile wasteland where World of Goo Corporation turns out to be searching for a new power source due to wind power not being sufficient anymore. However, the location and appearance of the power source was forgotten, because in the past, it stopped producing electricity.[note 2] A new Goo Ball is introduced, which is ground up by the Corporation into a facial cream. Near the end of the chapter, the power plant, which looks like a giant woman, is discovered. It is revealed that for many years, its remarkably powerful "beauty juice" powered the world. Yet with age, her beauty and consequently her electric output began to die. However, unrefined beauty goo was injected directly into her forehead, as to restore her youthful beauty once more. At the expense of her ability to move her face, power was restored to the entire world. With this newfound energy, World of Goo Corporation was able to open a factory, aiming to complete their most compelling new product.
During the third chapter it is said that the Corporation is developing a mysterious "Product Z." It eventually turns out that the mysterious Product Z is actually the third dimension (Product Z is the Z axis in mathematics). This causes much commotion amongst the general population who cannot see where anything is now. World of Goo Corporation tells them to contact tech support in the information superhighway after mankind, all animal and plant life becomes rendered "incompatible with the world".
In the fourth chapter the Goo Balls set out to find the mysterious "MOM" program amongst a vector style environment. Shortly after the beginning the Goo Balls find the object responsible for rendering all the graphics. After pumping many of their own kind into the object, the graphics rendering improves, creating a more realistic environment (and the Pixel Goo Balls). Near the end they encounter MOM's computer, who turns out to be a spam bot, and supplies the Goo Balls with an "undelete" program. The Goo Balls try to overload Product Z by sending every message in the history of spam to everyone at World of Goo Corporation. After venturing to the Recycle Bin and un-deleting everything, World of Goo Corporation receives the mail and, unable to deal with so much spam and mail, explodes, shutting down Product Z while creating a massive layer of smog, dust, smoke and debris that envelops the entire world.
In the final chapter, it is revealed that all Goo Balls, except "scientifically pure" ones, have been sucked away to the "Tower of Goo Memorial Park and Recreation Center". The remaining Goo Balls decide to work their way up the world's tallest island to reach a site where the telescope is located. The final level of the game reveals that the Goo Balls are now completely extinct, all the remaining having been sucked away to the shattered remains of World of Goo Corporation and added to the tower, and the gigantic telescope at the site has been rendered useless as it cannot see past the layer of smog. The Sign Painter reveals in his final sign that he has now become the Telescope Operator. Some balloon-like fish in the sea connect to the telescope and lift it out of the ground, where it breaks through the layer of smog and sees the tower of goo that has been built at the former World of Goo Corporation Headquarters, which can also see past the smog. The telescope falls back to earth before it could see what the Goo Balls were building towards. A final and last cutscene reveals their goal; the camera pans up into space to reveal that the Goo Balls that escaped at the end of Chapter 1 have managed to reach a far-off planet populated entirely by Goo Balls.
World of Goo was released both for Windows and WiiWare in North America on October 13, 2008.[14] The Mac OS X version was released on November 2. The Linux version was released on February 13, 2009.[15] After the initial release, 2D Boy announced a bonus patch called "Profanity Pack", which would "[replace] the normal voices in the game with naughty words." The patch would be made available to users who pre-ordered the game.[16] The patch was never released.[17]
For the game's European release in December, 2D Boy depended upon the community to translate and localize World of Goo into the appropriate languages, including Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish.[citation needed] During the 2009 D.I.C.E. Summit, Nintendo announced that it would publish World of Goo in Japan during the second quarter of 2009;[19] the game was released on April 21, 2009, under the title Planet of Goo (グーの惑星, Gū no Wakusei).[20]
According to 2D Boy, Epic Games reached out to them to release World of Goo as a free promotional title on the Epic Games Store. The developers decided to use this opportunity to create an updated version for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, incorporating changes and improvements made from the console versions. This includes supporting widescreen and higher resolutions that have become the normal since the game's original release, and stripping out the game's digital-rights management to make it amendable to modding. These updates will be offered free to users on other digital storefronts like Steam and GOG.com, with the patches to be released around the same time that the Epic Games Store promotion starts in May 2019.[24][25]
The song "World of Goo Beginning" was created with the intention of resembling Libertango by Ástor Piazzolla. "Regurgitation Pumping Station" was originally written for a friend's short film about going on a date with the devil. "Threadcutter" was originally written for a game called Blow which Gabler made available on his site. "Rain Rain Windy Windy" was originally written for the soundtrack for a short children's film, commenting that writing children's music is difficult. "Jelly" was originally written for a short film about a virtual reality world. "Burning Man" was written for a friend's drama/mystery series. He made it by recording two friends singing single notes, and then using a keyboard to make it sound like a choir. "Cog in the Machine" was originally written for another game of his called Robot and the Cities who Built Him.[26]
The game originally released for PC and Nintendo Wii in 2008 and became critically acclaimed for its physics-based puzzles. World of Goo was then ported to Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and released on the Nintendo Switch in 2017 with UI and graphical improvements.
Originally released back in 2008, World of Goo still stands as one of the best contenders in the physics-based puzzler genre. Having brought home multiple awards, users on the Epic Games Store can now get the chance to test their mettle in this puzzler for absolutely no cost to them.
Joshua holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and has been exploring the world of video games for as long as he can remember. He enjoys everything from large-scale RPGs to small, bite-size indie gems and everything in between. 2ff7e9595c
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