World of Goo

World of Goo ranks among the foundational titles of the modern indie scene, and it arrived on Wii U as an updated version for the eShop, years after its original release on WiiWare. The game's principle is simple - the player builds structures out of sticky, physics-simulated Goo balls that stick to each other and to the surrounding terrain, trying to get enough balls to a target pipe, while the structure often has to arch over chasms, sway in the wind, or bear its own weight before collapsing. Each chapter adds new types of Goo balls with different properties - some are fragile and pop at a touch, others explode or change gravity - which gradually deepens the puzzle and building element and forces the player to think about structural stability like a real builder.

The graphic style combines hand-drawn backgrounds with dark, grotesque humor and subtle social satire aimed at corporate culture and consumerism, embodied by the fictional corporation WOGC. The music accompanying each world is melancholic, even wistful, giving the game an unexpectedly emotional undertone that contrasts with its outwardly playful graphics. On Wii U the game can also be controlled via the GamePad, which makes precise placement of balls with a finger or stylus easier, and the touch controls give building structures a more natural, tactile feel than a mouse or controller.

At the time, the game was repeatedly highlighted as an example of how a small independent studio can create a game with above-average design and emotional content. World of Goo is still cited today as one of the most influential indie games ever, often mentioned alongside other pioneering titles that showed small teams can compete with big studios through creativity rather than budget, and its presence on the Wii U eShop was a welcome proof that the console had room for smaller, auteur titles alongside big first-party games, and even years after its original release the game still offers some of the best-tuned physics puzzles ever made.

Why play it: For fans of physics-based puzzles, this is one of the most influential indie games ever, whose carefully tuned levels hold up even years after release.