Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Future Games Show
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Future Games Show
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Best Prime Day deals
  • Battlefield 6
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2025
  • New Games for 2025
Don't miss these
Screenshot featuring Toad and Toadette from the Wii U version of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Games The 25 best Wii U games of all time
The GamesRadar+ logo sits in the middle of images from four games: Ninja Gaiden Ragebound in the top left, Skin Deep in the top right, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater in the bottom left, and Donkey Kong Bananza in the bottom right.
Games The best games to play in 2025, so far
Kirby and the Forgotten Land Star-Crossed World screenshot of Kirby looking up at a little starry character with Astronomer Waddle Dee (who wears a beret with star decals) and the blue chinchilla-like companion Elfilin
Platforming Games Just when I thought Kirby and the Forgotten Land couldn't get any better, Star-Crossed World on Switch 2 proved me wrong
Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza is the best Hulk game ever and makes me wish for the return of destruction-oriented sandboxes
Donkey Kong Bananza DK flying around a whirlwind
Donkey Kong By smashing together Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Donkey Kong Bananza has finally justified my Nintendo Switch 2 purchase
Luigi running from ghosts in Luigi's Mansion
Games The 25 best GameCube games of all time
Into the Unwell promotional screenshot of a duck in a brown eye mask and striped shirt raising a giant icecream over a collapsed enemy's head
Roguelike Games I'm an Alice Madness Returns stan, so this dark, classic Disney-tinged roguelike might be my next obsession after Hades 2
Hideo Kojima in Castle Crashers
Co-op Games You can now play as Hideo Kojima, Adam Sandler, and Link in Castle Crashers as new DLC finally opens up the Steam Workshop after 17 years, with results as chaotic as you'd expect
Best video game heroes
Games The 25 best heroes in games of all time
Henry Halfhead Indie Spotlight image
Puzzle Games There's nothing quite like Henry Halfhead, a possession puzzle sandbox where you can grow a tree, boil eggplant, and (allegedly) make toilet spaghetti
Super Mario Galaxy screenshot of Mario in his bee form, standing on a purple flower
Platforming Games 18 years after it initially released, I finally played Super Mario Galaxy for the first time on Switch 2, and I'm completely obsessed with one power up
UFO 50
Games Forget Virtual Console, the greatest tribute to NES gaming ever made is giving Nintendo Switch the retro library it deserves
Best Wii games: The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword screenshot.
Games The 25 best Wii games of all time
Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza review: "Destruction isn't just a flashy gimmick for the Minecraft generation, it's one of the best inventions Nintendo has had in years"
Racers ride over a stone paved corner in Kirby Air Riders, while Chef Kawasaki blasts Gooey and Meta-Knight drifts to the side, with the GamesRadar+ Autumn Preview frame
Kirby I played Kirby Air Riders and it's the perfect racer for players who've had enough of Mario Kart
  1. Games
  2. Action
  3. The Wonderful 101

The Wonderful 101 crapped a rainbow in our brains

Features
By Lucas Sullivan published 13 June 2013

As many colors as there are heroes

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

It's morphin' time

It's morphin' time

Platinum Games is known for its over-the-top, visually stimulating action sequences, which can utterly overload the senses in the best possible way. The Wonderful 101 retains this trademark extravagance while being fun for the whole family, and presents you with a world where gymnasts and mailmen can become the city's greatest heroes.

Our E3 demo had us racing against the clock to repel an alien invasion, bolstering our team of super citizens along the way. Everything about the gameplay comes back to the line-drawing mechanic, which determines the function of your heroic masked mob. For instance, when you see a group of panicked civilians, circling them in a line drawn with the GamePad screen or right analog stick will empower and recruit them in a technicolor burst of energy. We were surprised to see that every individual in your collective of champions can be inspected.

You can even promote any one of them to be the group leader, giving the aforementioned mailman a chance to shine. Each citizen specializes in one of the four weapon types: a red hand, green gun, blue sword, and pink whip. The larger your group, the cooler the results of your transformations. For instance, a right angle drawing typically produces a humongous green pistol. But when we went for firepower with a bigger army and gun-centric leader, our heroes morphed into the instantly recognizable Super Scope and blasted enemies into smithereens.

There's so much happening on screen at any given time, between your formation, roster, and approaching enemies--and all of it is drenched in a rainbow of colors that give the graphics a charming cartoon appeal. It's no walk in the park, either--certain aliens can take quite a beating until you figure out which weapon is most effective. With its fast pace and colorful visuals, The Wonderful 101 feels like part Pikmin, part Power Rangers, and all zany action. We approve.

Check out the following slides for additional images and more information.

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Main hero Wonder Red can use his giant hand formation to catch enemy projectiles and fling them back.

Main hero Wonder Red can use his giant hand formation to catch enemy projectiles and fling them back.

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
The whip made short work of this giant alien mech, ripping it apart piece by piece.

The whip made short work of this giant alien mech, ripping it apart piece by piece.

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Shoot your green pistol sideways for maximum coolness points.

Shoot your green pistol sideways for maximum coolness points.

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
Sword slashes can decimate slower enemies and deflect incoming bullets.

Sword slashes can decimate slower enemies and deflect incoming bullets.

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Up to five players can join the fight, though we haven't yet had hands-on with multiplayer.

Up to five players can join the fight, though we haven't yet had hands-on with multiplayer.

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
This tranformation appears to be a flan custard with a cherry on top. We think.

This tranformation appears to be a flan custard with a cherry on top. We think.

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
The scale of some alien encounters is utterly massive.

The scale of some alien encounters is utterly massive.

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
This spaceship houses a boss who's essentially blue Jell-O with an angry red core.

This spaceship houses a boss who's essentially blue Jell-O with an angry red core.

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Wonder Red can also shapeshift into a hang glider for maximum airtime.

Wonder Red can also shapeshift into a hang glider for maximum airtime.

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
When superheroes aren't saving the city, they enjoy gleeful trips down waterslides.

When superheroes aren't saving the city, they enjoy gleeful trips down waterslides.

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
CATEGORIES
Wii-u Platforms Nintendo
Lucas Sullivan
Lucas Sullivan
Social Links Navigation

Lucas Sullivan is the former US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+. Lucas spent seven years working for GR, starting as an Associate Editor in 2012 before climbing the ranks. He left us in 2019 to pursue a career path on the other side of the fence, joining 2K Games as a Global Content Manager. Lucas doesn't get to write about games like Borderlands and Mafia anymore, but he does get to help make and market them. 

See more Platform Features
Read more
Screenshot featuring Toad and Toadette from the Wii U version of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
The 25 best Wii U games of all time
 
 
The GamesRadar+ logo sits in the middle of images from four games: Ninja Gaiden Ragebound in the top left, Skin Deep in the top right, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater in the bottom left, and Donkey Kong Bananza in the bottom right.
The best games to play in 2025, so far
 
 
Kirby and the Forgotten Land Star-Crossed World screenshot of Kirby looking up at a little starry character with Astronomer Waddle Dee (who wears a beret with star decals) and the blue chinchilla-like companion Elfilin
Just when I thought Kirby and the Forgotten Land couldn't get any better, Star-Crossed World on Switch 2 proved me wrong
 
 
Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Bananza is the best Hulk game ever and makes me wish for the return of destruction-oriented sandboxes
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza DK flying around a whirlwind
By smashing together Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Donkey Kong Bananza has finally justified my Nintendo Switch 2 purchase
 
 
Luigi running from ghosts in Luigi's Mansion
The 25 best GameCube games of all time
 
 
Latest in Action
Best Assassin's Creed protagonists: A collection of several of the heroes in the Assassin's Creed games edited together.
Wary of US politics, Ubisoft reportedly canceled a Civil War Assassin's Creed where a former slave would become an assassin and fight the Ku Klux Klan: "They are making more and more decisions to maintain the political 'status quo' and take no stand"
 
 
Vice: Magic City Mayhem listing image with characters in comic panels
I picture Rockstar and Nintendo lawyers locking eyes as one bold dev creates slick Zelda meets GTA action game Vice: Magic City Mayhem – "You ain't gettin nowhere without yo s***. Take this"
 
 
Assassin's Creed Mirage
"Holy s***, jumping is back": After 11 years, Assassin's Creed Mirage brings back the parkour feature fans have been missing since Unity – a jump button
 
 
Director of snubbed 2024 game of the year Dragon's Dogma 2 says potato chips were key to the development and pacing of Devil May Cry 5 – and I'll be damned, Hideaki Itsuno, you've got a point
 
 
Hollow Knight: Silksong art of Hornet looking shocked
Silksong modders beat Team Cherry at sadism, lay the groundwork for the quest to beat the whole game as naked Hornet: "Her kick damage is like, 1/5 of a default nail"
 
 
Mina the Hollower
The actual biggest game of October, the Shovel Knight devs' Zelda-like Mina the Hollower, gets delayed as devs say it's "so close to being done"
 
 
Latest in Features
Hinako in This Monster Wants to Eat Me
My newest Crunchyroll obsession has filled the Summer Hikaru Died-shaped hole in my life
 
 
Pokemon Legends Z-A
Pokemon Legends: Z-A has got the shiny hunting sicko in me cautiously optimistic, but I hope the RPG doesn't repeat one of Scarlet and Violet's biggest mistakes
 
 
Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy screenshot showing a group investigating a crime scene where a body lays on the ground and green lights shine on it
If Baldur's Gate 3 and Pentiment were blasted into space, you'd get Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy – and after checking it out for an hour, I couldn't have plucked a better RPG from my dreams
 
 
A closeup on Atsu's face as blood splatters as Atsu slays an enemy in Ghost of Yotei with Takashi Miike mode on
PSA: These two hidden Ghost of Yotei settings give the action absurd levels of aura
 
 
Gen V
Gen V season 2 episode 6 explained: Is Annabeth a supe? Who is the burned-up man?
 
 
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon promotional image
The new Assassin's Creed Mirage DLC will have to wait, because I can finally play the Far Cry 3 expansion I missed out on 13 years ago
 
 
  1. Key art for Digimon Story: Time Stranger on the PS Store, cropped for a header, showing the cast of character standing in front of a montage of environments with Digimon around them
    1
    Digimon Story: Time Stranger review: "Finally in competition with Pokemon and Persona, this monster raising RPG is showing rapid evolution"
  2. 2
    This Star Wars board game is an excellent introduction to a whole galaxy of gaming
  3. 3
    Ghost of Yotei review: "One of the first PS5 games to feel truly boundary-pushing, this hyper violent samurai revenge quest truly hooked me"
  4. 4
    Hades 2 review: "Impeccable combat and flawless characterization across a huge roster make for a follow-up that surpasses even its excellent roguelike predecessor"
  5. 5
    EA FC 26 review: "Ultimate Team's huge, divisive changes have me torn – FIFA's successor has moved away from serving football purists"
  1. Tron: Ares
    1
    Tron: Ares review: "Misses out by swapping the Grid for the real world"
  2. 2
    One Battle After Another review: "One of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic"
  3. 3
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  4. 4
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  5. 5
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  1. Yelena Belova, Kamala Khan and Blade Knight in Marvel Zombies
    1
    Marvel Zombies review: "A fun expansion of the What If episode with delightful MCU Easter eggs and truly gross R-rated kills"
  2. 2
    Gen V season 2 review: "As strong as the first season, if not stronger"
  3. 3
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  4. 4
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."
  5. 5
    Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...