Trying something different is always a challenge especially when you’re targeting a market that is very small on a platform that is very casual. With violence and innuendo littering the game, Mad World stands out even on the casual friendly Wii. While the bloody atmosphere is apparent it isn’t what the game is all about. Mad World is more then the beat’em up bloody fighter and makes murder more then just a sport. Using the Wii’s unique controls you’re in a game show that you would literally kill to be a part of. Let’s take a look at what makes Mad World such an entertaining piece of software.

While on the cover it may seem like Mad World has no less of a plot then any other mindless fighting game out there, that’s not the case here. Mad World sees you playing as the loner, Jack, who also happens to have a chainsaw arm, with a badass attitude that doesn’t take no for answer. You take part in a killing game show called Deathwatch. Your mission is to waste every dude you come across and survive as long as you can. As you move along through the game you’ll be learning the back story of the show and who’s backing the mindless event. There’s everything from a government conspiracy to even Jack having his own agenda for signing up. Though the plot may feel disconnecting at times, the comic-book style presentation helps put things in perspective, for the most part.

With cameras watching your every move and hordes of people watching at home, your job is to cause as much death and carnage as possible. That’s not hard considering every level has about everything you need to get the job done. It doesn’t take much to learn the game mechanics with a well integrated tutorial in beginning to help you along the way thanks to your sponsor. It’s off to the races as there are plenty of enemies and objects lying around to cause bloody harm. There are environmental hazards as well to make things easier. For every death inflicted combination you are rewarded with points. These points help you unlock new weapons, Bloodbath Challenge mini-games as well as the main story bosses. All the maps in the game are in open areas giving you an almost infinite amount of choices to choose from to kick off your killing. The emphasis on exploration plays a huge part on Mad World’s gameplay. With Jack’s chainsaw arm you’ll be inflicting so much death you wouldn’t know what to do with.

There is plenty of variety to be found in Mad World with a motorcycle level as you move further in the game gives you even more excitement in your kills. While at the beginning enemies don’t seem much of a challenge they do grow some brains during the later levels so don’t get cocky just yet. You can unlock hard mode after completing the game for the first time. There is also an unlockable Asia Town map as well as the zombie filled Halloween Town fright fest. With a multiplayer mode you’ll easily be able to relive the mini-games with two player split-screen. Thanks to the simplicity of the controls and over-the-top presentation, it’s just that alone that keep you moving in Mad World.

Thankfully, Mad World’s controls are easy to handle. With the waggle movements saved for special attacks, you don’t have to worry performing sick combos for doing something simple. Using the one-two combination of the A and B buttons you can easily perform punches and upper cuts. There is still work to be done when it comes to the boss fights, but you won’t actually get tired afterwards. The camera work is nicely done allowing for you to be able to lock on to enemies if need be though pointless for smaller enemies and only useful for boss fights. You can center the camera with the simple press of a button if you need too. There are times where you will be fighting with the camera but it’s on rare occasion. For instance you’ll miss a few grabs or throws here and there but that’s to be expected when you get excited to kill someone in an air vent.

Combos are a spectacle for the game and Mad World encourages everything it can throw at you. While you are allowed to stick with the basic two-button attacks, it’s not encouraged. There are items scattered everywhere for you to pick up like exploding barrels, street signs, tire rings and more. During the course of the level new weapons will be unlocked for you to hunt down and use. Because of this, these make for special moments that you’ll remember long after you shut off the game. The only way for you to move forward is to earn as many points as possible so don’t be afraid to use anything at your disposal to get there.

Creating a visual atmosphere is hard in an industry that has a lot in common with each other in new releases. Mad World is a game that strives for something different with the black and white art direction. Mad World is about as black and white, literally, as you can get. The animation still works well especially given the fact that it is presented comic-book style. With the game being based on a fictional TV show, there could be no other way to present the game. The characters are dynamic and interesting and always show a new side to them. The attention to detail is a big plus especially looking at the black and white world that you can’t leave anything out.

Considering that Mad World is an M rated game you have all kinds of hip hop and R&B music. The game is overly vulgar so those with children in the home that take the ESRB ratings to heart might want to check the game first before bringing it home. The language is a welcomed treat to the many games we see on the market today that keep their vulgar language to a minimum. The voice acting is very talented and enjoyable to listen too. Each character has there own personality and you really feel like you’re in that game show. The two commentators have their own taste and really spice up the action on the screen.

Mad World has its bloody nature and vulgarity going for it. The fact that Mad World is rated M for Mature is a plus in everyone’s mind for the casual friendly Nintendo Wii. There was nothing available during the Wii’s launch that was as prolific as Mad World is. Mad World is fun, fresh, a brawl of a fighter and with all the damage you can cause just exciting. Being based on a fictional TV show is always a plus as well.

If you’re a Wii owner you definitely don’t want to miss out on Mad World. The bloody brawler brings the type of class that you’ll find in Quentin Tarantino movies. It’s witty, sharp and has a plot that actually works and isn’t too cheesy. Although the adventure is short maxed to about 5 hours, it’s up to you if you want to revisit the city. There is a lot to do to keep one busy thanks to the added multiplayer. So, if you’re in need of an adrenaline rush don’t be afraid to throw in Mad World and savor in its bloody deluge of death and dismemberment.