Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident launches on Wii

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a Nintendo Event where they featured their newest game for the Wii–Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident.  This is the series debut on the Wii Console and features multiplayer modes, layered hidden-object puzzles and a mystery storyline.  My first thoughts were that this is truly a game my husband, myself and my 4 year old could enjoy together.  In short, it’s like an interactive “I Spy”.  Words come up on the screen and you try to find the objects hidden in the picture.  We can simply read out to her the objects we’re searching for and she can have fun helping us search for them!  I know when my 6 and 9-year-old nieces come over, the 3 of them are going to have a GREAT time with this. The graphics are excellent, and it’s been fun trying to seek out each object hiding in plain site! Can you find the spatula in the picture below?  How about a key?

The game is more than just hidden pictures.  There is an entire mystery story that develops as you unlock each level by solving puzzles like this.  If you only have time for shorter periods of game-play, MCF has multi-player games where you are pitted one against the other to find as many objects as you can, as quickly as you can.  This part was the most fun for me, although I clearly still need some practice!  This will be an easy game for your friends and family to pick up.  There’s no quick clicking of buttons, no sudden movements you need to make at all.  Just point the Wii remote on the object, click the “A” button to select the object, and you’re set!  The timed games would be better-suited for a more grown-up party…perhaps having your girlfriend’s over, making a signature cocktail, kicking back on the couch and let the games begin!

BUY IT: On their website for $29.99!

-Heather (p.s. special thanks to Elizabeth at Traded My BMW for a Minivanfor letting me know about this event.  Her blog rocks…check it out!)

Here’s more information on the game provided by Nintendo
The rich mystery and puzzle-solving fun of Big Fish Games’ Mystery Case Files™ game series soon will be available on the Wii™ console for the first time. With the June 27 launch of the Mystery Case Files™: The Malgrave Incident™ game – available exclusively for Wii – players can enjoy a mysterious adventure in their own living rooms, as well as test their sleuthing skills together with up to three friends in new multiplayer modes. Solo or as a group, players of any experience level can solve their way through a series of fun hidden-object puzzles as they uncover the secret behind the peculiar purple substance scattered across the enigmatic Malgrave Island.

Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident follows a wealthy recluse named Winston Malgrave who claims to have made an extraordinary discovery. His private island is home to a strange dust that may have the power to cure many of the world’s ailments. When he requests the aid of the master detective of the Mystery Case Files detective agency to help him save his beloved wife, Sarah, he opens the door into a world of shadowy intrigue and closely guarded family secrets. Is there more to this eccentric client’s case than meets the eye?

Using the Wii Remote™ controller, players must explore Malgrave Island and solve multi-layered hidden-object puzzles to advance the story. They can play the main adventure on their own or cooperatively with up to three friends. For another layer of fun, players can choose from three competitive multiplayer modes: in Swift Pick, players must find certain hidden objects before their opponents do; in Tick Tick Pick, they must find a hidden object and pass the ticking time bomb to an opponent before it explodes; in Classic Pick, whoever finds the most hidden objects is the winner. Additional controllers are required for multiplayer modes and are sold separately.

“Anyone who loves puzzle games or great detective stories will savor Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident from start to finish,” said Cindy Gordon, Nintendo of America’s vice president of Corporate Affairs. “The ability to play with or against others makes it easy for friends and family to throw a mystery party anytime they want.”

Each hidden-object scene in Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident comes with a list of objects that players must locate. For the first time in the Mystery Case Files series, scenes have three visual layers, inviting players to scroll and zoom with the Wii Remote as they search for objects. Each scene also contains a special inventory item that allows players to access new areas of Malgrave Island and solve additional puzzles. An on-screen hint button can also be used to highlight the area around hard-to-find objects.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wii.

For more information about Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident, visit http://mysterycasefiles.nintendo.com.

* We did not receive monetary compensation for this review. That’s IT Mommy did attend the mentioned event and receive a copy of the game. This will in no way sway our opinion of the product or service.
 The review is in our own words and is our opinion. Your results and opinions may differ.