E3 2006: Konami captures the Elebits @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on May 17, 2006

News: Zap the little buggers with the Wiimote!

As if you didn't already have to catch 'em all on enough games, Konami announced Elebits for the Wii at this year's E3.

Elebits sounds like a mix of Pokemon, Pikmin and Whac-A-Mole as players try to capture all the cute creatures known as Elebits.

I can't really do it justice, so here's what Konami had to say about the game.

Mysterious and tiny creatures, Elebits have been the source of the world's power for the past 10,000 years. In this world, there are no such things as gas, coal, or even nuclear power. There are many different breeds of Elebits, each with their own unique look and personality. While humans and Elebits have always lived in harmony, these friendly beings love to cause trouble, and it's up to players to track them down and put an end to their mischief.

Taking advantage of the unique functionality of the Wii controller, Elebits allows players to interact with their environment in all-new ways as they search for the diminutive power-generating creatures. Using a futuristic device, players can push, pull, lift and throw anything they come across to discover secret hiding places and obstruct escape paths for the Elebits. Players can devise their own strategy to round up the stray Elebits, using stealth to sneak up on them or creating noise to scare them out of concealed areas. As players capture Elebits and harness their power-generating abilities, numerous options and additional opportunities unfold to find even more Elebits in the ever-changing environment.

"The Wii's innovative controller allows us to explore new game concepts that were not previously possible, and Elebits reflects this new freedom of design with gameplay that is easy for gamers of all skill levels to enjoy," said Dennis Lee, Group Manager at Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "Introducing original gameplay elements, Elebits provides players with unprecedented control over the environment and a new level of freedom in choosing how to best accomplish their goals."

Elebits is scheduled to launch around the end of this year.