World of Goo - Reception

Reception

Both Wii and Windows versions of World of Goo received critical acclaim, holding an aggregate score from Metacritic of 94/100 and 90/100 respectively. On GameRankings, it holds an aggregate score of 92.27% for the PC. Eurogamer called World of Goo "Physics' latest, purest, and most brilliant gift." IGN said of the Wii version "World of Goo is an amazing WiiWare game that you simply must buy for this is exactly the type of software that needs both recognition and support", finding only minor fault with the camera controls and lack of a level editor. Nintendo Life gave the game 10/10, saying "Not only is World of Goo easily the best WiiWare release to date, it's also proof that you don't need a large development team or millions of dollars to create an outstanding video game." 1UP.com said "World of Goo isn't "just" anything—except, that is, one of just a handful of truly excellent original games for the Wii." Nintendo World Report criticized the "slow start" of the game, but otherwise praised it as "easily the best WiiWare game to date and, perhaps, one of the best this generation." Resolution Magazine referred to it as "an instant classic," awarding it 90%. Official Nintendo Magazine awarded the Wii version a score of 95%, claiming it to be "Virtually flawless".

World of Goo has won many awards. It won Best Independent Game from the Spike TV Video Game Awards show, and won six Wii-specific awards and one for the PC, including Best Puzzle Game, Best Artistic Design, Best WiiWare Game, Best New IP, Most Innovative Design, and Game of the Year from IGN. GameSpot awarded it as the Best Game No One Played. It was featured in Eurogamer's top 50 games of 2008 in the tenth slot. Peter Moore, the head of EA Sports, in a rant about FIFA 09 being missing from Eurogamer's list, commented that he was surprised World of Goo was included up so high in the list, despite not having played it. 2D Boy responded by saying they were honored that World of Goo had this much mainstream awareness, and that it derives sick pleasure from the "industry big-wig's indignant, self-righteous incredulity". In 2010, the game was included as one of the titles in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die.