Yuji Naka’s first game with Sega was Girl’s Garden, in which players control a girl collecting flowers in the countryside. While the game was popular at the time, Naka is best remembered for his work on such games as the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Nights into Dreams, and Phantasy Star Online. In 2010, he released a completely original game through his Prope studio, called Ivy the Kiwi?.We’re not sure about the significance of the question mark at the end of the title, but luckily the title transcends this initial quirk. Behind the title, you’ll find a unique and original platformer game, in both aesthetics and gameplay. The title stars a young baby bird named Ivyhowever, players do not control her directly. Instead, Ivy runs back and forth on her own, while players create and control vines to guide through the levels. This mechanic may seem strange to players looking for the same sort of controls as Sonic, but the game is forgiving enough that you’ll have time to get adjusted before it starts throwing anything too difficult at you. However, mastering the indirect guidance of Ivy is a must, since there are 100 levels in the game.Crows, rats, and spikes will try to block Ivy’s progress throughout the gamethese can be eliminated by either flinging Ivy into them or dropping a boulder on them. As you conquer each new challenge, you’ll see more of the game’s plot, presented in “storybook” form. That’s just how the actual levels look, tooas though you were playing through a beautifully-illustrated children’s story. The Wii has never been able to match its graphical powers with the PS3 or Xbox 360, but Ivy the Kiwi? proves that there’s still plenty of potential for creative designers.Ivy does feature a multiplayer mode, in which players can guide Ivy with or against each other. In the cooperative mode, each player adds vines to assist Ivy in her journey. In the competitive split-screen mode, players work to guide their own bird while “vine-blocking” their opponent.While 100 levels sounds like a lot, the game actually doesn’t take that long to complete. However, hardcore players can go back to collect the 10 red feathers in each level. Ivy the Kiwi? may leave us questioning its odd title, but as to whether it’s worth at least a rental, the answer is definitely “yes.”