GWN reports:
''First off, Helix is one of the largest game downloads I've had so far. Be prepared to possibly delete data or copy a number of games to your SD card because it takes up over 300 blocks of memory with additional blocks necessary to save your game. I ended up having to get rid of the Internet Channel, Nintendo Channel and a game save or two just to make room for this musical beast. Once downloaded, gamers are treated to a mix of Techno/Trance/Euro Dance Club beats and a start screen that reminds you of the visualizations from a music player or DJ screen projections. I must say that the music is bangin'! I absolutely loved it right from the start. And seriously, isn't that what you want from a rhythm/music game?
Helix's gameplay is pretty innovative since it consists of using two Wii remotes (one in each hand) and moving your arms to match the movements of the onscreen robot avatar. The game can be played with one Wiimote, but where's the fun in that? A timing bar floats above the robot's head and it's your job to hit the marks with some degree of accuracy. Well, at least that's the way it's supposed to work.''
GameCritics: "Helix is a new music game on the Wiiware channel, and I could easily imagine the discussion: "Hey, let's make a new game like Dance Dance Revolution! Except we'll focus on moving the hands instead of the feet." For those who've never had the pleasure, Dance Dance Revolution is a music game which uses a mat peripheral and lots of techno/trance music to get a gamer physically moving. Scrolling arrows show where to put the feet on the mat; the game features abstract movies and music videos in the background.
Similarly, Helix features techno/trance music (thankfully never as airy as Ian Van Dahl) and has scrolling indicators that show when to move. However, this game is about waving and groovin' with your arms. An onscreen guide shows the movements required by the player, and at the top of the screen, "move bars" scroll across to show when to perform those moves. It's a fairly simple concept to grasp, and for a music game, that's a good thing."
DS-X2: "Helix describes itself as 'one of the most innovative music rhythm games ever designed'. Whether that's true or not remains to be seen but we slipped on our dancing shoes and powered up the Wii. The question is 'can we dance any better now?'"
Helix is an interesting title that makes good use of what the Wii is capable of. If you have some money to spend in the Wii Shop Channel and you're tired of doing nothing but watching Strong Bad on the WiiWare, you might want to give Helix a try... just remember that it's best to have two Wii Remotes.
Gameplay: 8
Visuals: 6
Audio: 7
Value: 7
Quality: 7
