Genre: Mini-Games
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Developer: Hudson Soft
Release Date: May 12, 2009

Earth is in trouble! Something is about to cause mass extinction, and you have to stop it ... by making lots of money to buy items to defend it.

Yeah, I know. I can't take this seriously either, no matter how hard I try. Hudson's creation, Help Wanted, is just too "out there" by design, even in this early preview build, for it to be taken in any way besides utter bewilderment and humor — and it all seems completely intentional.

Help Wanted has the player doing various job-themed mini-games by using the Wii Remote to do things like roast kebobs, juggle, and net fish. While the final game promises 50 of these mini-games, the nine mini-games demonstrated in our build show signs of capturing just the right balance of quirkiness and distinctiveness to interest just about anyone who's interested in mini-game collections.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the game is its balance of rules and styles. Of the nine mini-games played, all had consistent score payouts that suited their difficulty, and all showed a clear emphasis on player skill and various forms of thinking. Whether you're flipping kebobs on a grill to cook them properly or juggling as many as seven balls (with someone else randomly holding one to throw off your timing!), the title consistently builds challenges. Some mini-games operate on the traditional method of doing your best within the provided time/distance (90 seconds seemed to be the common length). Other mini-games have the player trying to last as long as possible, with no limit in sight — other than the tiredness of your arms and the slowly increasing difficulty level.

Since the title features the typically quirky Japanese design, some ordinary tasks are paired with insane scenarios, such as being a racing tailor who tries to complete a sewing job at record speed, or being a professional bodybuilder as an elderly woman — and, yes, that means posing in spandex. I'm wondering what Hudson has cooked up to top that in the final retail version.

The graphics are very simplistic and cute, reminding me more of ancient PS1 game Incredible Crisis than anything else, in the menu style and character appearance. Cartoonish, bright and expressive, the graphics almost seem as if someone built the character models and menus and designed everything else after that, one mini-game at a time, to produce a consistent yet varied style. Sounds were surprisingly rather muted, while music stayed lighthearted and bright.

If the rest of the mini-games hold up nearly as well as the nine presented in the preview build, and the game doesn't intrude on the basic fun, then Help Wanted could turn out to be a new hit for Hudson. Now, if you'll pardon me, I need to do some manly poses for a quick buck.