In The Wonderful 101, you control a group of secret heroes plucked from their normal lives to save the world in a time of emergency. Will Wedgewood is a teacher at Blossom City Elementary School, but to some he is known as Wonder-Red, young secret combat service prodigy and soon-to-be leader of The Wonderful 100. Joining him in this elite group is Eliot Hooker, detective with the Los Angeles Police Department in his everyday life, and the man behind the mask of Wonder-Blue.

Each of the core characters in The Wonderful 101 are defined by their Unite Morph powers, which allow them to transform a group of heroes into objects, such as a giant fist called Unite Hand, a powerful blade by the name of Unite Sword, or even a firearm known as Unite Gun. All Unite Morph powers become more powerful depending on the number of heroes currently recruited, so make sure to keep an eye out for citizens crying “Help!” - adding them to your team will reinforce your unit as you battle the GEATHJERK invaders!

In-game, the Wii U GamePad controller acts as the hub for directing your heroes. By drawing shapes on the touch screen you can create Unite Morph powers, and an on-screen menu allows you to select which hero will be your team leader. Additionally, the Wii U GamePad acts as your eyes when entering buildings, with the action shifting to the touch screen, and the use of motion controls coming into play in order to look around your environment.

After successfully completing each operation, you can use the O-parts you have collected to purchase added powers and strengthen your armoury at secret bases called Wonderful Marts. From Unite Guts, a basic defensive move that encases the heroes in an almost indestructible pudding, to Unite Spring, which turns the heroes into a spring that allows them to quickly dodge or vault over attacks, these extra abilities will come in handy when taking on some of the more menacing members of the GEATHJERK forces.

Apart from the regular single-player Story Mode, the Wonderful Missions give you and up to four other players a chance to see how your scores match up against each other while battling the alien horde in several different arenas. You can also use the capture function to post your screenshots on Miiverse and show off your wonderful exploits.