Like a small blip on a radar screen, Endless Ocean (or Forever Blue as it is known in Japan) has been creeping across the Wii's launch timetable with very little fanfare, from either Nintendo themselves or the gaming press. However, despite this lack of coverage and promotion, does this diving simulator have the potential to become one of the Wii's killer apps?

Considering that 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, there has been a surprising lack of videogames exploring one of our planets most fascinating environments. It is here that Endless Ocean swims into view, offering us the opportunity to strap on an oxygen tank and jump in to the blue without leaving the comfort our armchairs. Like an interactive version of David Attenbourough's The Blue Planet, Endless Oceanwill be focussed on exploration and discovery – there will be no death matches here, but it should be an experience no less engaging than pulling a trigger to blow away the opposition.

On paper this scuba-'em up sounds pretty dull – assume the role of a diver, leap into the ocean and…well….swim about! Yet, despite this simple premise (and as anyone who has seen the game in motion will testify), Endless Ocean looks capable of surprising and astonishing gamers purely through its beautiful depiction of the undersea world.

Structurally the game will be fairly straightforward. Navigate your yacht to the required destination, prepare for the dive and then start exploring. For the Pokémon fanatic in all of us, there is the challenge of identifying and recording the wealth of sea life around you ('gotta catch 'em all!). There is also the opportunity to befriend and train dolphins and explore a myriad of hidden caves - you will never know what treasure will be around the next rock…..and what rocks they are.

Criticise the Wii's graphical prowess all you like, Endless Ocean is shaping up to be a truly beautiful game. From rays of light breaking through the watery depths, to the gliding elegance of a blue whale and skittish playfulness of diving penguins, developer Arika look to have crafted a game that will be able to mesmerise through its visuals alone. Submerging yourself in this salt-water paradise should prove to be the kind of relaxing and unique experience that the Wii was built for.

Endless Ocean has, in its brief public showings, managed to stir up a sense of intrigue that can be rare in a world of sequels and games that slot easily into genre conventions. The much underused ocean environment coupled with the simplicity of control offered by the Wii remote should make it a title capable of enthralling and surprising new and old gamers alike. Although there is a risk that it could prove to be nothing more than a glorified virtual aquarium, early indications are that Nintendo will deliver a game of depth and quality. Unfortunately we have to wait until November 9th to see if Nintendo and Arika's undersea adventure will haul up a treasure chest or leave gamers with a serious case of the bends!