[2][3] The Wii version includes a copy of a previous LucasArts game, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, as an unlockable.

The plot centers around Indy's search for the Staff of Moses, a journey which takes him to several locations including the Sudan, Panama, San Francisco, and Nepal.

The game incorporates a linear structure that includes puzzles to solve, obstacles to clear, and enemies that must be defeated through hand-to-hand combat.

Motion controls in the Nintendo versions (via the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, or the DS stylus, depending on the platform) allow the player to throw punches, use Indy's bullwhip, and perform a wide variety of actions.

On the console versions, Big Head mode, Henry Jones Sr., Tuxedo Indy, and Han Solo from Star Wars are unlockable.

[5] The story begins with Indiana Jones hunting for an ancient ram's head idol in the Sudan in 1939, which a Nazi expedition is also searching for.

After Archie tells Indy about the events that transpired, he decides to head for Panama, where Kingston found the Sphere years ago.

Indy manages to fend off the attackers (he also saves a village of Indians in the Wii and PS2 versions) and obtains the key to an ancient pyramid.

Indy travels through the ruined pyramid, which is based on the Mayan underworld, which leads to a hidden diary of Kingston's revealing details of the Staff of Kings, the artifact that Moses used to part the Red Sea.

Indy then sneaks onto the Nazis' zeppelin, the Odin, and rescues Maggie, but is unable to prevent Magnus from fatally shooting Kingston and using the Staff to clear a path through the Red Sea.

[9] The story was devised by producers and team members at LucasArts who then took it to Indiana Jones filmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg for input.

[8][16][17] LucasArts also partnered with Pixelux Entertainment to use its Digital Molecular Matter (DMM) technology in the game, increasing the realism of its environments.

[23] That year, LucasArts transferred much of its development team from the Indiana Jones game to work instead on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

[28][29][30] These versions use the same storyline as the canceled game, and were designed to take advantage of each platform's capabilities, such as the Wii's motion controls and the DS' touchscreen.

For the Wii version, Artificial Mind and Movement suggested the inclusion of Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (1992) early on in development.

IGN praised its interface, graphic effects, number of extras, interactive levels, and varied gameplay, but criticized its "stupidly implemented motion controls".

Club called the motion controls "inexcusable" and stated the game's best aspect was the inclusion of the point-and-click adventure Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis.