Review: WarioWare: Smooth Moves (Wii)

In a world of involving adventures, epic RPGs and time-eating online games, it's nice to have a bite-sized gaming fix to fill those smaller gaps in one's busy daily schedule, and Nintendo's latest instalment of the WarioWare franchise once again fulfills that role admirably. While the GBA, Gamecube and DS versions have all been great, it seems the Wii is the franchise's natural home; with the remote being so accurate and the game being so eager to cause players to lose their inhibitions during play, it surely is a match made in heaven. And the good news is that it works. It works very well indeed.

The story (as it can only loosely be described) begins with Wario being led to an abandoned shack on the outskirts of Diamond City, where he finds the 'form baton' - a device that enables him to make all manner of things happen by performing actions. Of course, the form baton is the game's representation of the Wii remote, and all the player need do is follow instructions on how to use it. Things start off with the natural way to hold the remote (pointing it at the screen), where you find yourself sautéing food, saving falling women and shooting cans - all of which is simple enough. It's when you complete Wario's beginner games and move onto other characters' challenges that the true potential of the remote's motion sensing is realised.

Unlike previous WarioWare games, you are told roughly what to expect before each game begins, so you know how to hold the remote (be it like an umbrella, finger food or against your face like an elephant's trunk). Once ready, you're then given the usual instruction - shake a banana, turn a key or collect apples - and, the further you progress, the quicker the game gets, making you switch forms faster and faster. In multiplayer games, this feature develops into a heated match of pass-the-parcel.

Perhaps wisely, Nintendo have decided to make the multiplayer option available to everyone without the need for a second remote. The control is passed between players as the game decides. There is no pattern, which usually leads to competitive players grabbing the remote as soon as possible so as not to screw up their turn. It works well, and really involves everyone in the game. Darts is available too, which requires a bit of practice at first, but works very well once you've put some time in. As the standard modes are played, more are unlocked, including some that require the nunchuck. These games allow two people to play head-to-head or cooperatively, with an amusing nose race and a game which asks players to jump obstacles together.

Sadly, WarioWare isn't without its problems. It may contain over 200 micro games, but it won't be too long before you've seen them all, eliminating further surprises. Gamestyle played through each inhabitant of Diamond City's games in just over an hour (not including a further play through to unlock some leftovers and boost some of the scores). It was at this point we unlocked the multiplayer mode. Yes, the multiplayer option isn't available from the start. This will surely disappoint anyone expecting to jump straight into it with a group of friends. This is a puzzling inclusion, though admittedly not exclusive to this game. Surely, forcing a player through the game on their own first causes an imbalance in multiplayer games, as they'll have more idea of what to expect.

These flaws do little to dampen the appeal of WarioWare. It manages to ramp up the sense of humour and simplistic graphics of the earlier games, making for some truly strange experiences. We found ourselves laughing at rocket-powered noses, a gorilla putting a t-shirt on a man and watching our friends scrub a cow's arse. It may not be the kind of high art Gamestyle usually appreciates, but it makes the grade because it's a game that pokes fun at itself, and lets everyone join in on the madness. If you want to see your mates hula, pump up a balloon or shoot Godzilla in the nose, you won't find a better title than this. Just remember one thing: don't hold back.

Rating: 8 / 10

Words by Dan Gill