"Not-So-Smooth"

One of the main reasons I bought a Wii was for the insane multiplayer games that would no doubtedly be released for it. Since I had been such a huge fan of the Gamecube iteration of WarioWare, I figured that Smooth Moves would be a must-have game for the Wii (which is currently lacking in any good games past Twilight Princess). I rushed out on its released date and picked it up at my local Best Buy. I got it home, beat Single Player, unlocked multi-player, and got my friends to come over and play it based on my previous WarioWare experiences. Here is the review...

Single-Player/Story: 5/10
I gave this a 5 because I wasn't really expecting much in the first place. The story and random, illogical cutscenes allowed for a chuckle here and there - but it's really annoying that you're forced to watch every single acid trip cutscene. Outside of the cutscenes, story mode really sucks. It's the same as every other version of WarioWare - play microgames, beat a micro-boss, unlock a new batch of microgames. Rinse and repeat. But who plays WarioWare for the story mode?

Controls: 10/10
I'll give it to Nintendo - WarioWare has taken advantage of the Wiimote and its potential. This is the kind of innovativeness and creativity I'm expecting from my Wii games. There are over 20 different "forms" in the game in which you have to hold the Wiimote and/or Nunchuk. My personal favorite is "The Chauffer" in which you turn the Wiimote on its side and hold it like a steering wheel. Allows for some awesome minigames.

Sounds: 6/10
The beeps, whistles, and ear-piercing Japanese shrieks get very, very old after awhile. Though the tempo of the music and sounds speeds up as the tempo of the games get faster, so I guess you have to keep the audio on. Oh well.

Graphics: 5/10
I mean... WarioWare has never been a graphical powerhouse. But I'm almost inclined to say that I enjoyed Mega Microgames's graphics to these. There's not much to them. I am, however, glad Nintendo decided to use a FEW 3D graphics.

Multiplayer: 6/10
Mega Party Games's multiplayer mode was so good that it's the sole reason I bought the game. It made it worth the $50 price tag alone. However... Smooth Moves drops the ball here. You can only use one Wiimote/Nunchuk to play the games... meaning you have to pass it around between everyone who is playing. The multiplayer modes have also undergone a change (for the worse). Where we once had the insanity of "Outta My Way!" we now have the simplistic "Survival", where you just try to be the last person to lose a microgame. Where there used to be "Card-E Cards", we're now stuck with "Bomb", a game where you play a microgame, then pick the next person to pick a microgame and what form they have to use. It wouldn't be bad except when one person loses ONE microgame, the game is over. "Balloon" makes a return from Mega Party Games. The only half-decent multiplayer mode is "Lifeline", where players compete in 5 round games to determine rankings, then they play a Survivor-ish elimination style game where they cut each other's ropes. Last person with a rope wins.

All in all, it's very disappointing to see WarioWare take such a huge step down. Rent this game and see if you like it. I, personally, regret the fact that I rushed out so quickly to buy this. I'm sure I could've spent my money better. Oh well - at least I have Mario Party 8 to look forward to.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 01/17/07