Wario Land: Shake It!

"Hop Into Your Purple Pants and Jiggle Into a Great Title"

Some people think that WarioWare titles are better than Wario Land, and I would disagree. This game just locked my opinion of Wario Land games. I mean, it's great on its own (with some flaws, of course), but along with all of the extra challenges, such as treasures and missions, it fills my Saturday afternoon boredom.

Gameplay: 10/10 Wario Land: Shake It! goes beyond the limits of regular platforming by utilizing those two important words: motion control. You can control vehicles, shake moneybags, and free random, floating fairies from barrels. You also get your fix of old-school platforming, as the rest of the game is very old-school. The motion controls just work and never feel like a tacked-on, last-minute thought. Extra challenges like three treasures in a level or the 3-7 often gruelling missions in a level put the meat on the meat on the bones.

Story: 3/10 Yes, it's true, Wario Land: Shake It! has practically no story. What you do get of story is hilarious. From a green queen to a bling king, Wario sets off to save the queen!! And yes, it's all about the reward. Both the opening and ending movies are extremely funny, and purchasable at the shop.

Music: 8/10 The music here turns a flat plain into an enemy-ridden madhouse. Okay, maybe the enemies were there before, but you get my point. The music in this game is awesome, and is the motivation to complete the game's toughest trials; completing all preset missions in a level unlocks that stage's soundtrack. Also, when you free a Merfle, often there will be a remix to the background music.

Graphics: 10/10 These graphics are among, if not are, the Wii's best. They are hand-drawn and animated, as opposed to pixelated. I don't know who the game's artist was, but their work belongs in the Museum of Natural Awesomeness.

Play Time/Replayability: 6/10 Don't get me wrong, the play time is great if you want to collect everything, but start to finish is 6 hours at max. You may find it replayable, but maybe that's just me (I love collecting). The time for 100% completion is about 30 hours, unless you're like me and suck at the missions.

In short, buy this game if you're looking for an offbeat, old-school platforming experience, or if you're a completionist. Don't buy it if you want the next 80-hour blockbuster, 'cause this ain't it.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/03/08

Game Release: Wario Land: Shake It! (US, 09/22/08)