Innocent and unassuming, it’s normal to believe Wario Land Shake It! is forgettable. Its 2-D style is taken from gaming’s past, and its head bouncing mechanics have been done by Nintendo countless time prior. What’s not acceptable is to take this at its base level and dismiss it purely on how it looks. This is Nintendo’s brightest, smartest, and most beautifully designed Wii game to date, and that includes Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Everything about Shake It! is a part of what Nintendo used to be about. Level design here is key, making this a nearly flawless game for newcomers and die-hard alike. The hidden items are not necessary to advance, and allow for a casual approach to the stages. For the completionist, Shake It! offers a staggering amount of content and replay value, easily topping that of the classic Mario games of old.
Puzzles are logical and a joy to figure out. They never feel as if they’re included to simply impede progress or pull the gamer’s attention away from the repetition. There is no repetition. Every level is a fresh piece of design with moments and small touches that serves only to bring a smile to your face. That’s what helps take this spectacular platformer to the next level, and ensuring this is the best Wario effort across all platforms.
The story, a usual routine of platform gaming’s “save me from this evil person” isn’t a downer. The anime inspired cut scenes are animated well, although the lack of voice (short of a few grunts) remains an annoyance with Nintendo titles in general. The splendid animation carries over to the main game as well. Wario’s sprite is huge, filled with zany facial expressions and countless frames to make even Wario’s simple looking walk is special. It’s a shame the game is confined to a 4:3 frame on a 16×9 display however.
Shake It!, of course, refers to the motion controls. During standard platforming levels, they serve a few purposes, none of them getting in the way of having a great time. Shaking bags of money, enemies, or a captives cage to release them is always a blast.
The accompanying animation is easy on the eyes, and the control is responsive. A quick thrust down on the controller releases a strong punch on the ground, defeating foes, moves barriers, or crushes blocks. Enemies and objects can also be grabbed and thrown, with the Wii Remote becoming an aiming device by shifting it side to side.
Motion controls become gratuitous during submarine stages. These are a throwback to Super Mario Land’s underwater levels, and unfortunately, using the motion to shift the sub’s aim is unnecessary. It’s possible and hardly frustrating, but it’s a small chip in this title’s otherwise nearly impenetrable armor.
At the end of each level (barring the submarine), you’ll need to escape the stage within a time limit. This serves multiple purposes. First, it creates an extra layer of tension. Should you fly through, the extra time afforded makes it seem pointless. However, if you take the time to discover all the hidden treasure that can only be found when rushing to the end, it takes on an entirely new purpose. You lose all of your treasure earned if you don’t make it in time.
Secondly, they reinforce how spectacular the level design is. They work going in, and at times, they work even better when going out. The alternate paths that open are a cop out, but the majority of the time, you’re traversing the same stage with only minor alterations.
Shake It!’s final piece towards its destined to be classic status is the music. The sheer amount of new themes is staggering, and each one carries a fantastic, catchy beat that suits the stage you’re in. It’s a valuable asset to the game, and it wouldn’t be the same without it.
While it’s undoubtedly easy to write Shake It! off as a blatant and generic platforming title that’s been done before (as many will likely do), the genre enthusiast should be completely engrossed. There’s so much to see and a mesmerizing amount of things to do, fully appreciating this game will take time. It deserves multiple play throughs (necessary to find everything) to be fully appreciated. Those that donate their time will realize what a truly classic platformer this is.
Tags: wario land shake it, wii locate, wii would like to play, wiimote
