Wario Ware: Smooth Moves

Jan 23, 2007

The Wario Ware series has taken the act of playing a game to its fundamental level. When we play video games, we leap, shoot, roll, slide and punch our way through obstacles to clear the objectives set before us, be they bosses, nasty jumps, a high score or a time limit. In these collections, you play a series of mini-games that last no more than a few seconds, and the series coined the affectionate term 'micro-games' to really drive home that this is gaming at its most basic level. If Okami and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess are this medium's defining expressions of romanticism and modernist art, then Wario Ware is their minimalist counterpart.

What makes games fun? Is it the physical act of playing? Is it the sense of accomplishment one derives from winning? Is it something else altogether? Wario Ware bases its gameplay experience on constantly refreshing that feeling of excitement and exploration one derives when playing a game for the first time. It keeps things simple in Smooth Moves, as in the previous games, asking of you only a single gesture, a press of the button or a shake of the wrist. It's always new, because in the scant seconds of gameplay you'll experience with each micro-game, you've accomplished all there is, and now it's on to the next game. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves is like an experiment on gaming for those with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Your mind never has to stay focused on any one game, as you will experience a total sensory overload. You will be assaulted non-stop by colorful (even if nonsensical) imagery and simple commands that are relayed from eyes to hand and generated into responsive motion. This is what we like to call play.

Wario Ware: Smooth Moves will elicit a chuckle, a smile and even a proper laugh from any curmudgeon, if they can be convinced to give it a shot. The localization team and developers have done a great job at capturing the kind of comedic timing and irreverent attitude that has made Adult Swim and Jack Handey's Deep Thoughts so popular. This is particularly the case during the single player portion of the game, when you are first introduced to each form, the game's way of describing the methods with which the Wii remote controller should be manipulated. In a group setting, you'll need to follow the game's instructions and let go of your inhibitions, because it's quite impossible to keep a straight face while holding the remote in front of your nose like an elephant's trunk, or while doing squats with the remote held above your head like a Mohawk.

The micro-game collection here is robust, although considering their brevity, it will only take a few nights for you to play everything the game has to offer. The clever uses of the Wii controller abound. The paper sumo game, for instance, has you clapping on the remote with one hand to move your two-dimensional wrestler forward. Other games will have you set down the remote, only to snatch it up at the right time, like when answering a phone (you'll even hear the controller's speaker tell you "Heeeeey, what's up?"), or picking up your katana to de-pants an attacking ninja. There are even some subtle mind games going on here. When your command on screen tells you to "Drop it", are you trusting enough to actually drop the controller? I hope you followed the on-screen instructions and used the wrist strap.

Long time Nintendo fans will fall in love with 9-Volt's micro-games, as they pay homage to some of the most iconic games from video gaming's most famous treasure trove of franchises. You'll be slapping paws with the puppies from Nintendogs, bouncing Mario's noggin into coin blocks and even helping Link pull the Master Sword free in the Temple of Light. The boss battle for this collection is great fun as well, challenging you to play through a short stage of a classic from the Super Nintendo era.

The multiplayer games you can unlock are broken up into two types; those that incorporate the fast-paced micro-games, and party-friendly mini-games that offer a more extended experience. The micro-game challenges include the balloon bursting game that has been in previous iterations of the franchise, a bomb mode that allows you to pick what form the next player has to use in a game much like hot potato and also a survival mode that quickly eliminates anyone who fails at a single game. They all work pretty well, but don't contribute anything new that previous Wario Ware games haven't already offered.

One sore point here is that you need to complete the single-player game before the multi-player options are unlocked. This could be disappointing to groups of friends or families that pick this up at the store and want to come home to play together immediately. In the long run, however, it doesn't really matter. You'll get around to playing with friends soon enough. It's worth noting that you'll only need one remote controller and nunchuk to get everything out of the game, as it uses a hotseat system instead of multiple controller support. I'm sure many people will forego the wrist strap completely in multiplayer sessions, so watch out for your television sets.

The star attraction in the Smooth Moves' multiplayer offerings is the Lifeline mode, which can be great fun for up to five players. The way it works is that each player on screen (which looks particularly great if you have created Miis that resemble the players) takes a turn with the Wii remote, and must complete the micro-game. Successfully completing the game will earn you points, which are used to track who is in the lead of the race. If you come in first, you get first pick in the elimination game that comes after the race is over. Each Mii will be hanging from a series of ropes, and you get to choose what rope you'd like to cut on your turn. Some ropes are red, clearly showing what player they affect, and others are yellow, which could affect anyone. Consistently taunt your friends and family after winning, and don't be surprised if they all focus on cutting your rope down first. So the winner of the game in the end is not always the player who performs best at the micro-games, but could well be the player who's made the fewest enemies.

The other multiplayer games, those not making use of the micro-games, are plenty of fun in their own right. You won't have to go to the bar for a game of 301, since there's a decent darts game included for up to four players. Bungee buddies is an interesting game for two players where one holds the remote, and the other holds the nunchuk, effectively attaching the two players at the hip. You then have to jump over obstacles in a race over potholes and pit traps towards the finish line. As any kid with a trampoline will attest, jumping up and down can be a great workout. The most bizarre of these games has to be Star Nose. You and another player take control of nose-shaped spaceships that need to fly into disembodied fruits in order to win. One player holds the remote, the other the nunchuk, and each nose is controlled by tilting the respective controller. The Wario Ware staff really has some sort of infatuation with noses, nose picking, and nose hair. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it, but this particular game got a lot of laughs at the office.

On top of the micro-games and the multiplayer-specific games, you also have a collection of entertaining single-player games to spend your time on, once they've been unlocked. The can-shooting mini-game alone will probably keep you coming back for months. Other games you can play for extended periods include a third-person Balloon Fight remake that'll have you flapping like a ninny, another game where you balance falling blocks on your outstretched hand, a Simon Says styled game with red and white flags and a mash-up of table tennis and Arkanoid that works pretty well. They're simple, of course, but still quite fun.

I had a great time with Wario Ware: Smooth Moves, and you'll get a lot of value out of the game if you're the type that hosts parties or if you have a group of friends or family already that are enjoying games like Wii Sports or Rayman: Raving Rabbids together. There are some nice surprises in the package which I've tried to avoid spoiling, some particularly entertaining boss fights, and best of all, an excellent collection of games that can be played for longer than just a few seconds. If you've played previous Wario Ware games, then feel confident that while this may not be the best or most original entry in the series, it's still quite good. If you're new to micro-gaming, then be bold, take that first step, and don't look back. Hurry up, because it's my turn next.