Metareview -- Wario Land: Shake It! (Wii)

by Randy Nelson { Sep 23rd 2008 at 12:40AM }

Mario's evil Twinner, Wario, would have been right at home in the "Me Generation" of the '80s, where, as Charlie Sheen's Gordon Gekko pronounces in Wall Street, "Greed is good!"

The rotund, gassy, gold-obsessed anti-hero spends his latest adventure – and first platforming outing on Wii – seeking out riches with the aid of several Wiimote-centric play mechanics, including – you guessed it – shaking the controller. Here's how its mix of novel controls and 2D visuals (which you can see for yourself in these videos) shook reviewers:

IGN (84/100): "A really fun experience thanks to excellent control and fantastic level designs, not to mention a beautiful visual presentation."
Nintendo Power (80/100): "There's some great puzzle solving and a lot of visual and gameplay variety among the levels, and it has the kind of fun controls that make you want to pick up the controller just to run around. In a gaming season that appears short on epic hardcore games, Wario's latest-and possibly best-treasure hunt is worth its weight in gold."
Eurogamer (70/100): "A game which is good, but not great, and certainly not up to the standard of Nintendo's best 2D platformers."
Edge (60/100): "Nintendo is famed for sprinkling around mechanics other developers would build entire games on, but here the effect is quite irritating."

Tags: metareview, nintendo, wario, wario-land-shake-it

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

tmacairjordan87 @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:46AM

Those are around the scores I was expecting for this game. It's just a solid little time waster for a day or two, not some mega AAA game that some nintendo fans were making it out to be.

T3kNi9e @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:53AM

Agreed, I have good judgment for games and I said the same thing when I still had my Wii. People were telling me how good Warioland looked and comparing it to other games that Sony/MS were releasing and it just doesn't compare. Of course I was called a Wii hater, but whatever, only time will tell and once again I was right.

Nintendo needs something that pushes it's borders, Mad World seems to be the best thing coming to the Wii soon. I think the Conduit will be mediocre also...

Noshino @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:57AM

I don't know dude, I don't really think that Warioland was seen as a AAA title, after all, well...have you played the GameBoy ones?

tmacairjordan87 @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:01AM

I played the first one way back in the day, I think it was back on the original game boy and this game reminded me exactly of that one except with somewhat gimmicky motion controls thrown in so it can be called a wii game.

Also, this was one of the games nintendo fanboys were throwing at us when we were saying there's almost nothing to play on the wii this year. I consider that hyping it up to be more than what it is.

Mr Khan @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:09AM

You act like the game would be beneath people's notice if it were on PS360, which is untrue

Jack of No Trades 85 @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:26AM

Mr Khan

Do you honestly think this game would take LBP, Fable 2, COD WW, Gear 2 & Resistance 2 out of the spot light?

Yes this game is a great looking 2D game, but you really can't say it is a AAA title all around.

Mr Khan @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:31AM

I didn't say it could "take on" those titles, that would be delusional of me

But, in a one-console world, this game would still be worthy of notice. It's not something you see all too often (outside of the 360's Arcade August), the fun, the beauty, whatever

Nintendo has no real AAA title for this holiday season, sadly, but it does have games worth buying, and worthy of note

Mr Chain @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:32AM

Ahh hell, tmacairjordan87 started his Sony fanboy self with some Nintendo bashing today.

SKI @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:31AM

For Warioland fans like myself, it is a AAA title that I will play for years to come.

deaftly @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:24AM

@Mr. Kahn

Just curious which Wii titles do you plan on buying the next couple of months because honestly I don't see myself buying any.

Mr Khan @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:33AM

Wario Land today, debating Samba (since rhythm games are very hit-miss for me), then Sonic Unleashed, which is multiplatform, but feels like an equal version from what i've seen. Megaman 9 (as soon as i get my Wii back online) and Bomberman Blast (also WiiWare, also waiting), and Disaster if Nintendo releases it in North America this year (my bet is that they hold out until Hurricane season is done, and remembering 9/11 is no longer a factor)

A far weaker season for me than it was last year, but such is the way of life for the dedicated Nintendo fan. Its satisfactory, not great.

Jack of No Trades 85 @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:41AM

Mr Khan

Do you have any of the other consoles? Why don't you just give in a buy one of the 360 arcades? It won't make you any less of a Nintendo fan. I hate it when people miss out on some of the great games comming out this fall.

tmacairjordan87 @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:57AM

Here we go with the nintendo hater=sony fanboy thing again. Some people here are truly morons.

samfish @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:03AM

Personally, I'm buying (depending on reviews, as always) Mushroom Men, SPRay, Sonic Unleashed (DIMPS is making the Wii version), Samba De Amigo and Wario Land...probably de Blob, too.
Tales of Symphonia and Animal Crossing are worthy of note, too, but I have no interest in those. Ditto multiplat titles like COD5 and GH:WT.

Comparatively, the 360 only has Battle Fantasia, Banjo and X-Blades.

Lego Batman could go either way...might come down to price.

Vcize @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:32AM

"You act like the game would be beneath people's notice if it were on PS360, which is untrue"

Well, I have all 3 consoles and wouldn't be picking up Wario Land this fall even if I could get it for $5. So, it's beneath my notice at least.

Mr Khan @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:34AM

The only thing on 360 that really interests me this season is Fable 2. Gears is fun enough, but not to buy, Mirror's Edge could be interesting, Banjo isn't enough of a platformer, And i don't really care for Left 4 Dead or Dead Space

On the PS3 side, i do wish i could play LBP, but that's about all that interests me on that console thus far.

Markez (A tribute to those who fought and failed during the Epic Flamewar of L.A. Noir) @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:00PM

I never got the impression this was really being pushed/marketed as any sort of AAA title. Those IGN guys are such homers, those reviews always require a dose of doubt when you're reading through them. I think it does look like a fun game, but not for 50 beans.

@ Deaftly - Other than recently picking up No More Heroes for cheap I can't say there's anything else on the horizon I'll pick up. OH CRAP other than Harvest Moon that is, I'm a sucker for those. There's also way too many good games coming out for 360, so that factors in as well.

Yourself @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:04PM

I have yet to find a major 360 title that can't be played in better form on PC... if you have a little patience. While I am psyched for Gears 2 and Fable II, I'm probably just going to wait them out.

Not sure why Resistance 2 has any more right to be in the "AAA lineup" then Wario, as Resistance 1 wasn't anything spectacular. I also don't remember anyone hyping Wario to nearly the degree you guys are implying. Maybe Mr Khan, but give the guy a break, look at his bloody avatar. And as for CoD... don't make me laugh. Treyarch?

Frankly, pretty much any game this holiday season pales in comparison to SCII, so why doesn't everyone just stop bitching?

Yourself @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:06PM

Oh but I am hotly anticipating Tales of Symphonia. That game can't come out sooner.

rocc553 @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:52AM

I believe Michael Douglass is Gordon Gekko.

rocc553 @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:53AM

*Douglas

Dr Scientist @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:59AM

Douglas is Gekko, you're correct.

Titanium_Orchid @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:05AM

I don't know about game play but the animations look good. Its to bad the game isn't in 1080, the graphics would probably pop at that point.

Geist @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:47AM

2D Graphics in 1080p are a righteous pain in the ass and generally not worth the trouble, from what I've heard.

Gavin @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:12AM

Remember how the Wii was supposed to pave the way for the rebirth of 2D and possibly a new golden age for the genre? Yeah, well the Wii gets this while XBLA has Braid and Castle Crashers and you could get both for less than Wario.

zuburi @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:25AM

Actually, I never remember that :O

Maybe you're thinking of the DS or something.

TwEE @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:23AM

Braid is overrated..

OMGOMG @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:49AM

@TwEE

So it would be the perfect fit for the Wii.

Tiptup300 @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:57AM

I take it Twee, you didn't buy it?

TwEE @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:14AM

Not saying I dont like it (I do), or wouldnt buy it (I might), just saying its overated for the type of game it is.

tmacairjordan87 @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:17AM

You guys smell that? It smells like jealousy.

Vcize @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:35AM

"Braid is overrated.."

You're overrated.

Yoo-Jin @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:28AM

I love/loved this game! I purchased the Japanese version and i don't regret it. Every Wii owner should go out an buy this game. I really think it's worth the price tag.

But hey, this is coming from a girl who only owns a Wii/NDS and a PS2/PSP. So i don't know anything, right? (But I'M HAPPY! I don't care about fancy visuals or HD stuff)

Noshino @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:02AM

no one is saying that it isnt a good game, it just isn't the AAA title that many claimed it was...

But then again, those were statements made by blind fanboys, any honest Warioland fan would have said otherwise

BPMOmega [gamertag] @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:05AM

I know I'll be getting it tomorrow (along with Kirby Super Star Ultra)

Remake, sequel, port... it doesn't matter. If a game is good, it doesn't matter what its pedigree is.

If it can at least be better than Wario Land 4 (which was the weakest in the series, in my opinion), then it'll be worth it to me.

I've loved all of the Wario Land titles. They were some of the best platformers around. All of them are AAAs in my book (except for WL4; that's more of an AA or an A... Maybe a B+?).

chefgon_ign @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:18AM

I don't get why Wario Land 4 gets so much hate, I thought it was an absolutely brilliant design. I'm still impressed by it every time I play it. The game mechanics and level design are second-to-none, and it features some of the best 2D graphics ever drawn.

I've owned all the Wario platformers, and WL4 was easily my favorite. In second place I would put the unfortunately overlooked Virtual Boy game, which was shockingly fantastic for a system that was otherwise largely worthless.

deaftly @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:31AM

GET BACK IN THE KITCHEN!

Atr-Slzr-Ctr @ Sep 23rd 2008 5:36PM

^Asshole!

BPMOmega [gamertag] @ Sep 25th 2008 1:16AM

I don't HATE WL4... Yes, it looks and sounds beautiful. However, the gameplay seems a bit lacking. I don't mind that Wario is no longer immortal; that does make it a bit harder. However, it lacks the amount of exploration and number of levels the previous entries had.

Not a bad game, by any means. And easily one of GBA's bests. However, it is still overshadowed by its predecessors.