Common Sense Note
Parents need to know there is some mild animated violence in the game, such as pushing down a person with your open palms (holding the Wii controller, of course). This E+10 rated game has an ESRB's "Crude Humor" warning because the gameplay includes pulling a hair out of someone's nose and putting dentures into an elderly woman's mouth. That said, most of the 200 microgames are wacky, silly, and loads of fun.
Families can talk about the zany premise behind this game. Do you even notice the game's storyline when the minigames take just seconds to play? What about the wacky animated shorts between minigames -- do these add to the game or should there be more activities? What's your favorite way to wield the Wii? What game would you create to match this playing style?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Marc Saltzman
If WARIOWARE: SMOOTH MOVES is any indication, 2007 is shaping up to be a stellar year for Nintendo Wii owners. Just a few months after Wii's launch, this fantastic game for short attention spans already takes full advantage of the clever Wii remote and its built-in motion sensor.
In case you haven't played an older WarioWare game for the Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS, or Game Boy Advance, these titles offer a collection of increasingly challenging microgames that take only a few seconds apiece to complete (along with a few slightly longer minigames). The goal is to successfully complete as many of these wacky microgames as possible, within the very short period of time, before advancing to the next stage.
In this respect, Smooth Moves is no different from past WarioWare games, except here all 200 or so microgames are divided into "forms" based on how you're supposed to hold the controller. For example, the basic controller form is called "remote control," where you hold the Wii remote like a TV remote (pointed at the screen). A related microgame may have you shine a flashlight to expose a little critter hiding in a dark room or vacuum up blowing leaves by moving your arm up and down. "The Chauffeur" form, on the other hand, has you gripping the remote horizontally -- good for driving a car to the finish line on a winding road. "The Umbrella" form has you holding the remote vertically as if holding an umbrella over your head. -- good for swatting a pesky fly. You can also saw wood while holding the remote with two hands in the "Tug of War" form.
One of the more challenging forms is "The Waiter," where you lay the remote on your open palm as if carrying a tray of food. Tough microgames in this form include rolling a ball on a wobbly board so that it drops into a hole in the middle, or balancing a broom in your open hand.
At the end of each section is a final "boss" level, with a slightly longer and more difficult task to complete. Puzzles also get faster as the game goes on, so you might only get three seconds to pick an apple from a tree and drop it into a basket instead of the five seconds you got earlier in the game.
While the story is difficult to follow, the animated cut-scene sequences are amusing to watch before and after each group of microgames is completed. The cast of characters is back from past WarioWare games, including Wario, Mona, and Jimmy.
The entire game can be completed in a weekend, but at least you can unlock additional content -- including minigames such as an Arkanoid-style breakout game and ping-pong -- as well as a few multiplayer modes for up to four players, animated story sequences, and collectible cards.
Quite simply, WarioWare: Smooth Moves was made for the Wii. This family-friendly collection of microgames is a blast to play -- and even fun to watch someone else try. Let's hope Nintendo is hard at work on a sequel.
For other wild and wacky games for the Wii, check out Raymond Raving Rabbids and Elebits.
Reviewed: 02/05/2007
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ViolenceA little mild animated violence. You will push down people, karate chop objects, and use a sword to cut a barrel in half. |
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Social BehaviorOne of the microgames requires you to pull out nose hairs, and another challenges you to shove in an old woman's dentures. |
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