I feel full to bursting with things to ramble about concerning
WarioWare: Smooth Moves.
Developer: Nintendo, Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo, duh
Genre: Microgames
Platform: Wii
Release: 1/15/07(US)
Players: 1-12
ESRB Rating: E10+
Gameplay: True to the WarioWare name, Smooth Moves is packed with over 200 microgames, each designed to pump you full of enjoyment and adrenaline for less than 5 seconds at a time. The wackiness we're all used to and the Wii go together like garlic and bread. There are over 15 different ways to hold the Wii Remote, called forms. Before each microgame, an illustration of the form you are about to use and its name appear, giving you just enough time to get it into that position. The simplest is The Remote Control, with games that have you do things like, use a tennis racket to bounce a ball up and down, or shave a face clean, etcetera, etcetera. Other forms include The Mohawk, where you hold it over your head and do things like, bow with a crowd or dodge flying meteors by tilting your head. The Wii Remote is very accurate and the moves are as smooth as the title implies. 10/10.
Graphics: Awesome. Most of the game is in the traditional style of WarioWare; cartoony characters and environments, but assorted graphical styles in the games. Many things that appear to be 2-D are, on closer inspection, 3-D (such as the frying pan in Wario's "Wokka Wokka!" game. The Wii Remote in 9-Volt's "Wiipeat After Me" game is just about as real as the one in your hand. There are some games where the 3-D models are quite polygon-y, (Tiny Wario's "Rude Awakening") but you can tell it's intentional. 10/10
Music/Sounds: Pretty nice. the only stage in which you get a full song with lyrics is that of Dribble and Spitz, with "Tomorrow Hill." It's... not as good as Ashley's Theme from Touched! or Mona Pizza from Twisted!, but it's not bad... Aside from that, the short music clips heard between microgames (and during them) are crisp clear, and well-put-together.
While I miss Wario's "Yahoo! from Twisted and Touched, the voice acting is very nice in Smooth Moves. Kat and Ana get new voices that fit them a bit better. Crygor's voice is a tad different also, making him sound more muscular (as he is). Orbulon's voice is more intelligible and also very fitting. His monotonous comments of "Wonderful." "Excellent." "Great Job." Oh no." "What." are... Wonderful, excellent... I'm saying the voice actor did a great job.
The speaker in the Wii Remote is well-used, too. When you're vacuuming up a mess, the remote hums like a vacuum. When you answer a phone, you can hear the caller say something. When you're jumping, getting coins from ? blocks, the remotes makes the classic "ba-ding!" you know and love.
On a side note, in the Japanese version the name of the form you will use was spoken. The Japanese names sounded really cool to me, but the thought of them being spoken in English slightly worried me. No problem at all--there is no verbal indication of what form to use. So pay close attention to the screen! 8/10 (had to deduct 2 from lack of a truly memorable, get-stuck-in-your-head-for-a-week song.
Replay Value: Hoo, boy. You've gotten amazing scores for everyone's stages, unlocked all the toys (there aren't a lot, by the way, but the ones included are only the best... who needs an egg timer anyway??), and you can't possible erase your total kelories burned in Dr. Crygor's stage!! But the fresh, new start you long for is just a data-delete away, right? WRONG!! Unlike previous WarioWare games, you have more save files than just one... in fact, you have TWELVE! You can start a new file, risk-and-regret-free. Speaking of the number twelve, if you have eleven friends and one Wii Remote, why not have a mad multiplayer microgame... party? The multiplayer survival mode can be played with any amount of players from two to twelve, with only one single Wii Remote. There are also cooperative two-player games in which one player holds the Remote and the other, the Nunchuk. So unless you're a cave-dwelling hater of fun, WarioWare: Smooth Moves will keep you filled with joy for... I don't know how long, I haven't grown bored in the least. I'll give it a 9/10.
Overall: 37/40. This game freaking rocks. Buy it! BUY IT NOW! Let the innovativeness of the Wii shine into your dark home with WarioWare: Smooth Moves as its light bulb. It's a game that'll make your family stare through your open door in confusion.
* Bird Person breathes deeply.
I feel better now.