Metareview - WarioWare: Smooth Moves

via joystiq

Smooth Moves is certainly no 'Game of the Year,' but it's hard to imagine a Wii owner who won't be adding this game to the collection. It's almost a necessity, as it unlocks all of the wonderful, albeit odd, potentials of Wii's technology. WarioWare is a madcap tutorial tool.

It's unfortunate, as Eurogamer seems to allude below, that Smooth Moves has been billed to be more than what it is (a series of microgames). This is Wii's first significant title of 2007; and Smooth Moves will have to carry the associated burden for months to come. As such, the game will surely lead to disappointment for some. Still, there's no denying that WarioWare is capable of offering the premiere Wii experience.

GameSpot (91/100) - "The game comprises more than 200 "microgames" ... But because this is a Wii, and not a DS, the range of these games has greatly expanded ... In a technical sense, some of WarioWare looks like absolute garbage. But that's only because there's such a huge variety of very deliberate visual styles ... this is a fantastic-looking game, especially in 480p ... it's also a terrifically charming, funny, and nefariously addictive game that you can play alone. But it gets even better when you have a crowd on hand to witness the weirdness with you."

IGN (82/100) - "What really makes WarioWare: Smooth Moves a great introductory title is the sheer amount of style that went into the game ... and the crisp look of Smooth Moves leaves the GameCube version [Mega Party Game$] in the dust ... this version wraps the games up in a more entertaining, stylized, and polished way ... Smooth Moves still has a few downsides that up the learning curve substantially ... the game will make use of the Wii's IR sensor ... [so] it can be a hassle to have a mini-game failed because the Wii-mote wasn't technically pointing at the TV like it should have been ... It's not perfect, it isn't the best in the series, but WarioWare: Smooth Moves is an essential piece of the Wii collection, as it's as much fun ripping through it in single player adventures as it is to shove the controller off on unsuspecting houseguests or non-gamers months and years down the road."

EuroGamer (70/100) - "[What] differentiates Smooth Moves from the existing WarioWare titles is that it grants players a degree of prior explanation to the various control 'poses' you must adopt ... And once you've familiarised yourself with all 19 forms in rapid succession, the game becomes less about being introduced to new control systems, and, thankfully, more about the hilarity involved in engaging with all 200 microgames ... Just like the GameCube version [Mega Party Game$], though, there's not a huge amount of mileage to be had out of playing it in single-player mode ... you'll romp through them in a couple of hours ... As with all the WarioWare games to date, the stylised visuals are about as deliberately simplistic as any game out there, but nevertheless have a huge amount of charm despite the familiarity ... If there's one overriding criticism, though, it's the feeling that the game's building up to something, but that something never really arrives ... we can't deny that we were expecting much more from Nintendo. The way the game utilises the controller is beautiful and - as ever - the humour superb, yet it's a game short on long-term appeal because it never really dares to test players. Much like Touched! [DS], its focus appears to be more of a snappy technology demonstration than of providing a lasting challenge, and it's puzzling why Nintendo and Intelligent Systems couldn't have delivered on both counts."