WarioWare: Smooth Moves review

Freakishly fast and fun as hell

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Furiously fast gaming

  • +

    Gets you moving

  • +

    Classic Nintendo shout-outs

Cons

  • -

    Waiting for multiplayer

  • -

    A few control hiccups

  • -

    Short-lived solo play

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The Wii is already bloated with party games, but there's a good chance the frenetic pace and schizophrenic style of WarioWare: Smooth Moves will topple them all. Using only the remote (called the Form Baton here), you'll engage in 200-plus ultra-fast minigames that range from clipping fingernails to balancing on a ball to whacking the thieving arm of a dodgy old man. Each lasts mere seconds, and then it's off to the next with barely any time to catch your breath. It's fast, it's fun and most importantly, it charges the room with an energy few other titles can muster. Basically, when you've got two girls saying "Oh my God could this get any cuter?" and that's followed by "It just did!" you've got a multiplayer winner.

As a series, WarioWare has always been about slapping you in the face with incessant minigames. What makes Smooth Moves the best yet is its expert use of the remote - before each minigame, you're shown a way to hold the remote for maximum efficiency. For example, "The Janitor" is a form where you hold the remote vertically like a broom and swish it side to side. "The Boxer" has you holding the wand in an outstretched arm, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Some of the strangest ones, like "The Mohawk," "The Elephant" and "The Samurai" practically force you to get off the damn couch and act out nutty movements in front of the whole room. And trust us, you'll want to play this game with friends.

The Wii is already bloated with party games, but there's a good chance the frenetic pace and schizophrenic style of WarioWare: Smooth Moves will topple them all. Using only the remote (called the Form Baton here), you'll engage in 200-plus ultra-fast minigames that range from clipping fingernails to balancing on a ball to whacking the thieving arm of a dodgy old man. Each lasts mere seconds, and then it's off to the next with barely any time to catch your breath. It's fast, it's fun and most importantly, it charges the room with an energy few other titles can muster. Basically, when you've got two girls saying "Oh my God could this get any cuter?" and that's followed by "It just did!" you've got a multiplayer winner.

As a series, WarioWare has always been about slapping you in the face with incessant minigames. What makes Smooth Moves the best yet is its expert use of the remote - before each minigame, you're shown a way to hold the remote for maximum efficiency. For example, "The Janitor" is a form where you hold the remote vertically like a broom and swish it side to side. "The Boxer" has you holding the wand in an outstretched arm, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Some of the strangest ones, like "The Mohawk," "The Elephant" and "The Samurai" practically force you to get off the damn couch and act out nutty movements in front of the whole room. And trust us, you'll want to play this game with friends.

More info

GenreFamily
DescriptionFirst the micro games were nuts. Now you'll be twirling a hula hoop, lifting weights and running a marathon for real - using the Wii remote.
Platform"Wii"
US censor rating"Everyone 10+"
UK censor rating""
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
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Brett Elston

A fomer Executive Editor at GamesRadar, Brett also contributed content to many other Future gaming publications including Nintendo Power, PC Gamer and Official Xbox Magazine. Brett has worked at Capcom in several senior roles, is an experienced podcaster, and now works as a Senior Manager of Content Communications at PlayStation SIE.