E3 06: Wario Ware: Smooth Moves

Ever since it first appeared on the GBA, the eclectic Wario Ware series has always made little sense. They're all collections of super-quick minigames that literally take seconds - so fast, in fact, they're called micro minigames. But now you've got the power of the Wii remote to contend with, and the 200 micro games have just become even more fabulously impossible.

The demo of Wario Ware: Smooth Moves strung together a series of events, each more maniacal than the last. What instantly sets this one apart is how physical the actions are - in one instant you're putting dentures into grandma's mouth (both depth and motion tracked by the Wii-mote), the next you're holding the wand by your hip and miming a hula-hoop dance. And everyone's doing this in front of thousands of other eager gamers.

This gets nuttier. Just before each five-second brainjob begins, the game tells you how you need to hold the wand for that specific minigame. Such stances include: The Waiter, where you hold your hand flat and try to balance objects; The Umbrella makes you hold the wand over your head and repeatedly squat like a madman; The Chauffer acts like a steering wheel; and The Boxer has you hold the wand with one fist and rotate your arm. These are just a few examples... there are so many more.

But despite the overwhelming weirdness, Smooth Moves gets most of its energy from the people who play it. No one ever once hesitated to look like a moron in front of everyone else, they just went with it (GamesRadar editors included). Smooth Moves should be out somewhere within 90 days of the Wii launch.

May 12, 2006