WarioWare: Smooth Moves

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
WarioWare: Smooth Moves
Composer(s)
Naoko Mitome
Masanobu Matsunaga
Yasuhisa Baba
Kenichi Nishimaki
SeriesWario
Platform(s)Wii
Release
  • JP: December 2, 2006
  • EU: January 12, 2007
  • NA: January 15, 2007
  • AU: January 25, 2007
Genre(s)Party, rhythm
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

WarioWare: Smooth Moves[a] is a party video game developed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo on the Wii. It was released in Japan in December 2006, and in Europe, North America, and Australia in January 2007. It is the fifth game in the WarioWare series of games, and the only game in the series to be physically released for the Wii (excluding WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase, another WarioWare game available on WiiWare). Additionally, this was the first spin-off Mario game to be released for the console.

Like its predecessors, WarioWare: Smooth Moves is built around a collection of

microgames that last about five seconds each, and which require that the player hold the Wii Remote
in specific positions. The game offers the microgames to the player in rapid succession, by first instructing the player to hold the Wii Remote in a specific manner, and then showing them the microgame. The microgames are divided into several stages, each of which loosely connects the microgames with the help of a story.

Smooth Moves received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success; it was the United States' 4th best-selling game in its debut month of January 2007. In Japan, it sold 63,954 copies in its debut week of November 27 – December 3, 2006, making it the 4th best-selling

launch game for the Wii after Wii Sports, Wii Play, and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
.

Gameplay

Instructions explaining how to hold the video game remote control.
The player is first told to hold the Wii Remote like a remote control, positioning it straight forward.

Similar to the previous games in the

boss stage, which is a microgame that is longer and more complex than the others. After the player completes all of the single-player stages, the game unlocks a hotseat multiplayer mode, in which only one Wii Remote is used and shared by up to 12 players. While a player plays a microgame in this mode, other players watch, and after the microgame is completed, the player passes the Wii Remote to the next person.[1]

Plot

A long time ago, a stone Wii Remote called the Form Baton was found by humans and a race of creatures called the Splunks. With it, they could do many things with its forms and the Splunks became their loyal companions with it. As years passed, the Splunks preserve the Form Baton in the Temple of Form. In present-day Diamond City, a Splunk steals all of Wario's food. He chases it all the way to the Temple of Form where he finds the Form Baton. After escaping a boulder, Wario gloats about his newly discovered "treasure" (Mysterious Form Baton Found!).

The rest of the game consists of segments of stories centered around the characters.

18-Volt for breaking his new Game & Watch
and he tries to get another, but the two reconcile soon after (The Multiplayer Test). At Club Spice, a doppelganger of Jimmy T. named Jimmy P. dances with a group of dogs in a story similar to Jimmy T.'s and the two meet each other at the end of the segment (Canine Crazed).

In the final level, Forever Form Baton, Wario receives the motorbike that Penny made at the Invent-Off. Wario accidentally gets sucked into the bike engine while riding it, which ends up turning him into an endless super-swarm of Tiny Warios that are shot out by the engine, which then invade and take over Diamond City. After he comes back together, the Splunks demand that he returns the Form Baton to the temple. Wario refuses and it leads into an open chase around Diamond City, resulting in the chase leading back to the Temple of Form, where Wario accidentally drops it back in its rightful place (it can be presumed that he left it alone afterwards). The motorbike also stops right in front of the temple. Completing the game unlocks an additional story featuring

Mike
try out a workout machine called the Kelorometer with the player as a test subject.

Development

E3 convention.[2] The game was co-developed by Intelligent Systems and the Software Planning Development department of Nintendo. Development on the game began in late 2005 with a team of 20 people,[3] directed by Goro Abe[4] and produced by Yoshio Sakamoto.[5] Abe first came up with the idea for the game when the Wii Remote was revealed to him. Since the developers believed that holding the controller in only one way limited the game's entertainment value, they decided to introduce new positions and motions to the game for the Remote to be held. The software used to register the Remote's movements was written from scratch because of the unique movements required for the game.[4] Similar to previous games in the WarioWare series, the game's subtitle, "Smooth Moves", was used to represent the basic movement that players perform in the game. The developers wanted players to move as if they were dancing when playing the game, so they decided that Smooth Moves was the best phrase to use to describe the game's actions. Because of its party genre, the developers made the game's multiplayer mode its "best point".[6]

There are about 200 minigames included in WarioWare: Smooth Moves, an amount similar to previous WarioWare titles.[3] Abe determined which microgames were included after each team member wrote down an idea on a piece of paper and sent it to him. The microgames were inspired by "very original, everyday life issues". To offer a different visual style for each minigame, developers were asked to make their own design for the minigame that they were working on. During development, one of the game's basic concepts was to "make a different taste for every single game". The only rule that Abe imposed on the minigame designs was for the developers to make it instantly obvious as to what is happening in the microgames.[4] The Wii Remote's speaker is used in the game to "add a greater sense of feel". For example, in one microgame, the player must bounce a tennis ball on a racquet. When the ball touches the racquet, the Wii Remote's speaker emits a bouncing sound and a rumble to "add a very strong reality to the game".[3] The game mostly forgoes the Wii nunchuk attachment and functions strictly with the Wii Remote. Its visual presentation is similar to WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games! for the GameCube, and it does not run in widescreen mode.[2]

Reception

Smooth Moves was released by

Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[34] indicating sales of at least 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[35] It was re-released in May 2011, in Europe as part of the Nintendo Selects program. It sold 1.82 million copies overall.[36]

Several reviews praised the game as one of the Wii's best. The Official Nintendo Magazine said that Wario should "now take his place alongside Mario and Link as a true Nintendo great".[20] Appreciating the game's "terrific use of the Wii's unique control features", GameSpot remarked that the game also had "amazing" graphics, concluding that it belongs in the game libraries of Wii owners.[14] This sentiment was shared by GameTrailers, which said that WarioWare: Smooth Moves was "without a doubt" the best collection of minigames for the Wii.[16] GameSpy found that the game had "a lot of value", especially for people who host parties or have groups of friends or family who already enjoy games such as Wii Sports or Rayman Raving Rabbids.[15] Naming WarioWare: Smooth Moves the Game of the Week from January 28 – February 4, 2007, The Observer gave particular praise to the game's graphics, stating that "there are nicely colourful cartoon intros to each level, and the microgames utilise a plethora of visual styles. You'll notice snippets of favourites from yesteryear, whether it be pulling the Master Sword out of the stone in the Nintendo 64's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or jumping to collect coins as NES-era Mario".[37] Australia's The Age found the game "as entertaining to watch as it is to play", rating it four stars out of five.[21] The Sunday Age newspaper predicted that WarioWare: Smooth Moves, which is "totally unlike anything else out there", could convert non-gamers into fans of video games.[23]

Wario series of video games, they still considered it an "essential piece of the Wii collection". The website was also entertained by the single-player mode as well as the multiplayer, especially when "shov[ing] the controller off on unsuspecting houseguests or non-gamers months and years down the road". They considered the game's use of the Wii Remote to be "slick and intuitive", the graphics to be "nearly inexplicable", and the sound to be "totally off the wall".[17] GameZone called the game "original and addictive", but noted that it would not appeal to everyone.[13] The Courier-Mail praised the game's use of the Wii's motion-sensitive controllers as one of its best features, which helps push it "over-the-top" as "one of the most inventive games designed for the Wii's interactive controls".[22] Canada's Toronto Sun also appreciated its "novel use" of the Wiimote.[24]

A lack of "eye-popping unpredictability [like] its predecessors" and difficult controller positions disappointed

GamesRadar shared this sentiment, noting that although the game's single-player mode is only several hours long, its multiplayer mode is the "definite Wii party experience" for up to 12 people.[12] Game Informer felt excited, surprised, and a "little stupid" when waving the Wii remote with the game, concluding that the game will make "friends laugh pretty much non-stop for an hour or two, and that may very well be worth the price of admission".[10] Despite writing positively about how the game utilizes the Wii remote, Eurogamer was disappointed with its weak long-term appeal because "it never really dares to test players".[9]

During the 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, WarioWare: Smooth Moves received a nomination for "Family Game of the Year" by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.[38]

Legacy

In the Nintendo Direct dated 21 June 2023, a direct sequel, WarioWare: Move It! was announced.[39][40]

Notes

  1. ^ Known in Japan as Odoru Made in Wario (おどるメイド イン ワリオ, lit. "Dancing: Made in Wario")

References

  1. ^ WarioWare: Smooth Moves instruction manual. Nintendo. January 15, 2007.
  2. ^ a b Casamassina, Matt (May 9, 2006). "E3 2006: 10 Minutes with WarioWare". IGN. Archived from the original on August 9, 2006. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c Casamassina, Matt (May 30, 2006). "Interview: WarioWare: Smooth Moves". IGN. Archived from the original on August 9, 2006. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  4. ^ a b c "WarioWare: Smooth Moves E3 Interview". Nintendo World Report. May 19, 2006. Archived from the original on March 2, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  5. ^ "WarioWare: Smooth Moves interview". Nintendo. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  6. ^ Dobson, Jason (May 17, 2006). "E3 Q&A: Nintendo's Goro Abe On WarioWare: Smooth Moves". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on December 21, 2008. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
  7. ^ a b Parish, Jeremy (January 15, 2007). "WarioWare: Smooth Moves (Wii)". 1UP. Archived from the original on June 9, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  8. ^ a b Jackson, Mike (January 2, 2007). "Wario Ware: Smooth Moves". Computer and Video Games. Archived from the original on February 24, 2008. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  9. ^ a b Reed, Kristan (January 9, 2007). "Wario Ware: Smooth Moves Review". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on October 7, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  10. ^ a b Miller, Matt. "WarioWare: Smooth Moves". Game Informer. Archived from the original on February 20, 2008. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  11. ^ a b "WarioWare: Smooth Moves". GamePro. January 16, 2007. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  12. ^ a b Elston, Brett (January 16, 2007). "WarioWare: Smooth Moves". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  13. ^ a b Bedigian, Louis (January 30, 2007). "WarioWare: Smooth Moves Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  14. ^ a b Gerstmann, Jeff (January 12, 2007). "WarioWare: Smooth Moves Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  15. ^ a b Villoria, Gerald (January 23, 2007). "Wario Ware: Smooth Moves (Wii)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on January 20, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  16. ^ a b "Wario Ware: Smooth Moves". GameTrailers. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  17. ^ a b Bozon, Mark (January 12, 2007). "WarioWare: Smooth Moves Review". IGN. Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  18. ^ Reddick, Stuart (February 8, 2007). "WarioWare Smooth Moves Review". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  19. ^ a b Sklens, Mike (January 29, 2007). "WarioWare: Smooth Moves". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  20. ^ a b East, Tom (January 9, 2008). "WarioWare: Smooth Moves". Official Nintendo Magazine. Archived from the original on January 7, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  21. ^ a b Hill, Jason (February 1, 2007). "WarioWare Smooth Moves". The Age. p. 12.
  22. ^ a b Dudley, Jennifer (January 31, 2007). "WarioWare: Smooth Moves". The Courier Mail. p. T07.
  23. ^ a b Holland, Angus (February 11, 2007). "WarioWare: Smooth Moves". Sunday Age. p. 45.
  24. ^ a b Tilley, Steve (January 21, 2007). "Smooth Moves with the Wiimote, dude". Toronto Sun. p. S19.
  25. ^ a b "WarioWare: Smooth Moves". Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 29, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  26. ^ "WarioWare: Smooth Moves – WII". Game Rankings. Archived from the original on February 10, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
  27. ^ "Release Summary". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 13, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  28. ^ Sinclair, Brendan (January 30, 2007). "Wii, Wario win ToyAward". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 31, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  29. ^ "Wii Best of E3 2006 Awards". IGN. May 19, 2006. Archived from the original on June 29, 2006. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  30. ^ Bozon, Mark (February 1, 2007). "Game of the Month: January 2007". IGN. Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  31. ^ "Best Selling Games". NPD. February 2007.
  32. ^ "Best Selling Games". NPD. March 2007.
  33. ^ "Best Selling Games". Media Create. January 2007.
  34. Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. Archived from the original
    on May 15, 2009.
  35. Gamasutra. Archived from the original
    on September 18, 2017.
  36. ^ Casamassina, Matt (July 25, 2007). "Nintendo Sales Update". IGN. Archived from the original on October 16, 2007. Retrieved July 25, 2007.
  37. ^ Moses, Toby (January 28, 2007). "Multiplayer Magic by Wii-mote Control". The Observer. p. 28.
  38. ^ "2008 Awards Category Details Family Game of the Year". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  39. ^ "WarioWare: Move It! Wiggles Its Way Onto Switch In November". Nintendo Life. June 21, 2023. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  40. ^ "Yep, WarioWare: Move It! Is A Direct Follow-Up To Smooth Moves". Nintendo Life. June 22, 2023.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WarioWare:_Smooth_Moves&oldid=1284128682"