Wario Land: Shake It!

by Nintendo

• With the Wii Remote controller turned sideways, veterans and newcomers alike can run, jump and smash their way through hectic side-scrolling stages
• By shaking the Wii Remote, you can shake down your enemies, free coins from treasure bags and even cause earthquakes
• Each stage is a masterfully crafted side-scrolling obstacle course of puzzles, enemies and assorted hazards
• Every stage holds numerous secrets and treasures to discover (and steal)
• And each stage has multiple 'missions' to keep you coming back again and again to unlock everything, collect more coins or just improve your best time

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B001C58T46
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches ; 1.3 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 23, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,683 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com

The Wario Land series is where Wario, Nintendo's greedy, uncouth and rude anti-hero first appeared, and now he's back in singleplayer action in Wario Land: Shake It. With the Wii Remote controller turned sideways like an old-school controller, veterans and newcomers alike can run, jump and smash their way through hectic side-scrolling stages. Players shake the Wii Remote to help Wario take down his enemies, empty bags of treasure or cause earthquakes. Best of all, there are numerous stages each offering multiple missions to keep players coming back again and again to unlock everything, collect more coins or just improve their best times.

Get ready to shake things up

Classic side-scrolling for coin. View larger.

Wobble enemies with the Wii Remote. View larger.

Take careful aim against bosses. View larger.

Storyline and Gameplay
Wario receives an antique globe and telescope that allow him to travel to the once-idyllic Shake Dimension, now conquered by the tyrannical pirate, the Shake King. With the assistance of his longtime rival, Captain Syrup, he must rescue the Merfles, denizens of the Shake Dimension imprisoned by the Shake King. Only by defeating the bosses of all five continents of this strange world can Wario find and confront the Shake King, rescue Queen Merelda, queen of the Merfles, and, most importantly, claim the Bottomless Coin Sack, a never-ending supply of gold.

Each stage has Wario navigating an obstacle course of dangers and traps to find an imprisoned Merfle. Once he frees the little fellow, the countdown begins and he must find his way back to the starting gate before time runs out. Wario must also defeat a boss in each continent, and then buy a map of the next continent from Captain Syrup. Once all five continents' bosses have been defeated, Wario takes on the Shake King himself.

Characters
Wario Land: Shake It features a wide cast of off-the-wall characters including: Wario, our "hero." Captain Syrup, a female pirate (and rival from previous games) who aids Wario on his quest. The Merfles, helpless natives of the Shake Dimension, and their queen, Queen Merelda. The Shake King, leader of a ruthless pirate band who has conquered the Shake Dimension.

Key Game Features:

• Shake Things Up With the Wii Remote - With the Wii Remote controller turned sideways, veterans and newcomers alike can run, jump and smash their way through hectic side-scrolling stages. By shaking the Wii Remote, you can shake down your enemies, free coins from treasure bags and even cause earthquakes.
• Side-Scrolling Fun - Each stage is a masterfully crafted side-scrolling obstacle course of puzzles, enemies and assorted hazards. Every stage holds numerous secrets and treasures to discover (and steal). And each stage has multiple "missions" to keep you coming back again and again to unlock everything, collect more coins or just improve your best time.
• Classic Wario Action and Attitude - Wario returns to form, with all the jumping, power-dashing and butt-stomping we've come to expect. This is surly Wario at his finest.

The Wii Remote: Powers, Weapons, Moves & Vehicles
Wario can jump and dash, as per previous Wario Land games. New to this game is the ability to shake the Wii Remote for various effects. By default, a shake of the Wii Remote makes Wario punch the ground, causing a small earthquake and dazing enemies. Wario can then pick up dazed enemies and, with another shake of the Wii Remote, shake them for rejuvenating garlic and occasionally gold. Enemies can also be thrown, and you aim by tilting the Wii Remote.

Wario also takes control of three different vehicles during the course of the game, all of which are piloted in part by tilting the Wii Remote. The controls are standard for a Wii Remote held sideways (D-pad, buttons), but with an important twist: most of Wario's special moves are accomplished by shaking or tilting the Wii Remote. This allows great versatility but without forcing the player to remember complicated button combinations.

Product Description

Wario returns to his roots! The Wario Land series is where Wario first appeared, and it's back in all its side-scrolling, platform-jumping glory! Shake it! With the Wii Remote turned sideways, veterans and newcomers alike can run, jump, and smash their way through hectic sidescrolling stages. By shaking the Wii Remote, you can shake down your enemies, free coins from treasure bags, and even cause earthquakes! Explore, Fight, Plunder! Each stage is a masterfully crafted side-scrolling obstacle course of puzzles, enemies, and assorted hazards. Every stage holds numerous secrets and treasures to discover (and steal). And each stage has multiple "missions" to keep you coming back again and again to unlock everything, collect more coins, or just improve your best time! Wario is back, baby! Wario returns to form, with all the jumping, power-dashing, and butt-stomping we've come to expect! This is Wario at his finest!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 73 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent 2D Platformer From Nintendo October 4, 2008

By T Boz

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

First, do NOT listen to the review from the irate parent because their child couldn't figure this game out. This is a traditional 2D platformer from the people who invented the platformer, Nintendo. Similar to recent releases like Super Paper Mario, Bionic Commando Rearmed, and Mega Man 9, this game goes back to the roots of what made gaming fun back in the 80s, the levels. Holding the Wiimote sideways, you use the traditional button layout to control Wario, and shake it to release coins from enemies and money bags. Another cool feature of this game is the excellent hand-drawn animation from Japanese studio Production I.G. Not only do the animated cut scenes look great, but the in-game animation of Wario and especially his enemies is amazing to watch, and enthralling to play. If you remember the good old days when gaming wasn't all about the polygons, then this one's for you.

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars For Casual Gamers who Enjoy Fun 2D Platformers October 23, 2008

By Krishna M. Sadasivam VINE™ VOICE

Amazon Verified Purchase

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

I purchased WarioLand ShakeIt! primarily because I'm a fan of old school 2D platform games. The Nintendo Wii was the first console I've owned since the Super Nintendo. This game harkens back to the days of yore, when games were fun and engaging.

WarioLand ShakeIt! features excellent graphics, catchy soundtrack tunes, and more importantly, engaging playability. The game uses the Wii controller at key points throughout the game. The level of control in using the controller can range from intuitive (shaking coin bags) to downright frustrating (controlling a unicycle). This is part of the challenge of the game. With practice, I expect to have more command over some of the controls.

The game serves as a perfect introduction for people who like casual gaming. There is an introductory level where you can practice techniques to get a feel for the game mechanics.

Each stage of the game includes several missions, which are above and beyond the task of clearing the level. These missions are challenging, and will require multiple replays to clear. That's part of the fun this game has.

I'm working my way through the game methodically - playing each level and trying to complete each mission before moving along. I've had this game for almost 3 weeks now, and it's still as fun and engaging now as it was when I first purchased it.

Advanced gamers may be quick to put this game down (I've heard reviews complain of the game's short length -pegged at 6 hours or so) - but I think there's really more here (especially with the missions) that makes the game a true challenge.

Do I enjoy WarioLand: ShakeIt? Yes, wholeheartedly. Would I buy this game again? Absolutely.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent platformer that reminds us all that the genre can still be done on consoles February 7, 2009

By JoeAZ92

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

Positive:
+ 2-D cartoon graphics look very sharp
+ solid gameplay with some great elements new to the series
+ smooth controls that also don't over use motion capabilities
+ tons of treasures and missions add a lot of replay value
+ full of that funny, weird Wario personality and style

Negative:
- main adventure is pretty easy

Wario Land was my favorite game from the original GameBoy, and I don't think I've ever enjoyed a 2-D platformer as much as I enjoyed it. When I heard the series was going to Wii as a full retail game, though, I had my doubts about how worthwhile it would be at full price. 2-D games have been very overshadowed by 3-D in this generation, and now gamers (myself included) are starting to feel that 2-D games are inferior to those in the third dimension. Does Wario Land: Shake It only further push those assumptions or does it prove us wrong?

Wario Land has a funny story, but it doesn't show up very often. Basically the Shake King has taken over the Shake Dimension, imprisoning all the cute little residents, kidnapping the princess, and taking the great treasure: a coin bag that always gives you coins when you shake it. The only one to escape this horrible occurrence (named Merfle) somehow finds Wario in his own dimension, going on with his normal daily life. Captain Syrup and Merfle enlist Wario's help in getting back the land, the princess, and most importantly the coin bag, and that's the last you hear about the story until you defeat the Shake King. Both the beginning and end cutscenes have the sheer comedy you would expect from a Wario game, and the greedy hero takes nothing seriously and always loses out in the end.

The game progresses over the course of five areas, each with four levels and one boss.... You have to beat one level to reach the next, but you can purchase the next area if you want to and have enough coins, so you can go through the game how you like. There may be only 20 main levels, but there are also lots of challenging bonus stages and each level (bonuses included) has three to seven missions and three treasure chests to find. I can guarantee you will feel inclined to go back and try to do more in the game than just beat all the levels, and to get everything you will have to play through each level a minimum of two times. So while there aren't a ton of levels, the ones available are worth replaying.

Each level is very well designed in terms of playability. Getting through to the end is usually pretty easy, and after you reach the end of a level you have to get back to the beginning before time runs out, which almost turns into a fun minigame, actually. If you find the booster near the end of the level, you can take the fast way in which you are constantly running at high speed. Getting back to the start fast enough to clear the level's mission based on time involves many well-timed jumps, slides, and turns and can be quite challenging. So the levels are very well designed in terms of playability, because you have to be able to get through the normally and then there is a whole course set up for high speed.

The level design complements the gameplay very nicely. Shake It plays like other 2-D platformers, you move left and right, jump, and all that, but Wario has always had the ability to charge as well, and now he also has an earthquake punch that can be used to stun enemies, solve puzzles, and other things. This is done with a shake of the Wii remote, a function that works quite well and isn't over used. The Wii remote can also be shaken to get coins out of coin bags, which is a nice feature in the gameplay. Motion control is also used for a few submarine levels as well as in a boss fight, and tilting the controller to aim for throwing enemies and for shooting Wario out of a cannon works quite nicely too. Overall the concepts, level design, and controls come together very nicely for a great gameplay experience.

Shake It may be fully 2-D, but that's not to say the graphics don't look really sharp. They may not be stunning visuals like you see in Mario Galaxy, but it's about as good as you can possibly make a 2-D game look. The objects and characters aren't extremely detailed, but they look very smooth and sharp. The animations for all the actions look very nice too and add much to the humorous Wario feel. The level backgrounds look great too, and if you take a look, things such as large rocks will actually pop out in front of the level in some areas, but they don't obstruct your vision at all. Shake It displays some of the finest 2-D graphics I've ever seen, and they really add a lot to the overall experience of the game.

Shake It sounds almost as good as it looks. The music tracks may not be the most memorable you've ever heard, but they sound really good and fit their respective environments very well. The sound effects are 100% Wario too, with funny sounds that have good quality.

In a world where 3-D is most often hailed as king, Wario Land: Shake It stands tall and proud. It manages to be just as fun as most of the 3-D games out there and delivers an experience any fan of the series or platformer aficionado will love. 2-D CAN be worth full price, you just have to be willing to pay up.

Gameplay: 9.0
Graphics: 9.0
Sound: 8.5
Camera & Control: 9.0
Value: 8.5

FINAL SCORE: 9.0/10 Read more ›

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 2d gaming reborn on consoles October 4, 2008

By Lukasz Balicki

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

This game brings back the memories of the golden 2d era of video gaming. The game is simple, fun and each level branches so there's some replay value if you want to find all the secrets that the game has.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An Easy Good Time... October 7, 2008

By D. Ricciardo

Fun: 4.0 out of 5 stars   

This game is not overly challenging yet difficult enough at certain points to keep you trying. The 2D graphics and gameplay are a wonderful addition to any Wii collection. The levels are interesting and have great replay value. The story, although VERY simple, is enough to make game entertaining. Overall I'd say the game is great when you want to spend an hour or so just to unwind, it doesn't require a huge time investment to complete or progress. I highly recommend it for casual gamers!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Kids August 17, 2009

By B.L.

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

This game is in the style of a 2d platformer game, but updated with some new tricks to suit the Wii Console.

I was particularly impressed with the way they handled the tutorial level, where you proceed through the level in much the same way that the other levels in the game work. The great thing about it is that they have set up small obstacles for you to get past that require you to try out each of the main actions that you need to do to be able to succeed in the game. Instead of relying on looking at the book or written instructions on the screen however, they put pictures of the Wii-mote being moved as needed in the background of the scene.

My nephew was just a couple months past his 5th birthday when we got a Wii and once he got the hang of it he went absolutely wild for this game. It was nice that they gave the instructions in such a way that he could understand what he was intended to do (though there were some cutscenes where all of the dialog was given in subtitles, and that I had to read to him).

For the most part they also do an excellent job of gradually making the game more complex in what it's asking you to figure out or achieve to move forward while also mixing in challenging optional goals (such as beating an area within a timer, or beating an area without killing any enemies). The optional challenges also create some extra interest if you need to play the same area repeatedly to get more gold.

My nephew did struggle at times to figure things out, so I think freshly turned 5 may have been just a bit on the young side for this game, but he also didn't have very much background experience in video games (beyond things like v-smile) at the time so he wasn't used to solving the kind of puzzles that come with a platformer game.... I really think this game did very well for him in teaching him how to think his way through puzzles, become better at dealing with frustration when facing the harder parts, and generally understanding concepts like having to gather enough money within the game to acquire a needed item. I'm not trying to say that this game is really educational, but it did work well as a teaching tool in his case and might help build similar skills in other kids.

For him, he was so enchanted by Wario Land that I think if he'd been the only one playing Wii we wouldn't have had to buy another game for 6 months and he'd have been perfectly happy. Even for people who are already adept with games, this one is still fun, but unless you're the type who really wants to chase after all of the optional challenges (some of which really can be tough) you're not likely to find the game especially challenging.

Have fun! Read more ›