Wii Sports aside, WarioWare: Smooth Moves was the piece of
software that initially helped define Nintendo’s Wii as a party
platform. It was also a really great game. As with any WarioWare title,
there was something inexplicably humorous and fun about watching your
buddies complete a series of random mini-games set in the zany world of
Wario and friends. Yet despite its critical success and popularity, we
haven’t seen a true Wario party game since the stout fiend first showed
us his smooth moves at Wii’s launch - until now. That’s right, Wario is
back, and ready to have his go with Nintendo’s newest home console, Wii
U.
The new game that was on display at this year’s E3 is called Game & Wario (a play on the Game & Watch series that was a pre-cursor to the Game Boy). Much like Mr. Game & Watch’s endeavors, the mini-games found in this collection are all quite simple, but with a dash of that trademark lunacy to spice thing up and lend a party-ready atmosphere.
Take the mini-game Arrow, for example. This game has you shooting
(you guessed it) arrows at a constantly oncoming barrage of Wario-faced
enemies who are trying to steal your strawberry stash. The baddies start
off in the distance, but if you let them get too close they’ll invade
the GamePad’s screen, and you’ll have to stomp them with your finger
before they steal your precious fruit. It’s a simple experience at
first, but as more enemies with more capabilities show up (flying ones,
ones that shoot back, and even a boss), things can suddenly become
chaotic.
Another example is Shutter, which puts you behind the camera of a photographer assigned to zoom in and nab pictures of suspected snack bandits to plaster on the front page of a newspaper. You only have so long to scan the people strolling around the scene and nab all the suspects you were assigned to capture. To make matters even trickier, the people are constantly moving and ducking away behind buildings. You also have to make sure their eyes are open and that they’re not even slightly out of frame. It’s tough, but the GamePad’s capable and accurate tech makes for a smooth experience, never adding unnecessary challenge so you can focus on the task at hand.
Arrow and Shutter were just two of the four mini-games on display at
this year’s show, the other two being Ski (where you tilt the GamePad to
guide a skier down a slope) and the multiplayer offering Fruit (where
one player is a fruit thief and the others have to sniff out who they
are). All these games are simple experiences - the fun comes from their
subtle jumps in difficulty and the joy of watching an acquaintance
become unexpectedly overwhelmed by simple tasks.
My time with Game & Wario was quite enjoyable, exemplifying the idea that Wii U games don’t necessarily have to use the GamePad in complex ways to feel worthwhile. I also learned that those who steal snacks are evil and deserve to be punished in strangely satisfying ways. That said, none of the mini-games I played had that same addictive quality that made Smooth Moves and the Game & Watch series so successful. Still, I’m interested to see if the complete game has what it takes to reignite the partygoer in us all. If so, anticipate many late nights and buttery bowls of popcorn in your near future - all in the name of Wario.
The new game that was on display at this year’s E3 is called Game & Wario (a play on the Game & Watch series that was a pre-cursor to the Game Boy). Much like Mr. Game & Watch’s endeavors, the mini-games found in this collection are all quite simple, but with a dash of that trademark lunacy to spice thing up and lend a party-ready atmosphere.
Another example is Shutter, which puts you behind the camera of a photographer assigned to zoom in and nab pictures of suspected snack bandits to plaster on the front page of a newspaper. You only have so long to scan the people strolling around the scene and nab all the suspects you were assigned to capture. To make matters even trickier, the people are constantly moving and ducking away behind buildings. You also have to make sure their eyes are open and that they’re not even slightly out of frame. It’s tough, but the GamePad’s capable and accurate tech makes for a smooth experience, never adding unnecessary challenge so you can focus on the task at hand.
Arrow and Shutter were just two of the four mini-games on display at
this year’s show, the other two being Ski (where you tilt the GamePad to
guide a skier down a slope) and the multiplayer offering Fruit (where
one player is a fruit thief and the others have to sniff out who they
are). All these games are simple experiences - the fun comes from their
subtle jumps in difficulty and the joy of watching an acquaintance
become unexpectedly overwhelmed by simple tasks.My time with Game & Wario was quite enjoyable, exemplifying the idea that Wii U games don’t necessarily have to use the GamePad in complex ways to feel worthwhile. I also learned that those who steal snacks are evil and deserve to be punished in strangely satisfying ways. That said, none of the mini-games I played had that same addictive quality that made Smooth Moves and the Game & Watch series so successful. Still, I’m interested to see if the complete game has what it takes to reignite the partygoer in us all. If so, anticipate many late nights and buttery bowls of popcorn in your near future - all in the name of Wario.
Athens Time
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