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Wario Land: Shake It! wii Game Reviews
Wario Land: Shake It!
Critic Score
Metascore: 77 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.3 out of 10
based on 44 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 6 votes
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Rate this game

(Also known as "Wario Land: The Shake Dimension") Wario Land: Shake It!, a classic side-scroller, stars Wario, the smelly, bad-mannered alter ego of Mario. 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. [Nintendo]

PUBLISHER: Nintendo
DEVELOPER: Good Feel
GENRE(S): Platform, Action
PLAYERS: 1
ESRB RATING: E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE: September 22, 2008

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

96
Gamers' Temple
If you were around for the glory days of the NES and SNES or you simply disagree with the notion that all modern games need online play and 3D graphics, then Wario is the game for you.
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90
NintendoWorldReport
A compassionate and hugely entertaining throwback to a classic kind of game that isn't often released these days.
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90
N-Europe
A brilliant return to the roots with fantastic level design and tight gameplay.
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88
Official Nintendo Magazine UK
A gorgeous adventure with bags of invention. Behind "Galaxy," this is the second-best platformer on Wii. [Oct 2008, p.74]
85
Hardcore Gamer Magazine
It really hits the sweet spot that few games do: it’s forgiving enough for people who like simple, easygoing games to finish, but challenging enough for completionists to work at for days, even weeks on end.
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85
Armchair Empire
Unequivocally, the world would be a better place if there were more games like Wario Land Shake It!
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85
Worth Playing
I really enjoyed Wario Land: Shake It!, but I can't say I was blown away by it. If you go into the game with your expectations in check and a willingness to explore the levels instead of just running through them, then you'll get a lot out of the experience.
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84
IGN
A really fun experience thanks to excellent control and fantastic level designs, not to mention a beautiful visual presentation.
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84
GamingXP
Nintendo has to keep its Wii-concept alive by presenting self-invented new ideas for games: Therefore, Wario Land is very good for catching the attention of “older” gamers, who long for classic jump ‘n’ run games, as well as first explorers of the Wii.
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83
GameShark
The game sets out with a gorgeous anime/Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic that is as beautiful as it is fully realized.
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83
Game Revolution
One of the best experiences I’ve had with a Wii game since "Super Mario Galaxy."
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83
IGN AU
It's really solid, though never mind-blowing or even particularly genre-defining in any one area. It is, in actuality, a fairly short and straightforward adventure that you'll either love intensely for a very short time - say, over a weekend – or you'll mildly enjoy it and take your time.
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81
Extreme Gamer
To Shake It! or not to Shake It! that is the question, and the answer is yes. Wario Land: Shake It! isn’t the most revolutionary game on the Wii, but it is an enjoyable ride in a unibucket.
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80
Nintendo Power
Shake It! isn't a genre-changing masterpiece like "Super Mario Galaxy", but it stands up very well next to mere mortal platformers. [Nov 2008, p.94]
80
3DJuegos
Classics never die and the new Wario adventure for Wii is a good example of that. Due to its variety, great 2D visuals and vivid colors, the new installment of Wario Land is very suitable for gamers looking for old school direct gameplay.
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80
GameDaily
While not a technical marvel, it's a fun romp through five beautifully drawn continents full of peril.
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80
G4 TV
Everything from the stylized presentation to the tiring yet satisfying controls to the hours of playtime added by hidden treasures and bonus challenges just screams, “Love me!” And despite being relatively short and the shaking can be exhausting, there isn’t much that fans of good old-fashioned Nintendo platforming won’t like here.
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80
GamePro
It's fun, it's simple and it's charming, which pretty much describes most Wii games that hit big with that audience
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80
Gamer.nl
The Shake Dimension is an excellent platform game that despite his simple gameplay elements turns out to be a worthy installment of the Wario franchise. Although the playful graphics will not attract every gamer, it only adds up to Wario's characteristics. Every platform gamer will enjoy this game.
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80
games(TM)
Throw some wonderfully realised boss battles into the mix of gentle exploration and high-speed escape and you have one of the most varied yet consistently polished platform games of the generation. [Nov 2008, p.110]
80
Da Gameboyz
At the end of the day fans of 2D platform games and newbies alike should absolutely love Wario Land: Shake It!.
Read Full Review
80
PTGamers
Wario Land: The Shake Dimension is another wave from Nintendo that ripples through our minds, proving that old formulas and seemingly ancient technology can still deliver great games to the gaming community.
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80
Level7.nu
This latest game featuring the Nintendo anti hero Wario is a refreshing experience offering us beautiful two dimensional graphics and thoroughly enjoyable gameplay. It's a shame the game is a bit on the short side because the content offered is just pure fun and a definite recommendation for Wii owners.
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78
GameFocus
While a graphical treat, the under-utilized Wiimote and ultimately straight forward gameplay makes this a solid but unspectacular game.
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78
Games Master UK
Hooray for 2D revival, boo for the slightly disappointing taming of this bad boy mascot. [Nov 2008, p.74]
78
Cheat Code Central
Even with its minor faults, Wario Land: Shake It! still manages to be a great platforming experience. Shaking your controller gets old very quickly, but the tried and true platforming goodness that is Wario Land, thankfully, remains intact.
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75
GameZone
Nintendo fans will want to play through Wario Land: Shake It! but may not want to own it. The entertainment value is high enough to justify the thorough exploration of each stage.
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75
PALGN
Despite being a little on the easy side and not doing anything new for the genre, Wario Land: The Shake Dimension is a worthy addition in any platform game fan’s collection. There’s a variety of levels to play through, and the secondary challenges will keep you occupied for quite a while.
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75
Destructoid
I can wholeheartedly recommend the full-price purchase of Wario Land: Shake It to only three groups of people: kids between 5-10 years old, die-hard fans of hand-drawn animation, and people who love "easy but smart" 2D platformers.
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75
GameSpot
Wario Land doesn't shake any conventions, but it's still a fun, beautiful platformer.
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75
Kombo
All things considered, Wario Land: Shake It! is still an old-school treat. If you're looking for a light, fun 2D side-scroller, here you go.
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74
NGamer UK
A rather limp "WarioWare" is followed by a rather limp Wii Wario Land. Wazza's never looked better, but has rarely played so sensibly. Where's the attitude, you porker? [Nov 2008, p.52]
Read Full Review
70
Gameplayer
Exudes a certain endearing charm that makes it quite a playable game.
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70
EuroGamer
A game which is good, but not great, and certainly not up to the standard of Nintendo's best 2D platformers.
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70
VideoGamer
Wii owners expecting a motion controlled tour de force will be quite disappointed. For the most part you play as if the Wii Remote is a standard controller, only using its special abilities when you need to shake something, aim a throw or steer a vehicle.
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70
Gamervision
Sadly, after playing this year’s other solid platformers (Braid, Lost Winds, De Blob), Wario Land Shake It! just doesn’t grab me by the shirt collar and demand I play it.
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70
Zentendo
Provides players with an engaging and polished experience -- everything on a technical standpoint is sharp, the presentation is energetic and lively, and the level design/variety is solid...but this entry in the Wario Land series just feels lacking in some extra element inherent in the previous titles -- some spirit seems to have been lost in the translation.
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70
Cubed3
Wario Land: The Shake Dimension proves that 2D platform games can definitely hold their own in today’s world, even on powerful home consoles, since this outing is truly a sight to behold.
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70
AceGamez
Sadly, Good Feel haven't provided enough in the way of innovation to the table to make Wario's latest pillaging of treasures and tropes a truly worthwhile experience, nor are their attempts at imitation anything more than adequate.
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69
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Unfortunately, beneath that striking detail, Shake It! plays exactly like Wario Land 4(GBA). [Nov 2008, p.68]
68
Game Informer
If you're looking for a weekend rental, this could be an okay retro choice. [Dec 2008, p.124]
60
Giant Bomb
For as many times as I had to replay certain stages, Wario Land: Shake It! felt kind of brief, though there were aspects that managed to wear out their welcome before it was over. Still, a 2D game with this kind of detail is enough of an anomaly that it can be enjoyable for that alone, and despite some structural issues, it shakes up the usual platformer formula enough to be interesting.
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60
Edge Magazine
Nintendo is famed for sprinkling around mechanics other developers would build entire games on, but here the effect is quite irritating. [Oct 2008, p.97]
58
1UP
A pretty face only goes so far when there's no soul beneath the surface, and Shake It! is as hollow as they come.
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What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 6 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Discuss this game in our forums

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