In Wario Land: Shake It!, the Shake King imprisons Queen Merelda and her subjects the Merfles, and takes control of their world Yuretopia. Captain Maple Syrup, last seen in Wario Land 2, persuades our pudgy antihero to rescue the Merfles with the promise of fame and the Bottomless Coin Shack, a device that spits out coins when shaken.

The game has five main worlds, with about seven to eight stages in each world and a few secret areas. Each world has a theme, such as the jungle, snow, or underwater. A Merfle is trapped in each world, which Wario needs to rescue. Naturally, each world ends with a boss and only after Wario defeats them all can he encounter the Shake King himself.

The level I played was called the Pyramid Room, and before starting I noticed that there are several optional objectives I can complete to get special bonuses. Some objectives include finishing the level in two minutes or less and collecting a certain number of coins. The Nintendo rep explained that players aren’t expected to complete these extra objectives the first time around and can replay any level.

For the most part, the game plays like a classic platformer. You hold the Wiimote horizontally and primarily use the D-pad to control Wario running, jumping, climbing, and attacking enemies. The graphics are beautifully rendered 2-D cel-shading. Wario’s large jiggly butt has never looked better. I wish that it wasn’t in 4:3 aspect ratio, but admittedly you have so much fun with the game that you forget about it after a while.

What makes Wario Land: Shake It! a non-traditional platform game is the addition of the Wii’s motion sensing technology. For example, shaking the Wiimote allows Wario to shake money from enemies or money bags. Thoughts of carpal tunnel filled my mind as I watched the Nintendo rep flick the Wiimote violently. Fortunately, not all involved motions look like they would injure your wrist. For example, you can tilt the Wiimote left and right to aim and throw an enemy at any direction. You can also execute Wario’s extra strong body slams by jerking the Wiimote down quickly. This allows Wario to break blocks below him or knock off things from a high ledge above him.