Wario Land Shake It, HD 2D return of the character in Good-Feel and Nintendo platformer. Absolutely sublime hand-painted animation art direction, dense level design, many secrets. Wario physically shakes the Wiimote to shake enemies and get items, signature action. Five kingdoms, wacky bosses, speedrun challenges. Beautiful production, Wii fluidity preserved. An unexpected 2D gem, accessible and idea-packed.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player7+
Description
Japanese version of the 2D platform game by Good Feel and Nintendo, Japan July 2008. Wario dives into animated drawn stages shaking and flipping enemies with the Wii Remote to accumulate treasures. Classic 2D platforms enriched with the unprecedented Wiimote shake mechanic, monumental bosses and fluid animation graphics. Japanese version known in the West as Shake It! or The Shake Dimension.
Wario Land Shake review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Entirely hand-drawn, the game revives the splendour of the cartoon: painted settings, supple animation and an expressive line of rare flair. Every tableau breathes classic cartoon, lively and full of personality. This 2D beauty, polished down to the smallest movement, remains a feast for the eyes.
Sparkling and jazzy, the music embraces the cartoon energy of Wario's adventures, piling up playful brass and frenzied rhythms. Each level pulses with a mischievous theme perfectly in tune with the game's bouncing humour. This sonic generosity, lively and polished, remains one of the most delightful of Nintendo's 2D platformers.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Shaking the remote to empty enemies of their coins, then racing back through the levels in reverse after triggering the alarm: this platformer with gorgeous hand-drawn animation bets on inventiveness and Wario's gleeful greed. Every level hides treasures and secrets to find. Colourful, clever and bursting with charm, a 2D adventure full of whimsy and good cheer.
The Japanese version of Good-Feel's 2D platformer, released under the local title Wario Land Shake, bringing the antihero back into a hand-drawn world of great finesse. This Japanese edition appeals to fans wanting the original form under its local name. Its interest lies in this Japanese run and refined style rather than strong scarcity.
Is Wario Land Shake still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2008 on Wii and known in Europe as Wario Land - The Shake Dimension, Good-Feel and Nintendo's project delivers a two dimensional platformer of sumptuous visual flair, entirely hand animated like a cartoon. Wario charges, dashes and shakes the Wii Remote held horizontally to empty enemy sacks of their coins, in levels packed with secrets that you replay against the clock after freeing the exit. The superb animation and the gruff humour charm. The repetitive structure of the return run divides. An excellent platformer, recommended for fans of expressive platforming and of treasure hunting.
