Summary
After experimenting with a number of different formats,WarioWare: Move Itbrings in the microgame fun that the series is known for with a brand-new twist: it primarily features motion controls. After Wario wins a vacation for him and his friends, they have to master thehilariously Joy-Con-shaped Form Stonesthat Caresaway Island is known for to enjoy their getaway. Across the 13 stages in the game, there’s a consistent tempo that the music and characters bop to that almost resemblesRhythm Heaven’s own stages.
For those unfamiliar,Rhythm Heavenis exactly what it says on the tin; it’s a rhythm-based experience where players play mini-games and try to time their actions to the beat. Similarly to theWarioWareseries, it was known for presenting fun and wacky ideas for its games, though compared to the microgame franchise, its concepts were considerably more toned down. Still, with howRhythm Heavenfeatures a game about shooting pegs into rolling cubes andWarioWare: Move Ithas a microgame about making ladybugs blend in against a polka-dotted wall, the two have always seemed rather similar. This is, of course, because both games were developed by the same studio.
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WarioWare and Rhythm Heaven Were Cut From the Same Cloth
Nintendo SPD: The Studio Behind Rhythm Heaven and WarioWare
Indeed, both theWarioWareseries andRhythm Heavenroughly began from the same development team over at Nintendo SPD. While it was Nintendo Research and Development that made the first fewWarioWaregames for theGameCube and Game Boy Advance, mergers within the company eventually put the microgame-filled series in the hands of Nintendo Software Planning and Development, who would go on to beginRhythm Heaven(orRhythm Tengoku) three years later.
Truthfully, the developmental history of both games got a bit muddled as the years went by, but Nintendo SPD handled all theRhythm HeavenandWarioWaregames up until 2015 when the studio would eventually be merged into Nintendo Entertainment Planning and Development with the company’s Entertainment and Analysis Division. This is howWarioWare: Move Itended up in the hands ofFire Emblemdeveloper Intelligent Systems. Despite the changes, many members of the development team would remain with each game, such as Kenji Matsumoto, a programmer who has worked on the series as far back asWarioWare: Twisted.
Rhythm Heavenhasn’t seen a new release since 2016, and the creator has been very vocal about wanting to seeRhythm Heavencome to Nintendo Switch for quite some time now.
Analyzing WarioWare: Move It’s Rhythm Heaven Elements
While the fact thatWarioWareandRhythm Heavenreference each other frequently is a sign of where both games come from,WarioWare: Move Itfeatures the Chorus Boys as an Easter Egg for instance, enough time has passed to where there are not many developers who have worked on both titles in the credits ofMove It. Despite that, the direction of the recent Switch entry to the series seems to answer to a consistent beat that players can follow between microgames to stay in the zone. The game also includes “Remix” stages, pulled straight fromRhythm Heavenitself.
These aspects have never been largely seen in otherWarioWaretitles before. The best way to understand just whyWarioWareseems to carry onRhythm Heaven’s tempoand other design elements – despite not being a rhythm game itself – is that those working on the game decided to pay homage to their dormant project.
Rhythm Heavenhasn’t seen a new release since 2016, and the creator has been very vocal about wanting toseeRhythm Heavencome to Nintendo Switchfor quite some time now. Yet, despite the fan and developer demand, the series has remained untouched. As tragic as the situation is, at leastWarioWare: Move Itcarries the torch to this day.
