E3 2008: Warioland Shake It Hands-On

While Mario is off roaming the galaxy, Wario is going old school for this 2-D platformer.

If you long for the days when we only saw Mario from the side, you are going to want Warioland Shake It very, very badly. It has all of the classic Mario Bros. platforming elements and combines them with a jaw-droppingly gorgeous art style. Shake It looks like a Saturday morning cartoon from the old days, when everything was hand-drawn and cereals were still loaded with sugar. So awesome.

I played a tutorial level and was pleased by how true it was to the basics of classic platforming. You jump. You butt bounce. You break blocks. Being a Wario game, you also come across sacks of coins; a quick shake of the controller sends the money flying and into your coffers.

Between the retro charm of the 2-D gameplay and the lovely art style, I can't wait to play more of this one. Fortunately, I won't have to wait long, as it comes out in late September.