it's funny how much wario land: shake it contradicts itself. incredibly stylized animations and boss designs combating far more generic level structure and aesthetics than the series' previous entries. tight, puzzle-based challenges with loose, obnoxiously motion-centric controls. linear pathways leading to streamlined in-and-out playthroughs but worlds blocked off by incessant exploration, or worse, grinding. i want to like this game more than i do but i can't justify putting it up with wario lands 3, 4 or probably even 2. it's decent, worth a quick play, but i wouldn't give it much beyond that.