Wario Land: Shake It!

Wario Land: Shake It!
Also known as: Wario Land Shake (Japan), Wario Land: The Shake Dimension (Europe) Developer: Good-Feel Publisher: Nintendo Platform: Wii Released in JP: July 24, 2008 Released in US: September 22, 2008 Released in EU: September 26, 2008 Released in AU: September 27, 2008 This game has unused areas. This game has unused code. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused music. This game has a notes page This game has a prerelease article

To do: General Cleanup: Replacement of all "non-alpha channel" sprites. Better categorization in line with TCRF standards.

Wario returns to his 2D platforming roots, seven years after Wario Land 4! The game features fully animated cinematics, beautifully painted scenery, and the power to shake baddies senseless.

Sub-Pages

Unused Enemies We can only assume these baddies were beaten so senseless by Wario they couldn't recover in time to appear in-game...

The Lost Track

This track, titled Plumber's Cave, was one of the soundtrack samples posted on the official site before release. It was taken down with the decision that they had enough music already, and completely removed from the game. The accompanying "hurry up" theme was left in the game and used for one of the levels.

Unused Map & Menu Graphics

A placeholder image with "金ハリ" ("Golden Needle") written on it.

These four icons were likely intended for an early map. The are considerably less detailed than the ones featured in the final game. Note that they are normally white and transparent, but have been put on black for the sake of visibility. They are found in the objects folder as env_map_00, with a duplicate as emv_map_00. The icons are named Icon_Treasure00, Icon_Pean, Icon_Melful, and Icon_Treasure01, respectively.

These were likely icons for now scrapped missions. The Bloomsday boss never received a challenge icon, however the icon is very similar that the one used in the file select screen. One icon features a log floating in the water. There is also no "bronze challenge" featured in the game either.

Unused Stages

Pirate Shop

The full size is 1280x501.

When selecting the Pirate Shop from the map screen, the player is taken directly to the shop. Files for a pre-shop stage do exist, however, in the location where these files would normally be stored for the second stage of the first world. It was likely removed for adding unnecessary delay for simply buying an item or two. Also, take note, the railing featured to the left is a separate layer from the building structure.

The door to the shop, complete with animation, goes unused for the same reason. The above level layout is the background for it, note the darkened doorway which is just the right shape for the unused door object.

Found along with the graphics for the shop door, this sign would have been placed above the door space. Both of these objects can be found in the file shopgate_00.

Duplicate Shakedown Schooners

The sixth area, the Shakedown Schooner, has files for two stages, despite only having one location to choose from. The stage labeled stage_01 is the one used in the game, while stage_00 appears to be an earlier version of the ship's deck. The art for the two versions are practically identical, although the graphics are shifted over a bit between versions. The main difference is that the unused version has the entire ship's width, while the used version cuts off past the doorway. The textures for the unused version have half of the ship, which is then mirrored by the models. Another copy of this early duplicate exists as level_01 in stage_01, and again as section_20 of level_00 of stage_01.

Alternate Shake King Battle Stage

Full size is 1280x1720, 2 MB.

There are two versions of the Shake King battle room included in the files. The one in section_21 has a very different basement setup, with an industrial crane and piles of treasure instead of robots and machinery. Note that the image above is only the background, which has six layers. One very important difference is that this implies the first battle previously had three stages, whereas the final version only has two.

Unused Objects

Ball

This strange face-ball is aptly named ball_00. It would certainly fit the ruins theme of the early levels.

Barrel

The file barrel_00 is an ordinary barrel that can be shaken and smashed. The bottom half of the image was re-used for the barrel walkers.

Red Belt Switch

While there are red, green, and blue conveyor belts in the game, there are only switches for the green and blue ones. A red switch does exist as beltswitch_00, but its texture is merely a solid red.

Info Sign #7

Of the seventeen info signs made for the Sweet Stuff, bg_info_07 goes unused. It shows the player the complex mechanisms of throwing a ball. Of course, with sign #8 showing the player how to throw a ball at an angle, sign #7 becomes obsolete. Nevertheless, the level design is a clear indicator of where it was meant to appear. The room prior to the ball-throwing room (which uses sign #8) is a relatively empty room with the only obstacle being a tiny bit of crawl-space just above a tiny ledge. What seems like an unnecessary and trivial obstacle is actually the setup for a slightly-less trivial ball-throwing obstacle. The player would have had to throw a ball to clear away blocks in the tunnel before crawling through it, like in previous Wario Land games.

Section Gate A

This barrel door, named bg_sectiongate_A, looks like it would fit in a jungle-type level, or in any Donkey Kong game. It comes with light glow and reflection textures that have built-in alpha transparency, which is very unusual for object models. The door is shown above with and without these added effects. It is worth mentioning that the reflection effect has twice the resolution as the barrel. The doors seen in Airytale Castle and Prism Prison are named bg_sectiongate_B.

Cracked Block

Included in the files for the common metal block (hlblock_00) is a texture for a cracked version. It is unknown how these cracked blocks may have differed from the solid ones.

Frog Switch Goal

Thought running to the start of the level after freeing the Merfle seemed a lot like Wario Land 4? Well, the game was originally going to be even more like it. The file kaerugoal_00 contains a redesign of the Frog Switch goal from WL4. In fact, the red and blue that switch on/off when the countdown is triggered, much like the frog blocks in WL4, are called kaerublock.

Stone Pillar Gate

This large block of pillars uses the same design as the ones found in Stonecarving City, but none of them are this big. The file name is ludgate_00.

Piston

The file piston_00 contains a large red piston that looks out of place in most of the locations in the game. Although the piston base is all one single image, the model breaks it down into the appropriate functional pieces.

Colored Presses

The files press_01 and press_02 contain green and blue versions of the red presses found in Stonetooth Cave. There are no other versions of the large red press.

Alternate Log

The game has files for two different river logs, but only one is used. The log in quickwaterblock_00 is smaller than the used one (quickwaterblock_01) and lacks a decorative twig. Like with the used log, there are two variations. The image for this log is 90x90, while the used version is 140x120.

Destructible Bridge

The file sbridge_00 contains a breakable rope bridge, complete with collision model and appropriate pieces. Compared to the rest of the graphics in the game, the art on this is somewhat crude. The design would fit in well in Stonecarving City, or similarly-themed levels.

Shake Medal

The file shakemedal_00 contains this strange medal. It is unknown what this object was intended for, but it looks important. It has model animations for popping up, hovering a bit, and shrinking away. This behavior indicates that it was very likely meant to be a collectible of some kind.

Triple Slot Machine

The file slotmachine_01 contains a three-slot version of the slot machines found in Glittertown and Neon City. It is unknown how exactly it would have functioned. Please note that the slot graphics in the above image have been approximated, as they are each separate 3D models. The glowing lights on the bottom are also separate, and have been approximated.

Silver Treasure Chest

A blue and silver treasure chest containing a a silver gear. This might have been used as some kind of key. Sprites for chunks of the treasure chest were also found with it.

Treasure Icon

Fancy little ring.

Unused Animations

Mimic Bashing

The living treasure chests seen in Boogie Mansion can only be dealt with by feeding them a bomb, as they normally eat anything that touches them. In spite of this, animations for being shaken and either dizzy or rammed can be found with the rest of its files.

Unused Bloomsday Palettes and Frames

The Bloomsday boss has a set of unused frames with different color palettes. While the normal animation frames are generally prefixed with bo_05a_body_all, there is an alternate version of the twelve-frame idle animation labeled as bo_05a_body_b_all. In this animation, Bloomsday's body is redder, and the flower pot is gold. The first frame of the animation has the colors inbetween the normal and alternate colors, indicating that this was likely to be a kind of temporary alternate state.

bo_05a_body_all (used)	bo_05a_body_b_all

The last three frames are not part of an animation, and seem to show off potential alternate color schemes for the boss. The one labeled bo_05a_body_e_all has thicker outlines than what was used. All three of these frames use the duller golden pot color seen in the first frame of the above animation.

• 

  bo_05a_body_d_all.01

• 

  bo_05a_body_e_all.01

• 

  bo_05a_body_f_all.01

Additionally, Bloomsday has a set of frames for turning around. As it is impossible to get behind the boss without cheating (which would be counter-productive anyway), these are never seen. Considering the lighting on the flower pot does not change when Bloomsday turns around, this would have caused an unsettling cut when the normal idle animation kicked in again. The animation has been slowed down for viewing purposes.

Early Graphics

Boost Recovery Orb

This strange green ball, named boostrecover_00, is a recolor of one of the other unused graphics. It is unknown what this may have been used for.

Core Wall

Three versions of this object exist, each containing the same graphics. It is likely an early test object, much like the wall boss layout. The files are named corewall_00, corewall_01, and corewall_02. These are possibly related to the core_00 object, the engine-like device seen in Wreck Train.

Early Diamond

The file for the diamond (coin500_00) contains two sets of frames. The unused set has a lower resolution and uses a red background for image, which shows up in the outline. The used version is larger, crisper, and uses purple for the background.

Dollar Bag

This object, named dollarbag_00 contains an alternate version of large money bag found in the game, with only one frame and a couple of animations for subtle shaking. The image has a higher level of detail than the one that is used, with a thicker outline. The outline is also part of the frame, instead of a separate layer.

Float Block

This is what appears to be an early moving platform. It is named floatblock_00.

Icicle

Included in the files for the smaller of the two giant icicles (icepole_01) is a primitive version of it.

Alternate Shake Block

The file shakeblock_a contains a slightly earlier version of the shake block seen in some levels. Instead of two vertical arrows that shake up and down, it features two curved arrows that wobble a bit. These arrows usually indicate rotation, which is likely why the block was redesigned. The file itself was left in due a mistake in naming convention, as the used shake block is named shakeblock_00.

Windbreak Bay Layout Test

These sprites appear to have been used to plan the Windbreak Bay stage boss. Notice, the positions of the fans are different.

Test Sprite	In-Game
320px

(Source: gabrielwoj)

Early Treasure Graphics

A couple of treasures in the game have earlier versions of their icon still in the game files. They have a different art style than what is seen in the final version, which is especially noticeable on the Crystal Skull.

Crystal Skull

Prototype	Final
File:CMP treasure.png	File:6- Crystall Skull.png

Diamond Ski Mask

Prototype	Final
File:CMP treasure treasureB 00.png	File:32- Diamond Balaclava.png

(Source: gabrielwoj)

Early Bandinero Graphics

Included in en_10a is a set of .brres files that contain early versions of all of Bandinero's graphics. Compared to the final version, the frames have a slightly higher resolution and use thinner outlines. More importantly, the outlines use alpha transparency instead of being multiplied over the color part. These brres graphics each come with a flat 3D model to use with them, indicating the game was originally going to use 3D models this way instead of the engine it ended up with. Of course, comparing every single one would be crazy, so here is a comparison of two corresponding frames.

BRRES	Final

If you still want to see every single frame, they have all been uploaded into one convenient package.

Download Unused Bandinero Sprites File: WLSI_en_10a_exported.rar (523 KB) (info)

Graphics Compiler Files

Included with a number of graphics files files are plain text files with XML code. These files were likely used to compile the final file packages for the game, and refer to locations on the developer's computer. They all follow this general structure:

<D:\work\wii\dvddata\enemy\en_06a\\en_06a_687.txt>
<create from "//Earth/wls/wario/design_data/charactor_data/enemy/en_06a/animation/.\an687\en_06a_687.rmdl">

<SMP>
	BASE1_00, (0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f), 0, 72
	BASE2_01, (0.0f, 0.5f, 0.0f), 0, 72
	BASE3_01, (0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f), 0, 72
</SMP>

There are quite a lot of them, so they will be listed on the Notes page. Don't expect anything too exciting, though.

Regional Differences

To do: A lot...

Title Screens

Only minor differences exist amongst the various releases of Wario Land: Shake It!. Outside each using its native/popular language, the most major difference include the North American release's "Shake It!" and the European release's "The Shake Dimension." There are also a few minor graphical differences between the NA and EU releases, with the NA release having a bolder outline and the "Wario Land" lettering much closer together.

• 

  Japanese Title Screen (Wario Land: Shake)

• 

  North American Title Screen

• 

  European Title Screen

• 

  Korean Title Screen (Wario Land: Shaking)

Bloomsday Vs. Scumflower

One major difference between the North American and European English translations is the name of the Jiggle Jungle boss, Bloomsday. In the European release, Bloomsday's name was changed to Scumflower. As a result, the stage is "Bloomsday Blowout" in North America and is "Scumflower Skirmish" in Europe. This was likely due to the Bloomsday celebration, an event popular amongst those living in the vicinity of Britain and Ireland.

Bamboozle Village Vs. Bamboo Village

The North American release uses the name "Bamboozle Village" for World 5's first level. The European release has this shortened to "Bamboo Village." This could be due to the term "bamboozle," which essentially means to deceive or swindle (Making it a perfect Wario level name!), traditionally being part of British low language.

Caged Merfle's "Help!"

To do: replace with screenshots, or with alpha-having versions from the JP version

Absent in the North American and European releases, the word "HELP!" appears in speech bubbles that pop up around the Merfle cage in the Japanese release. The letters are still part of the model used, and they animate accordingly, but they are simply hidden. The alpha channels for these letters were removed, but not the main images. The normal speech bubbles were replaced with jagged ones to accompany the banging sound.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Miscellaneous

• At some point, the order of the bosses was shuffled a bit. Large Fry, the fifth boss, is labeled as the third boss in the files, and Bloomsday, the fourth boss, is labeled as the fifth boss.
• The internal name for the Mini-Barrel, which let Wario shrink, is "Gulliver Tunnel." This is in reference to Gulliver's Travels, a story famous for the character Gulliver, who was either gigantic or dwarfed by his surroundings, depending on the lands he would visit.
• According to the names of some of the audio streams in the /sound/ folder, the game was in development as far back as 10/31/2006.
• Almost all enemies in the game are recolored using palettes, with the colors of the most common form as the default. The default colors for Flipsting (the scorpion), however, are a mix of two: blue highlights and orange shading.