WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!

"For this kind of party, you'll come for the games and stay for the multiplayer."

I’ll admit, am rather impressed at the way Nintendo been handling the Wario franchise over the past few years ever since his debut as a villain in the Super Mario Land 2: Legend of the Seven Coins. While mostly appearing in adventure games, the greedy “anti-Mario” has also expanded in the puzzles genre (well really with just three games, the first being the great but forgetful Wario Woods and the crossover with Bomberman in Wario Blast, remember those? And am sure you all know what the third one is.) Who would guess that he would last this long in gaming history and in the process give us one of the most addictive and creative games for the GBA. Now, a year after WarioWare’s release and the surprise success that came along with it. Nintendo, seeing cash to be made, creates a follow-up for the GameCube that now let’s the rest of your friends in on the bizarre happenings that was once just for the GBA. Thing is, was it one of their best moves or their most shallowest?

Skinny: The original GBA game had our chubby money grubbing adventurer trying to get rich yet again by creating a bunch of micro-games along with his “snicker” friends (sorry am still having trouble believing this guy could have friends). The GameCube version unfortunely drops this and rushes straight into the game with little rhyme or reason. Granted it wasn’t the deepest of plots but it was still fun seeing how these oddball characters got in and out of their situations. There are little cut-scene at the beginning of the game but their more distractions then anything. For shame Nintendo, a company that can give us such great stories and yet forego one when it really needed here. Tsk, tsk, tsk,

Play Dials: The control stick or d-pad and the “A” button is all you use. All the games control differently but that’s part of the fun as you try to figure out what to do. But overall the controls are good.

Core: For those that ever played the Game Boy Advance version, the main game will be a catwalk here. All the games are the same from the GBA version and pretty much control in the same fashion too. Newbies who don’t own a Game Boy will get a blast in trying to figure out how the microgames work but familiars should just go straight to the multiplayer (considering they have friends to play with). They’re all new and each has a interesting concept for using the microgames for example in one game both players take turns playing the microgames while the other pumps a ever-expanding balloon to pop on the playing player. Another is a card game done with sort of a War-style mechanics, only when you draw the special card you get a chance to win more cards or lose all of them through the micro-games. Oh did I mention the other players can steal your cards too? Or how about a strategic game of Othello…with spaceships and the number of spaces is determined by the number of micro-games you beat. Not your cup of tea, then how about playing the game while doing tasks in the real world given to you by a doctor and the only way to win is up to the other player to clap to your performance. The multiplayer games are all imaginative and make great work of the micro-games. Of course they’re not all great but you’re sure to find one that’ll suit you and your friend’s taste. Before I leave off I also must voice my disappointment that the extra games (Pyro, Dr.Wario, Jump Forever (found in multiplayer only), Fly Swatter etc.) weren’t put in. It would’ve really liven up the replay value.

Eye-Candy: Two sides here. One is the ported over GBA graphics that look very flushed out and don’t suit the GameCube at all. Nintendo tries to cover this by showing that you playing an animated Game Boy Advance in the game, but its a very cheap tactic at the most giving the game a rushed quality. The GameCube exclusive graphics, while no system pusher, are nice to look at as the WarioWario cast are a bit more animated now and the weird stuff that happens before the game (in the intros before the “Press Start” screen. Heck, even the “Press Start” screen itself) throws more fuel in the bizarre fire that the game has established. So to sum it up GameCube graphics: Good, GBA graphics on GameCube: Bad.

Noise: Ah, oh, well what can I say? It’s a lot of weird sound effects with some soft voice samples thrown in showing that this isn’t your everyday puzzle game. The music isn’t bad either (love that beat in the 2-player survival mode, really kept that game pumping.).

Final Call: Good for the Multiplayer, so-so by yourself if only you haven’t played the GBA version. Its was a good idea to bring it to GameCube but would’ve been better if more new stuff or the extras from the original WarioWare made it in. Thus I deemed it rental worthy and let the public decide if they want it or not. Hopefully Nintendo will make an official sequel to this otherwise excellent game, after all whats good a great idea like this if your not going to use it to it fullest. Hint, hint, Nintendo?

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/16/04