"Play! Watch! Read!"

There comes a time in every gamer's life to see new things. I remember first picking up a Nintendo controller. It was astounding. I felt like I was a gamer holding it. But seriously: there's a game out there that challenges the norm, creates something beyond real. Something for people who think throwing a football in Madden or jumping in Super Mario Bros. is not enough; it's just not enough! The game manages to put sports, realism, thinking, eye drops, and nose-picking together, sometimes within the same minute. But what does this have to do with Nintendo? Well, it's darn time for Wario to get a serious series. Yeah, yeah, Wario Land was fun, but Wario's not about that. He's about microgames, and Mario's greedy counterpart has begun a worldwide enterprise beyond anything ever seen before, and it's hit the Game Boy Advance.

So what's behind this electronic enterprise? Well, Nintendo anti-hero and greedy son of a gun Wario has taken notice in recent video game sales. In an effort to pioneer gaming greatness (but mostly for the cash) Wario opens WarioWare Inc., the headquarters of Wario's newest gaming company dead set on making a quick cash-in. But Wario's too lazy to make a whole game himself so instead, he gets his crazy crew of friends to help out. Wario calls up his buddies to make short games that manage to last barely a few seconds. The story is slim and as convoluted as the game is, but once you realize the mastery and stamina it takes in WarioWare, you find out that the story is the least of the weirdness. The game takes off quickly and soon the player is introduced to some of the weirdest gaming designs ever conceived.

As stated before, WarioWare is a compilation of “microgames”. Where Mario Party pioneers the minigame-structure of a video game, WarioWare takes it one step further and makes games even smaller and faster-paced with the invention of the microgame. At the beginning of each microgame, the player is shown a simple exclamation explaining what the goal of the game is. It can be “Reflect,” “Dodge,” or one of many, many other things, some more specific than others. The game then sets a timer where the selected action must be completed in just a few seconds, the average being around five seconds. The selected action can usually be completed with simple taps on the D-Pad or the A button, or in some of the most interesting cases, require nothing at all. There's a brilliant simplicity to these microgames, but what could possibly make such simple concepts stick as well as they do in WarioWare?

The matter is that these games come together to make a rapid-fire game barrage unlike any other game series. There are literally hundreds of microgames that can range from jumping over an oncoming car, frying an egg, or in the obscure cases, something as simple as picking a nostril. Yes, WarioWare is weird, and it's not scared to show it. When it all comes down to it, WarioWare is a test of endurance and reflexes. You get a group of stamina bars in each round. If you don't complete a microgame in the allotted time, you lose a bit of stamina. The game continues until you lose all stamina. The twist is that the game gets faster and harder as you continue, until eventually to slip and mess up. Round out the modes with some slightly more complex boss stages, and there's a possibility of an extra stamina. It's so simple, but it's incredibly addictive and challenging. As you progress through the game, the microgame pool gets bigger and the games get more challenging. As Wario says, “anything goes.” There's so much uniqueness in each microgame; it's darn near impossible not to find a favorite. Mix in some classic Nintendo franchises like Mario, Metroid, Zelda, and even old R.O.B. the Robot and you get some incredibly clever microgames. WarioWare shows the addictive design of the microgames with a cosmetic appeal for even the most stubbornly specific of gamers.

When the onslaught of microgames is pushed to its absolute fullest and the weirdness without levy, you'll find Wario's enterprise to be incredibly challenging. Some of the microgames can prove to be agonizingly difficult, but WarioWare has mastered the long-renewed saying of “one more game.” The game also puts in some fun multiplayer modes along with some unlockable minigames like Dr. Wario. Some of the later modes are some of the most ingenious tests of reflexes and quick thinking seen on a handheld to date and will no doubt keep you coming back for another round. It flawlessly reaches the basis of handheld gaming; quick and accessible action, perfect for a quick game, but worth coming back to. The simplistic challenges may not be for everyone and it may be eclipsed by its later incarnations, but there's a brilliant balance created with WarioWare. This is the birth of the microgame, and the beginning of a legacy.

Graphically, the game doesn't push too many envelopes, but there's a ton of diversity in the microgames. Each character is cool to watch in their sprited format and there are enough clever and well-animated sequences to watch. The microgames themselves look quirky and hilarious, but also coordinate with their respective characters. For example, Mona will play out with weird games like brushing teeth and picking noses. Dr. Krygor's are realistic, with photo bananas and sleepy cats. 9-Volt uses the workings of past Nintendo games in his microgames, and the 8-bit traditions hold up incredibly well. The sound is familiar to fans of Wario Land, as many of the sound effects are reused, but a lot of the music and sound effects are catchy and enjoyable. There are as many sound effects as microgames and more, and the little quips from the characters are pretty entertaining. There isn't much to WarioWare's presentation, but one thing's for sure: it'll always keep you guessing.

Pros
+ Rapid-fire gameplay is diverse and addictive
+ Quirky and interesting graphic design
+ Refreshingly original

Cons
- Painfully short
- Mastery consists mostly timing
- Just could've used a bit more

There's a special place in gaming history for Wario's sick little enterprise he's created, and although it feels short and overly-simplistic at times, it's one heck of a good time. The game is downright perfect for handhelds, where quick games allow just enough time for a piece of practice before time to save and get moving. There's just enough addiction in each five seconds the game shows and once the different microgames come together, the game manages to go where no game has gone before. It's thoroughly addictive, and there's plenty of diversity in each and every game. Even after the short story mode is finished, WarioWare packs in enough extras and challenging modes to be worth another serious playthrough. Good luck finding all the microgames on one go. Unless you dedicate your gaming lifestyle on complexity and…well…structure in general, WarioWare's undeniable charm and simplicity will hook you from the start. Although the original got lost into obscurity (it's kind of hard to find), it's worth picking up as a rental at the absolute least.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/10/07

Game Release: WarioWare Inc.: Mega MicroGame$ (US, 05/21/03)