Wario Land 4

"Wario: Fat, Phat, and Fun!"

Some games go the extra mile to make you emotional. They may make you cry, they may make you laugh. I felt that Wario Land 4 was like the latter: little extras were put into the game to make you laugh. Overall, I loved this game, and below, you will learn why...

Story 9/10- The following story is from the manual...
''On a peaceful morning filled with the chirps of cheery birds, I was reading the morning paper and doing a little nose-cleaning. 'wh- Wh- What!?' I exclaimed in surprise. I was so surprised by one article in the paper, I accidently jammed my finger straight up my nose! 'Aaargh! I think I just poked my brain!' Anyways, enough 'bout that. The headline of the article said that a legendary pyramid had been discovered. Hmmmmm... When I read the article, I learned that the ruins held the buried pyramid where the princess Shokora, who once ruled this area, had been put into a cursed sleep by the arrogant, selfish, money-crazed Golden Diva. 'Do I smell treasure again?' I thought. 'Heh, heh, hehhhh!' As this wicked laugh floated through my mind, I was already thinking about the money and nothing else! Forgetting even to take my mid-morning nap, I hopped into my fantastic Wario car and headed for the Golden Pyramid. 'All that treasure for me! Guhahaha!'''

Graphics 10/10- Wario never looked so good! (Or so fat!) The backgrounds and enemies also look top-notch. Sometimes, you feel like you are right there next to Wario! Really; the graphics are that good!

Gameplay 9/10- The controls are a breeze. The 'A' button makes you jump, the 'B' button makes you punch. The D-Pad make you move. By combining these buttons in different patterns, a host of moves can be executed! The 'R' button makes you das, which can be used to break blue-colored blocks!

As for the game itself, it is played inside the Golden Pyramid. There are five passages: the Entry Passage, the Emerald Passage, the Topaz Passage, the Ruby Passage, and the Sapphire Passage. Each passage has its own set of levels, which vary in difficulty. In each level (for that passage), you must collect four pieces of a jewel. If you do, and you safely exit the level, the jewel will assemble on that passage's boss door. (Each passage features its own boss.) However, to safely exit each level, you must detonate a bomb! Therefore, you only have a limited time to exit each level!

Wario Land 4 contains an extensive amount of items. Each enemy nets you with coins, and destroying blocks can give you hearts. Wario has a heart guage, so when it gets filled by hearts and other items, Wario gains a new heart! (Obviously, this reduces damage!) Also, each level contains a diamond, which is worth a hefty 10,000 points. Depending on how many points you get in each level, you may get something fun at the end...

Wario Land 4 also features mini-games. As long as you have the money, you can play Wario's Home Run Derby, The Wario Hop, and Wario Roulette. While nothing special happens for playing these mini-games, they are still nice for taking a break.

One cool feature of Wario is his ability to transform. Due to certain enemies in the levels, Wario will change! He can become a bee, a spring, a ghost, a flat man, a fat man, a fiery man, and a frozen man! Each transformation will help Wario on his quest. (As if he wan't well equipped already!)

Finally, there are the mysterios CDs. Each level contains one CD, which goes into the pyramid's Sound Room. From the Sound Room, you can listen to the CDs. They contain fun sounds and music, but like the mini-games, don't provide you with anything special.

And should you be especially skilled and win all four passages, then perhaps a Golden Passage will open...

Sound 8/10- Wario makes his typical grunts and laughs, but the enemies are mighty quiet. If only a few more sounds were added...

Music 10/10- The 16 unique tracks played in each level, the 16 CDs, the music of Wario Land 4 is incredible! 'Nuff said!

Verdict-

Story 9/10
Graphics 10/10
Gameplay 9/10
Sound 8/10
Music 10/10
Multiplayer N/A
Replay Value 10/10

Pros:
This game screams replay value!

Cons:
You will get frustrated trying to collect all the CDs!

Final Word- Wario Land 4 is a must-have for anyone who owns a GBA. The replay, the gameplay... it all equals one great game!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/14/02, Updated 12/14/02