"Game and Watch...on crack!"

You've gotta hand it to Nintendo. While other video game companies are competing over who can make the most gruesome and most violent game ever, Nintendo, vigilant Nintendo, refuses to sell out. Instead, they continue to refine and experiment on this thing we call gaming. Donkey Kong, Super Mario Kart, (among many many others) and now, Wario Ware: Mega Microgame$, which is bound to start an entirely new franchise.

Story: After seeing the success of Game Boy games, Wario has decided to make a game of his own so...surprise...he can make TONS of money. There are several characters in Wario's world and each has a different reason for playing these micro-games (aka mini-games), whether it be to break out of a computer, or to launch banana peels at police cars. Successfully completing one micro-game brings each of the characters one step closer to their goals. Their stories are told through very colorful and usually well-animated cut-scenes. But stories, however entertaining, aren't why we're here. More on that later.

Graphics: Fantastic. Everything from 'primitive' Game and Watch-style graphics to an F-Zero race track is here. The zooming in and out of the micro-games gets faster and faster and really draws you into the maddening pace of the game.

Sound: Some of the best I've ever heard in a Game Boy game. There are TONS of voice samples, many of which are played back at different speeds so they rarely sound the same. The music between micro-games is very catchy and gets more and more intense the faster the game goes which adds ENORMOUSLY to the entire experience. Try playing with the sound off if you don't believe me. Even better, nothing sounds tinny and everything is crystal clear. And if you listen closely as you play, you'll notice that the music samples for each of the micro-games fit EXACTLY into the 3-4 seconds you have to complete the game. The attention to detail here is remarkable.

Gameplay: Saving the best for last...This is what Wario Ware is all about. Every level presents you with a new character and a handful of micro-games. You have only one shot at each of the games and four lives. The games are incredibly simple, from stomping on a Goomba in Super Mario Bros., to counting the number of frogs hopping quickly by, to pressing the A button at just the right time so a finger can successfully go up a nostril. Thing is, as simple as the games are, you have only 3-4 seconds to do whatever it is you're supposed to do. On top of that, for every five or so games you pass, everything speeds up, giving you less time, faster music, flashier graphics...the works. Dozens of strikingly simplistic games are thrown at you one after the other in a matter of seconds creating a feeling that can only be likened to...well...Game and Watch on about 36 Mountain Dews and a shot of espresso. Granted, part of the fun is trying to figure out what the heck you're supposed to do in each of these games and this element will, unfortunately, disappear once you've played through all the games, but the challenge remains. And in most cases, the more levels you pass, the more mixed up the games become. For example, an oft-used micro-game involves jumping over an oncoming obstacle. Usually, the obstacle (be it a potato, shark, or hot dog) will whiz right by. However, the more levels you play, the greater the likelihood of it stopping short thus throwing off your timing, jumping over YOU, or turning around and leaving altogether. While eventually you'll learn all the tricks of the micro-games, you'll have to constantly stay on your toes to make it through the later levels as familiar micro-games will suddenly have new twists added to them. On top of this, high scores unlock full-blown versions of Wario-inspired games (i.e. ''Dr. Wario'') so the motivation for playing is there.

Aside from the unfortunate dissipation of surprise the more the game is played, there's also the simple fact that there ARE only 200 micro-games. And once you've played them...well...you've played them (This is why a sequel or a new E-Card series is so obvious). So even though the game is still a blast to play, some of the excitement IS lost once you've seen it all. But this really isn't a big deal in the long run.

All in all, I never cease to marvel at Nintendo's creativity. I suppose you could say Wario Ware is a Mario Party or Game-and-Watch Gallery with a faster pace and time limit, but somehow, Wario Ware feels completely removed from those games...it's something unto itself. It's smart. It's funny. It's challenging. It's fresh. It's exciting. It's addictive. It's a franchise waiting to be milked.

You go, Nintendo.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/19/03, Updated 05/19/03