"Ware with pride"

Mario Party is like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. It's like any EA sports game. It's like Mega Man Battle Network for the Game Boy Advance. Do I dare say it? It's like Final Fantasy! Every version is practically the same, save for a few minor changes to make you think you're getting your money's worth. This seems like a plot only the conniving and treasure-hungry alter-ego of Mario, the cleverly named Wario, could devise. Initially, Wario's "plan" was to make cheap, crummy games as a way to score some easy cash. In retrospect, it may seem like Nintendo is doing the same with their WarioWare series. And that may very well be the whole point of WarioWare, which may explain why there's suddenly four WarioWare games across three consoles. But the final product is still much better than any of Mario's parties.

Graphics:
My first experience with WarioWare was the Gamecube iteration with the subtitle "Mega Party Game$," and I'm going to refer to that frequently since the GCN and GBA versions of WarioWare are nearly identical. When I played Mega Party Game$, the visual presentation abhorred me. The raw, rough, pixilated mini-games looked absolutely terrible blown up on a large TV screen. In the perimeters of the GBA, however, WarioWare looks very slick. Granted, the mini-games are still cheap-looking, but it's used artfully to make WarioWare even more of an amusing experience. Some mini-games are black and white drawings, others poorly animated jpegs, and the occasional is a reused image from an NES game. All of this is held together with a clean interface which can boast better cut scenes than the Gamecube version. Fancy that. Coming from a Game Boy game, this is high quality.

Sound:
WarioWare is a bombardment of sounds. Character voice-overs complement the action that is already quirked with sporadic music and glowing sound effects fit to each different mini-game. In my Mega Party Game$ review, I mentioned that the sound department was way overdone. For the GBA, all of this still retains a fair bit of displeasure, but the fact that they can fit lyrical music into a GBA game excuses any irritation it may bring. WarioWare just sounds better from a Game Boy speaker. Every mini-game has essentially its own theme, too. While some themes crossover in near duplication, the five-second jingles are quite catchy and fun. It's also really amusing when the music starts speeding up in sync with the quickness of the mini-game, resulting in odd-sounding fanfares.

Gameplay:
Do you have a short attention span? If so, WarioWare is perfect for you. The game consists of over 200 mini-games fired randomly in rapid succession at the player. Each mini-game only lasts a few seconds before the next one comes up, and the whole process gradually gets faster and faster. The mini-games require quick reflexes and a sharp mind to beat. Some games are finished by mere Mario Party button tapping. Other games are more intricate and involve balancing, dodging, shooting, catching, counting, matching, or remembering something. It sounds simple, but when you have only a few seconds to accomplish the task, it gets to be really challenging. All this is done with the least bit of seriousness, too. One game involves a girl sniffing a booger back into her nose. Another game is a spin-off of the Virtual Boy's Mario Clash. One that always makes me laugh is a dog wanting to shake hands with you. Not all 200 games are original, however, because many concepts repeat themselves. There are about four or five games where the objective is simply steering a car down the street. Pressing the A button to stop a moving object is also a continuing idea, but the way it is presented each time makes every game feel new and fresh.

There is also a touch of randomness to it all. Every mini-game has three difficulty levels, upping the complexity of the challenge. A particular game may require you to mix and match Wario's face. Depending on the difficulty, you may only have to pick the right hat, or you may have to select the right hat, eyes, and nose (all in the same time). These difficulty levels aren't set in stone, either. They change in themselves. Platforms change position. Falling objects don't fall down the same route every time. It keeps everything frantic and keeps you guessing. As if this wasn't enough, the games are also randomly picked and won't always appear in the same order (or at all). Thus, seeing all 200 games requires playing the subsets multiple times. The game isn't just one run through all 200 mini-games (or better known as microgames, I should finally point out). Wario is joined by several friends who have their own set of games to tackle with a "boss battle" showing up every 15 rounds. The boss battles are longer and a bit more intricate, such as boxing or making your way through an obstacle course on a skateboard, but having to play them repeatedly gets kind of annoying. They're too long to retain the same enjoyment as the real microgames. All of these can be played in a nonstop unison as more options become available, giving you the chance to relax in Easy mode or take on the harder settings.

Controls:
The similar (but extremely slower in comparison) Mario Party franchise suffers from every mini-game requiring the player to know all the nuances of the controls. WarioWare eliminates that problem by stripping the controls down to their very basics: the D-pad and A button. This lack of intricacy doesn't hurt the game but lends to a more accessible design. Of course, with such limited control, the variety in the mini-games suffers. Only so many things can be done with one D-pad and one button. In fact, the pinball game (not surprisingly involving Wario shooting boogers out his nose) requires using the A button for the left flipper and the D-pad for the right flipper. Given that the game only lasts three seconds, it's not so serious, but it does feel a little stilted.

Frustration:
It's sometimes confusing what you're supposed to do for a particular mini-game. The screen will flash "Dodge!" and suddenly you're in the middle of a game that ends before you knew what to do. It takes a little getting used to, but the learning curve is worth it. Once you can understand and anticipate how this game works, it's more a matter of saying, "Ahhhh! I can't keep up anymore!" than "I hate this game!" No complaints here.

Lasting Appeal:
Mega Party Game$ was supposed to deliver a great multiplayer experience that would extend the formula into many hours and several days. It didn't. The Game Boy version actually has more to do (or at least, more fun stuff to do) than the Gamecube's. Naturally, the option exists to attempt nabbing that high score spot in the different modes. If that fails to amuse you, WarioWare offers several unlockable games. These aren't just more microgames. These are full-fledged classics like near-perfect renditions of Dr. Mario and the infamous Fly Swatter game from Mario Paint. Seriously, both of these are part of the package and together make buying WarioWare a given. As further bonus, there are two-player split-screen games. While it's awkward for two people to use one Game Boy Advance simultaneously (via the L and R buttons), the inclusion is a charming way for non-gamers to join in the fun.

As for the main design, the game is so simple and quick, the novelty soon wears thin. That thin layer is enough to keep this one in the front of your GBA collection, however. I love carrying WarioWare with me and playing it whenever I find myself bored (be it for two minutes or half an hour). To open the last mini-game, you have to get a high score on every individual microgame, so there is definitely stuff to do. WarioWare is always amusing and fun and challenging and is perfectly suited for the handheld. If you're in need of something to play in short bursts, this is it.

Overall:
When I sit down in front of a home console (i.e. the Gamecube), I expect to be entertained in at least one hour intervals. WarioWare is not that kind of game, and that is why Mega Party Game$ failed. On a handheld, however, the simple and quick nature of WarioWare turns it into one engaging experience. It works really well as a GBA game to pick up and play when standing in line at Disney World or waiting for your mom to start the car. If you're not a fan of the Game & Watch or classic arcade style where the goal is to keep playing as long as possible for a high score, nothing about WarioWare will appeal to you outside its crazy presentation. After playing this game, however, I can't see how any GBA collection is complete without it.

Points:
+ Simple but engaging
+ Fast and frantic
+ Wacky
+ Extended mini-games
-- Several reused ideas
-- Annoying boss battles

Score: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/25/05, Updated 10/26/05