Post by Pilgrim John on Feb 23, 2006 20:07:21 GMT -5
SERIES REVIEW: Wario Ware (GBA, GCN, DS)
***review by Pilgrim John.
Since 2003, Wario Ware has challenged our skills, Twisted our minds, and Touched our hearts. Memorable characters, weird humor, and some of the most hilarious hijinx you will ever see make up what Wario Ware is all about.
WARIO WARE: MEGA MICROGAME$ (GBA, 2003):
The introduction to this series begins with Wario picking his nose and watching TV (Told you it was weird). The gameplay consisted of nothing but pressing the A button and using the D-Pad to weave your way past a parade of wackiness. The "Microgames" themselves are only four seconds long each, giving you only a little time to figure out what's going on, then resolving the problem, or screw up trying. While this may sound exciting, it's also a major flaw: trying to figure out how to work the thing before the timer expires might eat away at your precious four extra lives = no fun. However, the microgames are so funny and entertaining, you probably won't mind screwing up on purpose just to see what happens.
The unlockable games, which involve eating vegetables and skateboarding, are addicting and just as much fun as the microgames... except they last longer.
The music, made up of several little jingles that play during the microgames and character themes, range from memorable (9-Volt's theme and the radio song for Dribble & Spitz) to just "meh" (The jingles). The voice-acting for each character is also pretty half-hearted.
What's even weirder is the story that conspires during gameplay to mesh all the microgames together--Wario attempts to design his own game and suck up the cash, so he cons his soon-to-be-former friends into designing the games for him. And with the rest of the game, it fits in perfectly.
GOOD:
*The great, fast, and fun gameplay
*It's laugh-out-loud funny
*The character themes--BEWARE: CATCHY
*Hilarious story
*Great unlockables
BAD:
*Forgettable jingles during the microgames
*Trying to figure out what to do when suddenly, the time expires
SCORE: 9.0/10
WARIO WARE: MEGA PARTY GAME$ (Gamecube, 2004):
What's even better than playing the first Wario Ware is playing the first Wario Ware with friends. It's hilarious fun, with new multiplayer twists to the single-player mode--such as the game challenging you to play the microgames while holding the controller upside-down, or having the losers block the other players' view of the microgame they are currently playing.
Other than the multiplayer aspect, there isn't anything too spectacular here... same microgames, very few unlockables, same music... Getting this game is purely optional, but it IS a must-rent, just so you can laugh along with your friends as you pound them.
GOOD:
*The crazy multiplayer antics
BAD:
*Anybody who's played the crap out of the first game isn't missing anything other than the multiplayer
SCORE: 7.0/10
WARIO WARE TWISTED! (GBA, 2004, Japan; 2005, USA)
What's great about the Wario Ware series is that, save for Party Games, it is always trying its hardest to innovate as well as entertain. Twisted almost completely revamps the gameplay, replacing button-mashing and direction-crazy action with actually turning your handheld 'round and 'round. Of course, that's all there is to the game, and that also means that like the first two, it's really short and easy to beat--all except for the final Boss Microgame. By far, Wario Can Mambo is the hardest Boss Microgame ever.
The music is the best in the series; complete with downright catchy themes, super-techno, and vintage NES tunes like the theme to Kid Icarus.
The unlockables are better than in the first Ware, with everything from little distractions to a sound test. Of course, the unlockable minigames are as fun as can be--especially Mewtroid, where you play as a cat that rolls around like a cute little furry animal, shooting flying firebreathing bald headed goateed freaks all the while.
Twisted certainly lives up to its name. It's a great introduction to the series for those who missed the first, and is still the world's only real popular game that uses the motion sensor tech (Kirby Tilt n' Tumble and Yoshi Topsy-Turvy didn't exactly make it, folks).
GOOD:
*Innovative way to play a game
*Weirder than the first game
*Music is much better this time
*Huge number of unlockables
*Sound test!!
BAD:
*The great gameplay is countered only by the fact that tilting and turning is really all there is to it, robbing it of a LOT of depth
SCORE: 8.5/10
WARIO WARE TOUCHED! (DS, 2005)
Launched for Nintendo's other handheld, Touched vacates the gameplay of all its predecessors in favor of the touch screen. What's really cool about this is that the touch screen actually has more functions than simply turning your DS. Poking, scratching, rubbing, drag-and-dropping, blowing into the microphone, and doodling are several themes here, and each microgame is zanier than ever.
The music and sound are great, but not quite as good as Twisted's. The best ones are 9-Volt's new theme, Mike's theme, and Ashley's theme (More on this later). Speaking of Mike and Ashley, the game seems to have dropped Dribble, Spitz, and Orbulon in favor of these two Wario Ware newcomers. Hm, maybe Wario fired them. Either way, you won't miss them--Mike and Ashley present more fun!
The gameplay is much more engaging than the other installments. The touch screen and microphone get quite a bit of usage here--what with all the scribbling, doodling, and such. However, the microphone-based microgames will get you dizzy simply because they will force you to blow very hard. Remember to pause the game when you start feeling disoriented.
The unlockables here are very disappointing. The only multiplayed microgame is a lame pingpong game. The Sound Test consists of only three songs. And besides the minigames, the rest serve only as lame distractions. However, the game's biggest (And most unintentional) secret is Ashley's Theme. When playing her theme, take your stylus and spin the record on the tabletop clockwise as fast as you can. The song will speed up and skip most of the lyrics, leaving behind an eerie message from Ashley: "I have granted all kids to hell." Cool.
Touched proves to be the best in the series, but not by much. If Nintendo had only provided more songs in the Sound Test, made it harder, and actually had some great unlockables, I could given it a perfect score. However, it does make it seem as though the DS was built just for this game instead of vice versa, so that counts for a lot!
GOOD:
*Best gameplay in the series
*Ashley and Mike, as new characters
*The music isn't bad, at least
*The graphics, while still unimpressive, are the best in the series
BAD:
*Crappy unlockables
*Easier than the first three
SCORE: 9.0/10
This series is one of Nintendo's greatest ideas, and if I know anything, I know that Wario Ware is a strong series in and of itself that takes advantage of innovation. Hopefully, we'll get to see what Wario and company will bring us for the Revolution in the near future.
OVERALL SERIES SCORE: 8.5/10
***review by Pilgrim John.
Since 2003, Wario Ware has challenged our skills, Twisted our minds, and Touched our hearts. Memorable characters, weird humor, and some of the most hilarious hijinx you will ever see make up what Wario Ware is all about.
WARIO WARE: MEGA MICROGAME$ (GBA, 2003):
The introduction to this series begins with Wario picking his nose and watching TV (Told you it was weird). The gameplay consisted of nothing but pressing the A button and using the D-Pad to weave your way past a parade of wackiness. The "Microgames" themselves are only four seconds long each, giving you only a little time to figure out what's going on, then resolving the problem, or screw up trying. While this may sound exciting, it's also a major flaw: trying to figure out how to work the thing before the timer expires might eat away at your precious four extra lives = no fun. However, the microgames are so funny and entertaining, you probably won't mind screwing up on purpose just to see what happens.
The unlockable games, which involve eating vegetables and skateboarding, are addicting and just as much fun as the microgames... except they last longer.
The music, made up of several little jingles that play during the microgames and character themes, range from memorable (9-Volt's theme and the radio song for Dribble & Spitz) to just "meh" (The jingles). The voice-acting for each character is also pretty half-hearted.
What's even weirder is the story that conspires during gameplay to mesh all the microgames together--Wario attempts to design his own game and suck up the cash, so he cons his soon-to-be-former friends into designing the games for him. And with the rest of the game, it fits in perfectly.
GOOD:
*The great, fast, and fun gameplay
*It's laugh-out-loud funny
*The character themes--BEWARE: CATCHY
*Hilarious story
*Great unlockables
BAD:
*Forgettable jingles during the microgames
*Trying to figure out what to do when suddenly, the time expires
SCORE: 9.0/10
WARIO WARE: MEGA PARTY GAME$ (Gamecube, 2004):
What's even better than playing the first Wario Ware is playing the first Wario Ware with friends. It's hilarious fun, with new multiplayer twists to the single-player mode--such as the game challenging you to play the microgames while holding the controller upside-down, or having the losers block the other players' view of the microgame they are currently playing.
Other than the multiplayer aspect, there isn't anything too spectacular here... same microgames, very few unlockables, same music... Getting this game is purely optional, but it IS a must-rent, just so you can laugh along with your friends as you pound them.
GOOD:
*The crazy multiplayer antics
BAD:
*Anybody who's played the crap out of the first game isn't missing anything other than the multiplayer
SCORE: 7.0/10
WARIO WARE TWISTED! (GBA, 2004, Japan; 2005, USA)
What's great about the Wario Ware series is that, save for Party Games, it is always trying its hardest to innovate as well as entertain. Twisted almost completely revamps the gameplay, replacing button-mashing and direction-crazy action with actually turning your handheld 'round and 'round. Of course, that's all there is to the game, and that also means that like the first two, it's really short and easy to beat--all except for the final Boss Microgame. By far, Wario Can Mambo is the hardest Boss Microgame ever.
The music is the best in the series; complete with downright catchy themes, super-techno, and vintage NES tunes like the theme to Kid Icarus.
The unlockables are better than in the first Ware, with everything from little distractions to a sound test. Of course, the unlockable minigames are as fun as can be--especially Mewtroid, where you play as a cat that rolls around like a cute little furry animal, shooting flying firebreathing bald headed goateed freaks all the while.
Twisted certainly lives up to its name. It's a great introduction to the series for those who missed the first, and is still the world's only real popular game that uses the motion sensor tech (Kirby Tilt n' Tumble and Yoshi Topsy-Turvy didn't exactly make it, folks).
GOOD:
*Innovative way to play a game
*Weirder than the first game
*Music is much better this time
*Huge number of unlockables
*Sound test!!
BAD:
*The great gameplay is countered only by the fact that tilting and turning is really all there is to it, robbing it of a LOT of depth
SCORE: 8.5/10
WARIO WARE TOUCHED! (DS, 2005)
Launched for Nintendo's other handheld, Touched vacates the gameplay of all its predecessors in favor of the touch screen. What's really cool about this is that the touch screen actually has more functions than simply turning your DS. Poking, scratching, rubbing, drag-and-dropping, blowing into the microphone, and doodling are several themes here, and each microgame is zanier than ever.
The music and sound are great, but not quite as good as Twisted's. The best ones are 9-Volt's new theme, Mike's theme, and Ashley's theme (More on this later). Speaking of Mike and Ashley, the game seems to have dropped Dribble, Spitz, and Orbulon in favor of these two Wario Ware newcomers. Hm, maybe Wario fired them. Either way, you won't miss them--Mike and Ashley present more fun!
The gameplay is much more engaging than the other installments. The touch screen and microphone get quite a bit of usage here--what with all the scribbling, doodling, and such. However, the microphone-based microgames will get you dizzy simply because they will force you to blow very hard. Remember to pause the game when you start feeling disoriented.
The unlockables here are very disappointing. The only multiplayed microgame is a lame pingpong game. The Sound Test consists of only three songs. And besides the minigames, the rest serve only as lame distractions. However, the game's biggest (And most unintentional) secret is Ashley's Theme. When playing her theme, take your stylus and spin the record on the tabletop clockwise as fast as you can. The song will speed up and skip most of the lyrics, leaving behind an eerie message from Ashley: "I have granted all kids to hell." Cool.
Touched proves to be the best in the series, but not by much. If Nintendo had only provided more songs in the Sound Test, made it harder, and actually had some great unlockables, I could given it a perfect score. However, it does make it seem as though the DS was built just for this game instead of vice versa, so that counts for a lot!
GOOD:
*Best gameplay in the series
*Ashley and Mike, as new characters
*The music isn't bad, at least
*The graphics, while still unimpressive, are the best in the series
BAD:
*Crappy unlockables
*Easier than the first three
SCORE: 9.0/10
This series is one of Nintendo's greatest ideas, and if I know anything, I know that Wario Ware is a strong series in and of itself that takes advantage of innovation. Hopefully, we'll get to see what Wario and company will bring us for the Revolution in the near future.
OVERALL SERIES SCORE: 8.5/10
But, Twisted DOES have way better unlockables and music, and is more challenging (Due to the fact that I have zip balance). I hope that Wario Ware: Screwed Up (My name for the next game) mixes the best elements of all of the first four into one of the greatest gaming experiences ever: supercrazy gameplay, insane multiplayer, a funny story, and tons of awesome unlockables. I can't wait.
