Review: WarioWare Inc (GBA)

Wario Ware Inc. is a bonkers release that strives to be more than the sum of its parts - quite a hefty task when made up of over 200 parts to begin with. The story behind this "Mini Game Mania" is that Wario has decided to cash in on the latest increase in videogame sales by making a huge array of simple but addictive mini-games and selling them off. But to fulfil this dastardly scheme he needs the help of his henchmen (and women) to come up with the games for him.

And so begins a very bizarre journey through each character's selection of mini-games, preceded by a very well animated cut-scene, giddy with colour and humour. Each character has a specific type of game style, from sports, to cerebral, to reality, and just plain weird; you must complete a set amount (15, 20, 25+ mini-games) without losing your lives.

To say each mini-game is simple is something of an understatement. You get about 5 seconds on each one, after being given an introductory word (eg. "Dodge!", "Catch!", "Memorise!" etc.) you are instantly thrown into a quick reaction situation where you must complete the single objective using just the D-pad and A-button. The trouble is, whilst there is variety in the visuals of each game, there is not so much variety in the concepts. Pressing A-button repeatedly to eat a banana is no different from pressing A-button repeatedly to cut someone's hair, or build a clay model up. Having to time a shot, or drop a cherry on a cake, is fundamentally no different from hitting a spinning dial, or catching a dropping rod. It's only the occasional game that has a unique concept to it, like the paper aeroplane guiding game, or the boxing game, and these tend to be expanded into individual full games of their own.

Still, it isn't so much the invidual games themselves that provide the enjoyment factor, but the overall experience of playing them in order, - the way they are presented to you in a one-at-a-time, brief panic-enduced sections. A game made up of games, if you will. Wario Ware will require you to be on your toes at all times, each game giving you a slightly different task ensures that there isn't time to be bored, and the ever-increasing difficulty means there is no chance of it getting too easy either.

The brilliant aspect about Wario Ware is the presentation and sheer comedy value of it. Each individual character has a unique setting for the mini-games to take place. Whether it's on the display of a mobile phone in a funky disco, or on the windscreen of a cab on a rainy night, or more amusingly, a digital display of a monkey on the back of a motorcycle, throwing bananas at police cars. You really don't know what to expect from it next.

Unfortunately, not knowing what to expect also extends to the games themselves. Most of the time, there simply isn't enough time to work out what you should be doing on the first go. The scene might be too obscure or minimalist to be able to judge it in one go, or maybe the gameplay will just be too harsh. However as you play more, it gradually does get more instinctive. Without the initial keyword, you would certainly be without a chance, so luckily these are present and usually pretty clear.

On a technical level, Wario Ware doesn't disappoint. The sound is rich in detail as are the graphics, with plenty of animations and variety. Some of the mini-games themselves are purposely basic, some made up of simple white-on-black lines, whereas others are full recreations of SNES game graphics, like the F-Zero mini-game for example. There are hardly any other games out there with as much variety in the visuals as this.

Multi-player options don't extend as far as link-up unfortunately, however there is a rather clever single-console two-player mode, where the players take control of either the L or R shoulder button in very simplified (but still very competitive) head-to-head games. Want more than this? How about the full Dr. Wario game (the same as Dr. Mario), for a burst of puzzle game fun. This is unlockable, as are other secret hidden modes and bonus games as well, once you work through enough of the main campaign. It helps to increase the life-span of what could be a rather repetitive title without it.

Wario Ware is a perfect title for quick pick-up-and-play sessions. There is nothing to be learned or mastered, other than your own quick reflexes, and whilst it is unfortunate that so many of the games are too similar and don't offer enough gameplay variety, the actual experience of working through them is both challenging and original, with comedy value and lush visuals to boot. It may not last forever, but you'll more than likely find something new every so often, and it's no bad thing when you do.

Rating: 7 / 10

Words by Daniel James