Wario video games have been developed by several companies, including Nintendo, Suzak, Good-Feel, Treasure and Intelligent Systems. All Wario video games have been developed for Nintendo video game consoles and handhelds dating from the Game Boy to the seventh generation of video game consoles. The first game to feature Wario was as the antagonist in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins ; Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 was the first to feature Wario as a playable character. [1] [2]
The Wario series consists of two separate gameplay-oriented parts: a series of traditional side-scrolling platform games, and a series of party games under the WarioWare moniker.
The platform games are a spin-off from the Super Mario Land series of games for the Game Boy. The changes from the Mario Land series, both stylistically and storywise—with anime-style cutscenes and a greedy protagonist—make the games unique from other platformers in the genre. [3] [4] The latest Wario platform game to be released is Wario Land: Shake It! (known as Wario Land: The Shake Dimension in Europe and Wario Land: Shake [a] in Japan) for the Wii, and is a 2D platform game like the previous Wario platform games. [5]
The WarioWare games are minigame compilations in which the player is required to perform a series of short activities at a quickening pace, with the player having four lives. [6] [7] The latest WarioWare game is WarioWare: Move It! , released on November 3, 2023.
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Original release date(s): [8] | Release years by system: 1994 – Game Boy [8] 2011 – Nintendo 3DS (VC) |
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Original release date(s): [9] | Release years by system: 1995 – Virtual Boy [9] |
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Original release date(s): [11] | Release years by system: 1998 – Game Boy [11] 1998 – Game Boy Color [12] 2012 – Nintendo 3DS (VC) |
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Original release date(s): [14] | Release years by system: 2000 – Game Boy Color [14] 2012 – Nintendo 3DS (VC) 2023 – Nintendo Switch (NSO) |
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Original release date(s): [16] | Release years by system: 2001 – Game Boy Advance [16] 2011 – Nintendo 3DS (VC, Ambassador Program exclusive) 2014 – Wii U (VC) |
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Original release date(s): [17] | Release years by system: 2003 – GameCube [17] |
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Original release date(s): [19] | Release years by system: 2007 – Nintendo DS [19] 2015 – Wii U (VC) |
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Original release date(s): [21] | Release years by system: 2008 – Wii [21] 2016 – Wii U |
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Title | Details |
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Original release date(s): [23] | Release years by system: 2003 – Game Boy Advance [23] 2003 – GameCube [24] 2011 – Nintendo 3DS (VC, Ambassador Program exclusive) 2014 – Wii U (VC) 2023 – Nintendo Switch (NSO) |
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Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2004 – Game Boy Advance [27] |
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Original release date(s): [30] | Release years by system: 2004 – Nintendo DS [30] 2015 – Wii U (VC) 2016 – Nintendo 3DS |
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Original release date(s): [33] | Release years by system: 2006 – Wii [33] 2016 – Wii U |
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Original release date(s): [35] | Release years by system: 2008 – DSiWare [35] 2011 – Nintendo 3DS |
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Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2009 – Nintendo DS, WiiWare |
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Original release date(s): [38] | Release years by system: 2013 – Wii U |
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Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2018 – Nintendo 3DS |
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Original release date(s): September 10, 2021 | Release years by system: 2021 – Nintendo Switch |
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Original release date(s): November 3, 2023 | Release years by system: 2023 – Nintendo Switch |
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Bird & Beans Original release date(s): [40] | Release years by system: 2008 – DSiWare [40] |
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Paper Airplane Chase Original release date(s): [42] [43] | Release years by system: 2008 – DSiWare [42] |
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Title | Details |
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Original release date(s): [45]
| Release years by system: 1993 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System [45] |
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Original release date(s): [46] | Release years by system: 1994 – Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System [46] [47] 1995 – Satellaview [48] 2006 – Wii (VC) [2] 2013 – Nintendo 3DS (VC) 2013 – Wii U (VC) 2018 – Nintendo Switch (NSO) |
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Original release date(s): [49] | Release years by system: 1994 – Game Boy [49] |
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Original release date(s): [51]
| Release years by system: 1995 – Satellaview [51] |
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Dr. Mario is a 1990 puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy. It was produced by Gunpei Yokoi and designed by Takahiro Harada. The soundtrack was composed by Hirokazu Tanaka.
Wario is a character in Nintendo's Mario franchise that was designed as an archnemesis to Mario. Wario first appeared as the main antagonist and final boss in the 1992 Game Boy game Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. His name is a portmanteau of the name Mario and the Japanese word warui, meaning "bad". He is usually portrayed as a greedy treasure hunter who routinely loses the treasure or artifacts he ultimately finds. Since his debut, he has appeared in the majority of Mario video games. Hiroji Kiyotake designed Wario, and Charles Martinet voiced the character from 1993 to 2023.
Wario's Woods is a puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo. It was released in Japan and North America in 1994 and Europe in 1995 for both the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. A spin-off of the Mario series, players control Toad in his mission to defeat Wario, who has taken control of the Peaceful Woods. Gameplay revolves around clearing each level by using bombs to destroy groups of enemies. The game also features a multiplayer mode that allows two players to compete against each other.
Wario Land 3 is a 2000 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. The game's plot centers around Wario who must free a mysterious figure who is trapped inside a music box.
Wario Land 4 is a 2001 platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It is the fifth installment in the Wario Land subseries of the Wario series. It was released in Japan in August 2001 and November 2001 internationally. In the game, Wario has to gather four treasures to unlock a pyramid and save Princess Shokora from the Golden Diva. The game received critical acclaim, with many considering the game to be one of the best platformers of all time.
Wario World is a 2003 platform game developed by Treasure and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. The game's plot centers on Wario and his quest to regain his treasure and his castle from the evil gem, Black Jewel.
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!, known as WarioWare, Inc.: Minigame Mania in the PAL region, is a minigame compilation video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The debut title in the WarioWare series, the game is about rapid completion of "microgames", short minigames given to the player consecutively and with increasing speed per each game complete. The game's concept was inspired by the "Sound Bomber" mode of Mario Artist: Polygon Studio for the Nintendo 64DD. The music and sound effects were recycled from Wario Land 4. The game was produced by Takehiro Izushi and directed by Hirofumi Matsuoka. Matsuoka was also the director of Polygon Studio. Mega Microgames! was released in 2003; in Japan in March, in North America and Europe in May and in Australia in June.
Super Mario 64 DS is a 2004 platform game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch game for the Nintendo DS. Super Mario 64 DS is a remake of the 1996 Nintendo 64 game Super Mario 64, with new graphics, characters, collectibles, a multiplayer mode, and several extra minigames. As with the original, the plot centers on rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser. Unlike the original, Yoshi is the first playable character, with Mario, Luigi, and Wario being unlockable characters in early phases of the game.
WarioWare: Touched! is a minigame compilation party video game released by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. The fourth installment of the WarioWare series, and the first of three on the Nintendo DS, the game involves rapidly completing "microgames" — simple minigames lasting extremely short periods of time — as quickly as possible. The microgames are exclusively controlled with the Nintendo DS's touchscreen and microphone.
WarioWare: Twisted! is a video game for the Game Boy Advance, developed by Nintendo SPD with Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. It was released on October 14, 2004 in Japan; May 19, 2005 in Australia; and May 23, 2005 in North America. The third game in the WarioWare series and the seventh in the Wario series overall, Twisted! was the last Wario game to be released on a Game Boy family system.
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$! is a party video game for the GameCube. A remake of WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!, and the second installment in the WarioWare series, the game translates the "microgame" gameplay of Mega Microgames! to be playable in a multiplayer environment. It comes with eight special multiplayer modes for up to four players that all involve the known microgames in some way.
Virtual Boy Wario Land is a 1995 platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Virtual Boy. It stars Wario, who finds himself deep underground after stumbling upon a treasure-filled cave and must find his way back to the surface. Throughout the journey, the player explores and searches for items and power-ups while fighting enemies and defeating bosses. Wario has the ability to jump between the background and foreground at certain points, making use of Virtual Boy's stereoscopic 3D effect.
WarioWare: Smooth Moves is a party video game developed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo on the Wii. It was released in Japan in December 2006, and in Europe, North America, and Australia in January 2007. It is the fifth game in the WarioWare series of games, and the only game in the series to be physically released for the Wii. Like its predecessors, WarioWare: Smooth Moves is built around a collection of microgames that last about five seconds each, and which require that the player hold the Wii Remote in specific positions. The game offers the microgames to the player in rapid succession, by first instructing the player to hold the Wii Remote in a specific manner, and then showing them the microgame. The microgames are divided into several stages, each of which loosely connects the microgames with the help of a story. Additionally, this was the first spin-off Mario game to be released for the console.
Wario is a video game series, a spin-off of the Mario franchise. It comprises various video games created by Nintendo, starring the character Wario. The series began with Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, the first game to feature Wario as a playable character. The Wario series includes mostly platforming video games and minigame compilations, but also includes other genres.
WarioWare D.I.Y., known as WarioWare: Do It Yourself in the PAL region, is a minigame compilation and game creation system by Nintendo SPD and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It is the seventh title in the WarioWare series and the last to be developed for the Nintendo DS family of systems. Formally revealed at Nintendo's conference in October 2008, the game was released in Japan on April 29, 2009. It was released in 2010 in North America, Europe, and Australia respectively and was accompanied by a separate WiiWare title, WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase.
WarioWare: Snapped! is a minigame compilation party video game developed by Nintendo SPD Group No.1 and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DSi's DSiWare digital distribution service, and is part of the WarioWare series of video games. It is the sixth game in the series.
Game & Wario is a 2013 party video game developed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems and published for the Wii U console, named after LCD Game & Watch titles. It is the eighth installment in the WarioWare series and part of the larger Mario franchise. The story stars Wario and his friends, who take advantage of a newly released video game console with two separate screens by making games for monetary gain. Game & Wario consists of 16 minigames that exclusively utilize the Wii U GamePad and its functions. Additional modes and collectibles are also unlockable. The majority of the minigames are single-player, although some are designed for multiplayer only.
WarioWare Gold is a minigame compilation developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS family of video game consoles. The ninth installment in the WarioWare series, it was released in PAL regions in July 2018, and in North America and Japan the following month. The game's plot follows the greedy Wario who has organized a gaming tournament for a large cash prize, with the ultimate goal of claiming the money for himself. Meanwhile, various other WarioWare characters deal with other problems which play out in the form of short stories.
WarioWare: Get It Together! is a party video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the tenth installment in the WarioWare series, following WarioWare Gold (2018) for the Nintendo 3DS. The game was released worldwide on September 10, 2021 and sold 1.34 million copies worldwide. It is the final game in the WarioWare series to feature Charles Martinet as the voice of Wario before his retirement from voicing the character in 2023.
WarioWare: Move It! is a 2023 party video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the eleventh installment in the WarioWare series, the second WarioWare game to be released on the Nintendo Switch, after Get It Together (2021), and the first direct sequel in the WarioWare series, being a follow-up to the 2006 Wii game, WarioWare: Smooth Moves.