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Wario | |
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Genre(s) | Platformer Puzzle |
Developer(s) | |
Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
Platform(s) | Game Boy, Virtual Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Wii, Nintendo DSi, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch |
First release | Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 1994 |
Latest release | WarioWare: Move It! 2023 |
Parent series | Mario |
Spin-offs | Wario Land WarioWare |
Wario [lower-alpha 1] 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.
Wario Land | |
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Genre(s) | Platform |
Developer(s) |
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Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
Creator(s) | Hiroji Kiyotake Takehiko Hosokawa |
Platform(s) | |
First release | Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 January 21, 1994 |
Latest release | Wario Land: Shake It! July 24, 2008 |
Parent series | Wario |
The Wario Land series is a platforming series that started with Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 , following Wario's first appearance in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins .
1994 | Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 |
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1995 | Virtual Boy Wario Land |
1996 | |
1997 | |
1998 | Wario Land II |
1999 | |
2000 | Wario Land 3 |
2001 | Wario Land 4 |
2002 | |
2003 | Wario World |
2004 | |
2005 | |
2006 | |
2007 | Wario: Master of Disguise |
2008 | Wario Land: Shake It! |
In Wario Land, Wario has a castle in Kitchen Island, and often journeys to find treasure. Its gameplay consists of platforming through levels, tossing enemies, breaking blocks and using other abilities.
WarioWare | |
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Genre(s) | Action Party Puzzle Rhythm Sports |
Developer(s) |
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Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
Artist(s) | Ko Takeuchi |
Composer(s) |
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Platform(s) | |
First release | WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! March 21, 2003 |
Latest release | WarioWare: Move It! November 3, 2023 |
Parent series | Wario |
WarioWare (also known as WarioWare, Inc.), known in Japan as Made in Wario (Japanese: メイド イン ワリオ, Hepburn: Meido in Wario), is a series of games featuring the Nintendo character Wario. The series was established in 2003 with the release of Mega Microgames! for the Game Boy Advance. While the first two games were developed by Nintendo R&D1, subsequent games have been co-developed by Intelligent Systems.
The distinctive feature of all WarioWare games is that they are collections of short, simple "microgames" presented in quick succession. The player is given four "lives" at the beginning of these microgames. Each of these microgames lasts about three to five seconds and must be completed, or else a life will be lost. For example, there is a microgame where the player must zap a spaceship; in another, Wario must collect coins in a Pac-Man-like maze. The numerous microgames are linked together randomly and steadily increase in speed and difficulty as the player progresses. On each level, losing four games results in a game over. After a certain amount of microgames have been played, the player faces a stage-specific boss microgame; the player must complete these to regain a lost life (with a maximum of four lives at any given time). Boss microgames are considerably longer and more complex than other microgames. For example, a boss microgame in Mega Microgames! instructs the player to hit a nail with a hammer multiple times in a row.
The idea of microgames or minigames was popularized generally during the Nintendo 64's fifth generation of video game consoles and some early minigames appear in the Nintendo 64DD's Mario Artist: Talent Studio in the style that would give rise to the WarioWare series. Certain minigames originated in Mario Artist: Polygon Studio, as explained by Goro Abe of Nintendo R&D1's so-called Wario Ware All-Star Team: "In Polygon Studio you could create 3D models and animate them in the game, but there was also a side game included inside. In this game you would have to play short games that came one after another. This is where the idea for Wario Ware came from." Teammate Yoshio Sakamoto continued, "To add on that, we got the idea of using Wario and the other characters because we couldn't think of anyone else who would be best for the role. Wario is always doing stupid things and is really idiotic, so we thought him and the rest of the characters would be best for the game." [1] : p.2
Game & Wario , released in 2013, is a spin-off of the WarioWare series.
WarioWare Gold was released worldwide in 2018. [2]
WarioWare: Get It Together! was released on September 10, 2021.
WarioWare: Move It! was released on November 3, 2023.
2003 | WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! |
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WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games! | |
2004 | WarioWare: Twisted! |
WarioWare: Touched! | |
2005 | |
2006 | WarioWare: Smooth Moves |
2007 | |
2008 | WarioWare: Snapped! |
2009 | WarioWare D.I.Y. |
WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase | |
2010 | |
2011 | |
2012 | |
2013 | Game & Wario |
2014 | |
2015 | |
2016 | |
2017 | |
2018 | WarioWare Gold |
2019 | |
2020 | |
2021 | WarioWare: Get It Together! |
2022 | |
2023 | WarioWare: Move It! |
Microgames are simple video games created by the fictional company WarioWare, Inc.. Nintendo's line of WarioWare games each feature these microgames, which are generally less than 5 seconds long. Microgames are even simpler and shorter than the minigames found in other games such as the Mario Party series. Gameplay in all WarioWare games is distinct from most other games, as they involve the player or players trying to beat the microgames as soon as possible. Most games present instructions in the form of a verb and quickly drop the player into the situation where they must perform said verb. The extremely stripped-down gameplay has intrigued some game researchers, who have used WarioWare both as a case study in understanding the relationship between rules and play in videogames, [3] and as a target domain for investigating automated game design. [4]
All microgames are strung together in a random order within different "stages", each hosted by a different character. First, the player is presented with a quick one or two word instruction such as "Eat!" or "Rub!" Then, the microgame will appear and the player will have to complete the game according to the instruction.
Microgames usually have only one task to complete. For example, in one microgame the player is told to "Enter!" and is presented with a scene from The Legend of Zelda . The player must use the directional buttons to move Link to a cave entrance before the time runs out. In another microgame, the player is told to "Avoid!" and must drive a car, avoiding oncoming traffic. Most microgames have a sound effect that signifies when the task is completed. The games by themselves are so brief so as to potentially demand the sharp reflexes of a quick-time event.
Boss microgames always occur at a set point in a stage. They are usually more challenging than regular microgames, have no time limit (as described below), and give lives back upon completion. If a stage is played for the first time, it is completed after the boss microgame. The sound effect will usually play after the task is fulfilled, and then the score screen will return. On repeated plays, if the player has less than four lives, one will be restored.
The unit of time for all microgames is beats. In Mega Microgames! and Twisted! , a standard microgame is 8 beats, double-length microgames (usually IQ-genre games) last 16 beats; Fronk's microgames in Twisted! and Gold only last 4 beats. In most games, the BPM will start out relatively slow and will increase as the player completes microgames.
In WarioWare: Touched! , the 8-beat standard has been dropped for all microgames, so many last longer than 8 beats. This may be a way to make the game easier for those unaccustomed to the Nintendo DS's touch-screen interface. To retain pace, the microgames will automatically end if cleared before a four-beat measure is met.
To show the time left to complete a microgame, a small "bomb" appears at the bottom of the screen. The fuse and a countdown timer show the amount of time left to complete the microgame. When time runs out, the bomb explodes and in most cases, the player loses a life. The fuse burns faster when the BPM increases.
Some microgames are intrinsically harder than others, and an increased BPM (increased speed) will make any microgame more difficult to complete than the same microgame at a slower BPM. This is usually reflected in the microgames' "clear scores"—the score one must reach while playing a microgame in the practice modes to obtain credit for "clearing" it. (Smooth Moves and D.I.Y. lack this feature.)
Each microgame features three difficulty levels. Most modes start at the easiest level, and progress to the next upon a "Level Up" (usually achieved after passing a boss microgame). Once the maximum level is reached, sequential "Level Up"s will typically be replaced by "Speed Up"s (an increase in BPM).
Using the above The Legend of Zelda microgame as an example, the first version of this microgame usually places Link very close to the cave entrance that he must enter. The second version places the entrance further away and places an enemy that blocks Link, and the last version places the entrance yet further, and has a second enemy that shoots at Link from a lake.
There are two major types of character in the WarioWare series. The first are the WarioWare, Inc. developers, who both create and host the microgames. Each one has a unique theme or twist, depending on the game. For instance, Jimmy T.'s microgames in Twisted! are focused around large spins, while in Touched! his microgames involve rubbing objects with the stylus. The second group of characters often show up within the introduction cutscenes — the most notable being Fronk, who hosts "Pop-Up" microgames in Twisted! and Gold and pops up in the most unlikely of places.
Wario has starred in puzzle games such as Mario & Wario and Wario's Woods (the latter of which he was featured as the main antagonist while Toad took the role as the main hero), as well as crossing over into the Bomberman universe with Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman! (1994).
Wario is a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series, having appeared since Super Smash Bros. Brawl . His default outfit in these games is his motorcyclist outfit as seen in the WarioWare games, although he can also wear his classic overalls. He can transform into Wario-Man after obtaining a Smash Ball. His motorcycle is used as one of his special attacks. [8] Kat and Ana also make appearances as an Assist Trophy. [9] In Brawl, many stickers also represent WarioWare, Inc. — in addition to all of the above appearing as stickers and trophies, there are stickers of other WarioWare characters. [10] Also, there is a WarioWare stage, named WarioWare, Inc., based on the Variety Tower location from WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! with several different microgames that run in the background, one of which features Jimmy T. Completing the tasks set by the games awards power-ups like invincibility or growth. This stage also features Ashley's Song, Mike's Theme and Mona Pizza's Song as background music. All three are featured in Japanese and English. [11] In the game's Adventure Mode, he is in league with the Subspace Army. Wario is once again playable in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, however he now appears as unlockable, instead of being available from the start as in the previous game. The 3DS version retains the WarioWare, Inc. stage from Brawl, while the Wii U version has a stage based on the Gamer sub-game in Game & Wario . Ashley, another character from WarioWare, is also included as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U , and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate , and a downloadable Mii costume in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.
The WarioWare series is heavily referenced in the Rhythm Heaven series. The Alien Bunnies from Orbulon's stage in Mega Microgame$ make an appearance in Rhythm Tengoku , a game developed by the same team, and also make brief appearances in its sequel, Rhythm Heaven . A later sequel, Rhythm Heaven Megamix features two unlockable challenges called "Wario...Where?" that remix several of the minigames to feature characters from the WarioWare series.
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.
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.
Mario Paint is a 1992 art creation video game developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 (R&D1) and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Mario Paint consists of a raster graphics editor, an animation program, a music composer, and a point and click minigame, all of which are designed to be used with the Super NES Mouse peripheral, which the game was packaged and sold with. Per its name, the game is Mario-themed, and features sprites and sound effects that are taken from or in the vein of Super Mario World.
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 second 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.
Nintendo Fusion Tour was a touring rock music and video game festival sponsored by Nintendo, which began in 2003.
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.
The Mysterious Murasame Castle is a 1986 action-adventure game developed by Nintendo and Human Entertainment and published by Nintendo. It was originally only released for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan as the second original game for the platform. The Mysterious Murasame Castle was later released worldwide on the Virtual Console in 2014 and for the Nintendo Switch Online service in 2023.
Hiroji Kiyotake is a game designer for Nintendo and has been a part of the history of Nintendo since 1983.
Mother Brain is a fictional character created by Nintendo for the Metroid series. She is one of the most prominent antagonists within the series, serving as the main antagonist of Metroid and Super Metroid.
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 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. It was released on November 3, 2023.