Wario Land 3

Last updated
Wario Land 3
Warioland3.jpg
North American box art
Developer(s) Nintendo R&D1
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Director(s) Takehiko Hosokawa
Producer(s) Takehiro Izushi
Designer(s) Hiroji Kiyotake
Masahiko Mashimo
Masani Ueda
Isao Hirano
Shinya Sano
Programmer(s) Masaru Yamanaka
Katsuya Yamano
Nobuhiro Ozaki
Yoshinori Katsuki
Composer(s) Kozue Ishikawa
Series Wario
Platform(s) Game Boy Color
Release
  • JP: March 21, 2000
  • EU: April 14, 2000
  • NA: May 30, 2000 [1]
Genre(s) Platform
Mode(s) Single-player

Wario Land 3 [lower-alpha 1] is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. In the game, Mario's archrival Wario must free a mysterious figure who is trapped inside a music box. It was followed by Wario Land 4 in 2001. It was also released for the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in 2013, [2] and as part of the Nintendo Switch Online service on 8 February 2023. [3]

Contents

Gameplay

The gameplay in Wario Land 3 is very similar to that of its predecessor, Wario Land II . Wario must take advantage of his enemies' attacks to physically change and access new areas. For example, if Wario eats a donut thrown by a certain enemy, he temporarily bulks up to twice his size, giving him extra protection against attacks and the ability to break certain blocks. While Wario will always be affected by his enemies, he must also find new powers and abilities in order to progress through the game.

The world of the music box is divided into four different areas, East, West, North, and South, with a total of 25 individual stages spread between them. [4] Each stage contains four treasures, for a total of 100, each of which is locked in a colored treasure chest that can only be opened with the corresponding key. The colors of the chests are, in the approximate order that they are intended to be opened, Gray, Red, Green, and Blue. This order is not fixed, although the game provides hints as to the next stage to travel to and the next treasure to obtain. Often, when a treasure chest in one stage cannot be reached, Wario must backtrack to retrieve a new item to make it accessible. [5]

Finding new treasures usually opens a path to a new stage, or unlocks a new area in a previous stage. Some treasures grant Wario a new ability, allowing him to access previously unreachable areas. Whenever Wario obtains a new treasure, he is transported back to the music box overworld. Time alternates between day or night each time Wario exits a stage. Some stages change depending on the time of day; certain enemies may be replaced or different paths may open up. [6] Wario cannot control time initially, but gains this ability when he finds a certain treasure. [7]

In some stages, Wario will have to play a golfing minigame to progress. [8] He must knock the enemy into the cup without going over par for that hole, while avoiding hazards such as water, bunkers, lava and rough. Upon collecting certain treasures in the game, this golf minigame is available to be played at any time from the overworld map. [7]

Coins can be found in each stage, and are used primarily to play the golfing minigame described above. Wario can carry a maximum of 999 coins. In addition, eight Music Coins are hidden in each level for Wario to find. If all eight are found in each of the 25 stages, an extra fourth golf hole will be available for play.

As in the previous Wario Land game, Wario has no health points and cannot die; the lone exception is that he can get captured by the game's final boss, Rudy the Clown and get a game over. This simply returns Wario back to the music box overworld.

Plot

One day, Wario's plane stalls and crashes while he is flying over the woods. Uninjured, he spends the rest of his afternoon wandering amongst the trees and underbrush until he stumbles upon a mysterious cave. Inside the cave, he discovers a magical music box and is suddenly sucked into it. There, a mysterious figure informs Wario that he had once ruled the world inside the music box, until an evil being sealed away his magical powers in five music boxes. In exchange for freeing it, the being promises to send Wario back to his own world and let him keep any treasure he finds. Enticed by the thought of returning to his own world with a cache of treasure, Wario departs on his quest, in search of the music boxes and the many treasures of this mysterious land.

After collecting all the music boxes, Wario returns to the mysterious being's temple. The music boxes play a medley together that frees the being, revealed to be Rudy the Clown. It transpires that Rudy is in fact the villain and had been imprisoned, although not before turning the music box's inhabitants into monsters, who had been attacking Wario simply to try to stop him from freeing the evil clown. After Wario defeats Rudy, he is met by the inhabitants of the music box, now restored to their former selves. They thank Wario and transport him back to his own world, along with the treasure that he has collected, as promised.

Reception

Wario Land 3 received highly positive reviews upon release. It has an aggregate score of 90.00% on GameRankings based on 15 reviews, making it the highest rated game in the Wario series. [15] It was a runner-up for GameSpot 's annual "Best Game Boy Color Game" and "Best Platform Game" awards, losing to Dragon Warrior I & II and Banjo-Tooie , respectively. [16]

GameSpot rated the game 9.8 out of 10, [11] while IGN gave it an "outstanding" rating of 9 out of 10. [12] Nintendo Power listed it as the ninth best Game Boy/Game Boy Color video game, describing it as the pinnacle of titular character Wario's early action-platform adventure games. [17] Nintendojo awarded the game a perfect 10 out of 10 and called it one of the best platforming games for Game Boy system. [14]

It was the tenth best selling Game Boy Color game in Japan, with 255,536 copies sold. [18]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in Japan as Wario Land 3: Mysterious Music Box (Japanese: ワリオランド3 不思議なオルゴール, Hepburn: Wario Rando Surī: Fushigi na Orugōru)

Related Research Articles

<i>Kid Icarus</i> 1986 video game

Kid Icarus is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in Europe and North America. It was released in Japan in December 1986, in Europe in February 1987, and in North America in July.

<i>Dr. Mario</i> 1990 video game

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.

<i>The Legend of Zelda</i> (video game) 1986 video game

The Legend of Zelda, originally released in Japan as The Hyrule Fantasy: Zelda no Densetsu, is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo. The first game of The Legend of Zelda series, it is set in the fantasy land of Hyrule and centers on an elf-like boy named Link, who aims to collect the eight fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom in order to rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon. The player controls Link from a top-down perspective and navigates throughout the overworld and dungeons, collecting weapons, defeating enemies and uncovering secrets along the way.

<i>Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3</i> 1994 video game

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 is a 1994 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. It is part of the Wario series and a sequel to 1992's Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. The story follows Wario travelling to a distant island to steal and sell a valuable statue to purchase his own castle out of envy for Mario's. The player traverses themed zones consisting of levels, each of which scattered with collectible coins which can be used to purchase items that aid the player in progressing through stages.

<i>Wario Land II</i> 1998 platform game

Wario Land II is a 1998 platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the original Game Boy. It was later re-released and optimised for the Game Boy Color. In the game, Wario has to recover his treasure from Captain Syrup. The Game Boy Color version was released for the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in 2012.

<i>Wario Land 4</i> 2001 video game

Wario Land 4 is a 2001 platform game developed by Nintendo and released for the Game Boy Advance. Wario has to gather four treasures to unlock a pyramid and save Princess Shokora from the Golden Diva.

<i>Wario World</i> 2003 video game

Wario World is a platform video game developed by Treasure and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. Part of the Wario series, it was released in Europe, North America and Australia in 2003 and Japan in 2004. The game's plot centers on Wario and his quest to regain his treasure and his castle from the evil gem, Black Jewel.

<i>WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!</i> 2003 video game

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.

<i>Clu Clu Land</i> 1984 video game

Clu Clu Land is a puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo in 1984 in Japan for the Famicom. It was released in North America in 1985 as a Nintendo Entertainment System launch game and in Europe in 1987. Nintendo has rereleased it many times via emulation.

<i>WarioWare: Touched!</i> 2004 video 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.

<i>Kirby Tilt n Tumble</i> 2000 video game

Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble is an action puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color handheld video game console. It was released in Japan on August 23, 2000, and in North America on April 9, 2001. Due to the cartridge having a built-in accelerometer, it has a unique shape, as well as a unique transparent pink color in reference to Kirby. The game received its first official re-release on the Nintendo Switch Online service on June 5, 2023.

<i>Virtual Boy Wario Land</i> 1995 platform game

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.

<i>Wario: Master of Disguise</i> 2007 video game

Wario: Master of Disguise is a platform game developed by Suzak and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. The game was released on January 18, 2007 in Japan, and on March 5 in North America. Its Japanese title, Phantom Thief Wario the Seven, refers to the fact that he has seven "forms". The game was released on the Wii U's Virtual Console in PAL regions and Japan in 2015 and North America in 2016.

<i>Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters</i> 1991 video game

Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. It is a sequel to Kid Icarus (1986) for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in North America on November 5, 1991, and in Europe on May 21, 1992. Despite being developed in Japan it was originally not released there until on February 8, 2012 through the 3DS Virtual Console, which, however, retained its original English title, in an effort to commemorate the release of Kid Icarus: Uprising, followed by its re-release in Europe on March 8, and North America on July 19. The story of Of Myths and Monsters is influenced by Greek and Roman mythology, and follows the angel soldier Pit on his quest for three sacred treasures. His objective is to defeat the demon Orcos, who has invaded the kingdom of Angel Land. The game features the core gameplay mechanics of its predecessor. Players explore two-dimensional environments while collecting items and fighting monsters. Of Myths and Monsters was named the 18th best Game Boy game by Nintendo Power, and commended by critics for its gameplay, graphics, and music.

<i>WarioWare: Smooth Moves</i> 2006 video game

WarioWare: Smooth Moves is a party video game developed by Nintendo SPD and Intelligent Systems. The game was published by Nintendo for its Wii video game system 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.

<i>Wario</i> (series) Video game series

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.

<i>WarioWare: Snapped!</i> 2008 video game

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.

<i>Game & Wario</i> 2013 video game

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.

<i>WarioWare Gold</i> 2018 video game

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.

References

  1. ↑ "Nintendo – Customer Service / Game List". Nintendo.com. Archived from the original on 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  2. ↑ "Wario Land 3". Nintendo.com. Nintendo. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  3. ↑ Plant, Logan (2023-02-08). "Nintendo Switch Online Adding Game Boy and Game Boy Advance Games". IGN. Archived from the original on 2023-03-05. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  4. ↑ "Game Strategies: Wario Land 3". Nintendo Power . Vol. 133. June 2000. p. 58. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  5. ↑ Instruction Booklet 2000, p. 7-9.
  6. ↑ Instruction Booklet 2000, p. 11.
  7. 1 2 Instruction Booklet 2000, p. 21.
  8. ↑ Instruction Booklet 2000, p. 17-18.
  9. ↑ "Wario Land 3 Review". AllGame . Archived from the original on 2014-11-14.
  10. ↑ "ゲームボーイ – ワリオランド3 不思議なオルゴール". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 915 Pt.2. Enterbrain. p. 109.
  11. 1 2 Provo, Frank (2000-06-08). "Wario Land 3 Review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 2014-03-26. Retrieved 2014-01-19.
  12. 1 2 Harris, Craig (May 30, 2000). "Wario Land 3". IGN . Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Now Playing: Wario Land 3". Nintendo Power . Vol. 133. Nintendo of America. June 2000. p. 118.
  14. 1 2 Griffiths, Ed (April 14, 2000). "Wario Land 3 Review". Nintendojo. Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Wario Land 3". GameRankings. Archived from the original on March 21, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  16. ↑ GameSpot Staff (January 5, 2001). "Best and Worst of 2000". GameSpot . Archived from the original on February 13, 2002.
  17. ↑ "Nintendo Power – The 20th Anniversary Issue!" (Magazine). Nintendo Power. 231 (231). San Francisco, California: Future US. August 2008: 72.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  18. ↑ "【GBC20周年企画(2)】いちばん売れたゲームボーイカラー専用ソフトは『遊☆戯☆王DM4』！では2位は？ GBC専用ソフト販売ランキングTOP10！". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. 2018-10-21. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2021-04-16. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.