Reader Reviews
It's back. There's no stopping it.
Wario Ware, Inc. (GBA)
by Chris Cohen
Stop what you're doing and listen up. Forget what you know about games. Forget the "down, down-right, right" of Dragon Punches, forget the "triangle and square" of special moves, in fact, even forget the "forward and fire" of space shuttles. That's far too complicated... and boring.
Instead, harness the wonder that is Wario Ware.
The old saying "I can play that with one arm tied behind my back," no longer seems so amazing. The simplicity of this game is one of the most appealing aspects.
Wario Ware is, in it's essence, hundreds of mini-games tied together in an amusing, and typically Japanese style storyline, in which Wario decides to cash in by releasing his own game to finance a life of luxury... the worrying thing is, his plan may just have worked. I haven't played through a game and been so thoroughly hooked in a long time. Since the days of Shadowrun on the SNES in fact.
The single player mode sees you tackle various opponents by playing mini-games on their choice of device... be it a mobile phone, car windscreen or elevator shaft. Don't ask. You are given a command, such as "Balance" or "Sink" and are left to work out what you have to do with the precious three seconds you are given. However, you'll be surprised just how easy and intuitive it is to work out what you have to do in that time. Certainly, some of the games will take you a couple of goes to master, but that's half the fun. There is nothing more rewarding than figuring out that you have to cover up Wario's manly belly in order to progress to the next stage. In fact, there are probably several thousand things more rewarding than that in life, but hey... it sounded good.
The fun doesn't end here though as two players can share the oh so perfectly formed SP, and take part in a battle of cleanliness as each player speeds around the screen trying to Hoover up as much rubbish as they can. Or perhaps you would prefer to "dong-dong" it out, as each player attempts to push blocks through the middle of the screen, and onto their opponent's unsuspecting head.
My one reservation before purchasing the game was the longevity factor. Yes there are over 250 mini games to play, but once you've seen one, will you want to keep playing and playing just to get a higher score? Well, in true Nintendo style, yes... yes you will. You see, Nintendo must have thought long and hard about that one, and decided to reward the hardcore gamers with the original versions of classics such as Dr. Mario and "that fly swatting game that came bundled with Mario Paint on the SNES all those years ago."
To leave this game on the shelf would be a crime. An injustice to your GBA. It may however spare you some embarassing moments on the train. I burst out laughing whilst trying to make an attractive Japanese lady sniff up her snot by frantically hitting the A button. Needless to say, I was asked to leave the train at the next station and had my travel card revoked. Don't let that put you off though. You can always have another go whilst you wait for the bus...