Games

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 starts at the end of Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. Wario Land features a theme of greed remarkably different from almost all of Nintendo's other franchises: It is the first game Nintendo has made where the main character's cause is decidedly selfish. There are no princesses to save, no world in peril. There is only one goal: for Wario to earn as much money as possible, in an effort to buy his own massive castle and make Mario jealous. The larger the cash total Wario has collected at the end of the game, the better house (and ending) that Wario will receive. The Super Mario Land 3 subtitle links the game with the popular Super Mario Land 2. The game also increases its replay value by including a large hidden treasure chest in some levels. The chests (which can only be accessed by finding a special key placed elsewhere in the level) contain special one-of-a-kind treasures, which would each add a considerable amount to Wario's coin total at the end of the game.

While Wario enjoys the riches from his many adventures, a mysterious black jewel in his trove transforms gems into monsters. Now, Wario must scramble to recover his riches in an alternate world filled with quirky puzzles, swarming enemies, and lots of loot. As Wario, you'll punch, kick, jump, grab monsters and objects, and inhale surrounding coins like a vacuum cleaner. You must cling to 3D balls to fight bosses, find hidden areas through trap doors, and bash your surroundings to uncover secrets.

Wario's Woods is a puzzle game similar to Tetris or Columns, but with a twist. Instead of directly controlling the monsters and bombs that are falling down, the player controls Toad who has to carry around stacks of monsters and bombs and to combine them in the right way. One bomb plus at least two monsters of the same color have to be combined to make them disappear. If five or more objects are cleared at the same time, a diamond will appear. Destroying the diamond will clear all monsters of the diamond's color.

This game, which puts the concept of user-generated content on center stage, allows players to design their own micro-games from scratch. Every element, such as the characters, the environment, the actions and even the purpose of the micro-game itself, is controlled entirely by the player. Players will then be able to share their completed micro-games with other WarioWare D.I.Y. owners.

While at home one evening, Wario turns on his TV to see a special report on video game sales going up, all due to popular games like Pyoro (shown by the reporter). After thinking for a few seconds, Wario realizes that video games may be a potential gold mine for him. The next morning, he rushes out and buys a laptop computer and immediately gets to work. He starts making games, but realizes that it's hard work, so he calls his friends to come and make games. Thus, WarioWare, Inc. is formed, with Wario as President of the company. Eventually, the company produces a game: Warioware Inc. It makes a large amount of money, and Wario takes it all for himself. He escapes the company building in a rocket, only for Dr. Crygor to crash into it, causing it to crash into the sea, along with all the company profits. Wario is later shown making his way back to dry land, with Crygor in tow, saying "Either way, I'm still a cad! I hate everybody!".

Following the almost universally acclaimed short-attention-span action of the Game Boy Advance's WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! comes this party-game adaptation for GameCube. Many of the mini-games featured in the handheld original have been converted for four-player competition on the console. Gamers strive to be the quickest teeth-brushers, the most precise nose pickers, the best free-throwers, the most accurate apple shooters, the most skillful paper-airplane pilots, and the victors in countless other quick contests that take no more than a few seconds to complete. As in the GBA original, a wide variety of activities combine with a simple, unifying theme, for an experience designed to appeal instantly to anyone who played video games in the days before 3D graphics and complicated storylines. Half the fun is in not knowing which five-second challenge will pop up next, or what the player will be required to do in it. Even when players aren't in control of the active character, some of the mini-games allow them to participate in a more passive fashion, adding to the group-oriented strategy.

The frantic fun of WarioWare is available for the first time on the WiiWare service! WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase is intended as a showcase for all the different WarioWare: D.I.Y. products, including microgames, music, and four-panel comics—all with simple controls using only the Wii Remote controller. Use the Game Blender and its many modes to play microgames featuring Wario, ninjas, animals, and even classic Nintendo franchises. Or check out the Music section to listen to or play a selection of songs using a character from Balloon Fight.

Wario and his pals learn fun, wacky moves after discovering a strange book and a mystical device called the Form Baton. Familiar characters from the WarioWare universe will return to this installment and some new ones will appear. Players must clear fast-paced sets of microgames, changing the way they hold the Wii Remote each time.