For the last few days of my trip to Japan, I searched for classic games to add to my collection. During that time, I managed to get some games for the Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast, and a few other consoles. When I was in the city of Ueda, I found a copy of WarioWare: Twisted! for the Game Boy Advance. This is one of the few notable GBA games I never played. So, when I saw a copy for only 1600 Yen, I grabbed it without hesitation. Since starting it up, I am having a hard time putting it down.
A trip down memory lane
For such a long-running Nintendo franchise, the WarioWare series is one that I don’t play often. Outside of the first game, the only other entry in the franchise I played was WarioWare: Touched! Considering the series’ reputation, especially games like Twisted! and D.I.Y., I have only tried two. This is something I’d like to change in the future, if possible.
What stands out most about the WarioWare series is their approach to gameplay. For those who don’t know, WarioWare games are a series of minigames that only take a few seconds to complete. You usually perform one action before another playing another. The key here is to finish a set of games before taking on a “boss” stage that’s a bit more nuanced.
The key hook for Twisted is that the cartridge includes a gyroscope and all the minigames use it. Sometimes, the challenge might be to make small movements. In other games, you might have to make larger ones. But in every game, the key to completing them is to make the right motion before the timer runs out.
An addictive adventure
There is always a story to the WarioWare series, but they always feel like a means to progress forward. Since I’m playing the Japanese version of the game, my knowledge isn’t high enough yet to grasp the story. But, what’s great is that you don’t need to know what’s written on the screen. All the challenges are easy enough to grasp after one or two tries.
There are a ton of minigames here. The game has you interact with a group of Wario’s “friends” and each one of them has their own set of challenges. They typically have a theme. For example, one of the later characters incorporates NES-themed minigames. So, one incorporates Super Mario 3, followed by one featuring Samus from Metroid.
For this version, there are a few minigames that do have some Japanese-specific tasks. There were two that have you spelling words in hiragana. You might fail the first or second time you get these, but you should be able to solve them. Even when I was failing challenges and having to restart a stage, I was never discouraged. I was always eager to jump back in and try again.
Tons to unlock
As I mentioned earlier, there is a lot here. Although each character has around 12 minigames to play per stage, it doesn’t end there. After completing a stage, you can go back and play an “endless mode” where you get even more games to play. This was one of the aspects I loved about WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!
What’s great is that not only are there more games to discover, but there are plenty of variations on top of that. For example, the stages involving Samus aren’t all the same. Yes, the goal is always to move her to reach the missile, the layout of the stage can and will vary. This randomization means you can’t “sleepwalk” your way through a challenge.
Playing this on both my Analogue Pocket and an original Game Boy Advance, I found it plays better on the GBA. This is because the form factor of the GBA is more natural for some of the minigames. When you need to rotate the unit 360 degrees or quick short motions, it feels better. Because of that, I’m curious about how the game plays on the GBA SP.
Checking out the other WarioWare games
Because of how much fun I’m having with WarioWare: Twisted!, I’d love to go back and play some of the other ones. There was a lot of love around WarioWare D.I.Y. for the Nintendo DS. On my next trip to Japan, I could find a copy for a reasonable price. Also, I’d love to check out either of the two Nintendo Switch games to see their unique gameplay hooks. It is unfortunate that Twisted! is a hard game to emulate. But, if you can find a way to get a copy of this game, even if you can’t read the language, you should.
