Greed is good…when you’re oh-so bad. Dusting off from defeat in Super Mario Land 2, Mario’s nemesis mounts a comeback in his very own platforming adventure: Wario Land! Unlike the agile plumber, Wario is a bulky, lumbering force. You’ll gleefully barrel through and toss enemies with impunity, but don’t feel too bad for them. Said foes are villainous pirates, and Wario’s just looking to snag some easy treasure. Speaking of which, as simple as platforming stages appear at first glance, secrets abound in each. You’ll have to scour every corner to find hidden passages or secret rooms. Sure, you’ll collect coins along the way, but the real money comes from the artifacts hidden in these cryptic locales. The opulence of your ending hinges on how much illicit loot you’ve hoarded throughout Wario Land. Practice your evil laugh and get your villain on!
Matt Lotti has explored the realms of paper and pixel in equal measure. An avid collector of both Magic the Gathering and classic NES & Gameboy, he feels imagination is the kindling that keeps the fires of gaming alive. This holds true to both classic titles and new adventures. What matters most is the creative energy involved. Each experience is a new story, and all stories deserve their time around the campfire. So grab an ale and settle in. After all, it’s dangerous to go alone. Matt Lotti can be found on Twitter @Intrepid_tautog.
I started playing Wario Land several years ago, but I never got to finish it. But what I played was pretty enjoyable. Maybe I should give it another try soon.
It’s a short game, which I appreciate about that era. Even if I don’t like the game, at least I didn’t drop 100+ hours on it!
That’s part of the reason why I prefer older games. Newer RPGs and adventure games in particular are way too long for my liking. Making a game open-ended and over 100 hours long does not make it good.