Wario is one of Nintendo’s weirdest and most endearing characters, which is why it’s strange that the rotund money-grubbing rogue has only had a handful of solo, non-minigame-based adventures since his 1992 debut. But this week, Nintendo is making up for Wario’s woeful underexposure with the surprise re-release of his sole GameCube adventure, and the newest addition to Nintendo Switch Online makes for a perfect weekend romp that bucks most of the company’s softer-edged traditions.
2003’s Wario World, developed on Nintendo’s behalf by cult-favorite company Treasure, is a bizarre 3D platformer that sees Wario track down a sentient Black Jewel, which has turned Wario’s gaudy home and collection of riches into monstrous enemies. Ever the tough guy, our protagonist sets out to turn his fortunes back around. In typical Nintendo fashion, the story is told through brief but charming cutscenes that do just enough to bridge levels without getting in the way of gameplay.
As Wario, you’ll be jumping across chasms, collecting hundreds of coins, and using your brawn to punch and body slam enemies. Wario World is basic but fun, a common trait of Nintendo’s B-tier games from this era, and Treasure uses Wario’s limited moveset effectively through creative level design. Each world ends with a boss fight that pushes the players' movement and combat abilities to the test. It all feels like a spoof of Super Mario 64, a fun treat for anyone who’s played the seminal 3D platformer.
Wario World reminds me most of 2011’s Super Mario 3D Land, the launch-window 3DS exclusive starring Wario’s boy scout doppleganger. It has you running through medium-sized environments from a fixed-camera perspective, where you find tinier levels to explore within. Like Super Mario 3D Land, players can shift the camera in 45-degree increments in these smaller sublevels, letting players better spot tucked-away corners and hidden secrets. This loop lends itself well to replayability as you search for every last item across the game’s four worlds.
Wario World plays like a spoof of Super Mario 64.
Revisiting this hidden gem 22 years later, I found that its dated design decisions lent the game some charm. The smaller levels made for an easier pick-up-and-play experience, perfect for a handheld like the Switch 2. Combined with the fixed camera perspective and crude, slapstick humor, Wario World feels distinct among Nintendo’s library of classic platformers.
I don’t know what possessed Nintendo to release Wario World on the Switch out of the blue, but it's yet another inspired addition to the company’s surprisingly robust subscription service. If you’re a Nintendo superfan looking to play a lesser-known game in the publisher's history, Wario World is a worthwhile stop you can beat in a weekend.
