After five years, a new WarioWare is finally upon us. Well, mostly new, anyway. Warioware Gold is a mashup of some of the best microgames the series has had to offer, along with a few new ones. Most 'best of' collections include a creator's hits; those tracks you can't help but play over and over, despite knowing every single beat. WarioWare Gold has that one game where you have to jam your finger up your nose. We basically couldn't be happier.
In 2018, it may leave one wondering why Nintendo would opt for a 3DS-only release of a new title, rather than simultaneously releasing on Switch, a-la Sushi Striker; however, once you get your hands on the game, it's easy to see why. WarioWare makes use of most aspects of the 3DS's functionality, from the touchscreen to the gyroscope to the microphone.
To say that WarioWare Gold is a mere 'best of' collection would be unfair; there's plenty of new content on offer, from about 50 new microgames to some hilarious amiibo functionality (tap any amiibo, then tap the Wario one). However, the biggest changes come in how this new entry in the series is presented.
For the first time in Wario's history, the character stars in fully-voiced animated cutscenes. You'll get to hear more than just, "Wa-ha-ha!" this time around, and the same treatment is given to the rest of the extended cast. The cutscenes are hilarious and prove WarioWare's trademark humour is alive and well, despite its somewhat long absence.
Most importantly, WarioWare's microgames are now split into leagues. Each league is based on a different type of microgame. There's the Mash League, which features games that use only the D-pad and buttons; the Twist League, which uses the 3DS's motion controls; the aptly-named Touch League, which uses the touch screen and finally the Ultra League, which includes some brand new microgames as well as those of every type from the previous leagues.
The decision to sort types of microgames into leagues proves to be quite ingenious, as it makes it easier to choose which games to play in certain settings. For instance, we found ourselves saving the Mash League and Touch League for times we couldn't (or shouldn't) move the 3DS around wildly or talk into its built-in microphone. This only holds true for Story mode, however, and there's much more to the game than that.
After clearing Story mode you gain access to the challenge mode, and that's where the real fun begins. Challenge mode introduces a series of crazy stipulations to the established formula. For instance, split screen mode features games being played on each of the 3DS's screens, with no delay between them, meaning as soon as you finish a game on one screen, you must immediately look at the other one and play an entirely different game. The games in Challenge mode can be of any type, so at any given moment you may also need to switch control schemes. It's fast, fun and chaotic in the best way.
Once you unlock Challenge mode you can also play Battle Time, a multiplayer mode in which players can compete against each other to see who can last the longest with a set number of lives in a mixed playlist of microgames. Unfortunately, every player will need their own copy of the game in order to play, as download play doesn't appear to be supported. One of our favourite modes is a take on one of the games featured in Game & Wario. In it, you'll play microgames as 9-Volt whilst simultaneously trying to conceal the fact that you're doing so past your bedtime from prying eyes. Hide too long and 9-Volt will fall asleep; play too long and you're bound to get caught. It makes for an interesting metagame that had us constantly looking back and forth between the two screens on the handheld.
If you're a fan of the series, then you know all too well that each game packs plenty of unlockables to earn, and WarioWare Gold is no different. Among them is a sequel to the hilarious Mewtroid which features a housecat with an arm cannon, as well as a tool which allows the player to dub over the cutscenes, which we can't help but feel would've been a perfect fit for the Switch's video capture feature.
Conclusion
WarioWare Gold is proof that there's life yet in the venerable 3DS line of handhelds. The microgames on offer are some of the series' best, and the fully-voiced cutscenes in the Story mode are hilarious. Challenge mode will give you plenty of reason to come back and the unlockable souvenirs are our favourite in the series to date. We would have loved to have seen this on Switch as well, but it's clear this game was designed for the 3DS from the ground up. With its absurdist humour, wonderful voice acting (courtesy of Charles Martinet, naturally), immensely satisfying gameplay and stern challenges - many of which will make even the most seasoned players' palms sweat - WarioWare offers something for everyone. If this does turn out to be the 3DS' swansong, then it's going out on a high.
Related Products
Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
Comments 66
This will be my first new 3ds purchase in a long time. Heres hoping they make warioware switch next.
@tamantayoshi I just bought Pokemon Ultra Moon yesterday and that's my first new 3ds game in about 2-3 years.
After that I may pick this up as well as Samus Returns.
Should really give my 3ds some of the love it deserves
@Abaeron You wont regret picking up samus returns.
Nintendo it was rumoured, wanted to have one game card that would fit both systems. This would allow Nintendo to sell one game for both consoles, product more games and allow a wider range of titles.
This in part has happened with the Switch. A slightly lighter handheld without a dock and with attached joycons. In other words a 3ds with a slightly larger screen that will take a Switch card. Could be the way forward.
But then Nintendo already know this. What seems odd is a new 2ds but few if any new games. I hope they are not going to drop 3d games, that would be a bad but maybe typical of Nintendo.
Can't wait to pick this up on Friday! I've been waiting more than 7 years for a new WarioWare on the 3DS!
@zool
In other wordwords, 3DS + Switch = Nintendo HDS.
I've burned a lot of hours on DIY back in '10. Its nice to see the series back in it's original roots. Might pick this up alongside Samus Returns (yeah I missed on that one, and it's coming back to bite me).
Things must be very bad for Switch when you read a review of a 3DS Compilation game and the reviewer port begs the game to switch even when he knows it's not possible, I guess he is the the start of a long chain of port begging comments like always. 😉
Anyways glad to know that the game indeed has new mini games I was hesitant because of that, but now I gonna get it as soon as possible I love WarioWare games
I'm up for this while I'm sat in a park.
@Anti-Matter could be. But the Switch is not a handheld device. It is a device that can be held in the hand, a big difference.
Nintendo struggles to have enough good games for both the Switch and the 3ds. So it makes sense to have a 3ds that will be compatible with a Switch card. Call it a mini Switch.
I absolutely love my 3DS. I use it as a library of classic games I keep on me at all times. I think I have just under 100 digital games on there now. I love my Switch but my 3DS is my primary "virtual console". Wil l definitely pick this up when it's on sale.
A very solid Warioware title this one, it's been too long.
Maybe I'll get it, but the lack of 3D functionality is far from being the swansong, and the fact that the review didn't mention it worries me. People just has accepted it and moved on, despite it being the 3DS selling point. Sad.
@Moroboshi876 3D would not have worked for this title. Not only are you twisting the thing from side to side, a lot of the action is on the bottoms screen, and the art style changes so drastically that you would probably throw up or get a seizure if it was in three dimensions
I'm certainly interested in the game but I think I'll wait for a sale.
@Alpha008 I understand, but it could have worked on DS too, so technically it doesn't take advantage of ALL 3DS functionality. That's what I meant.
Anyway, I've compared reviews and the game fared much better here than on other sites. Hardly a surprise, but this time around I see 7s vs the 9 here.
I have to think about this game. I get bored quickly with minigames, don't see myself playing the game for 45 minutes, the time I have to play when I commute. So maybe I'll pass and hope someday it can be purchased for peanuts in some supermarket. In time. Wouldn't be the first time. Or at least for 15 €.
I love the Wario Ware series and despite some people dismissing this as just a "Best Of" collection, it genuinely feels like an all new entry. The cut scenes and voice acting are hilarious and everyone sounds how you would imagine. All of the games have had a visual overhaul so even old classics feel new. The lack of 3D is something that I dislike about recent games released for 3DS, to the point where I haven't bought them, but here it makes sense. The majority of the games take place on the lower screen to utilise the touch controls and sometimes across both screens for boss battles so having the 3D on the top screen would be distracting I think. Plus the visuals have a brilliant animated look to them that I personally feel works better in 2D.
Overall I feel like this game fits so mych better on the 3Ds than it would on the Switch. Although I hope that there will be a proper Wario Ware game released for the Switch in time...
Yeah, IGN gave this a 7/10. I the reviewer's rational in that case was pretty frikin' dumb to be honest: Basically that what amounts to a compilation or "best of" package with some cool bonuses is pretty familiar to fans. The game looks pretty great imo, and as someone who hasn't played a WarioWare game in age, I'd love to give this a go--and I'm sure that probably more than half of the mini-games would be entirely new and fresh to me.
PS. The 3DS/2DS has a genuinely great library of titles at this point in time.
This is a Day 1 purchase for me and I will be getting it for my son as well. Viva la WARIO!
One of the local retailer has a summer sale for New 2DS... But I wish there was a new (backwards compatible) version of it already!
Weird they let the New 3DS die so soon while it's the best of the series. A friend wanted to buy one for his nephew, but only saw inferior 2DS's in shops. Time for a New New 3DS.
The best Wario Ware game.
Got this the other day, I've finished story mode but I'm not sure if I'm hardcore enough for some of the challenges though.
Instead of WarioWare on the Switch, maybe we could finally get that 16-bit sequel to NES Remix?
@impurekind 7/10 seems pretty on point. A 9/10 should be for an all new Wario Ware with all new mini games. That was the whole fun for me booting up a Wario Ware title: get surprised by the creative mini games and figuring out what you need to do.
Same for that Rhythm Heaven Gold title, it was boring and lazy.
This game is a lot like the first game.
Segmenting game types into different characters worked pretty much the same as it originally did.
Unlocking is the same. Everything feels like it should.
The cutscenes are nice, but never really go anywhere. There's a vague storyline which makes you think something dramatic is just around the corner, but that never happens.
It would’ve been nice for a new mini game (the longer none-microgames) to have come from the new storyline element.. but it doesn’t.. it just trails off to another collection, and then vanishes.
I’ve been told this is a petty complaint. The original GBA version had the "garlic Wario" thing, which also never went anywhere.. but that was on a limited GBA system, 25 years ago, and without luxurious cutscenes that could’ve done something more interesting.
Hmm.
The music numbers are all but absent, leaving you to simply listen to OLD (BETTER) musical numbers in the collected Records section.
Again, compare this to the GBA original..
All in all, I was disappointed by this.
It's a nice enough collection, and if you’ve never played a WarioWare before, then it's a great starting point.
But that’s all that it feels like. A starting point.
It doesn't feel like a "gold" release, and it definitely doesn’t feel worthy of being the first proper WarioWare release since DIY, which was almost a decade ago. (Nobody counts Game’n’Wario!)
If you’re new to WarioWare, then DEFINITELY grab it. You’ll love it.
If you’re a grumpy 38 year old who's been waiting and hyping themselves up, then you’ll have much (MUCH) more fun digging through your GBA/DS carts (and Wii's Smooth Moves) than bothering with this.
I might just have to get this. But I'll download it.
And here I was thinking that "Detective Pikachu" might be the last 3DS game I buy...
Great, I have to play my 3DS again.
I'll wait for the movie. I mean Switch port.
I might just simply get it at a later point.
Ironic how Wario Ware seems to be often too late to get the big money. Twisted, one of my all-time favourite (mindless fun) games wasn't even deemed worthy investing in a European release, probably due to the expensive gyro-cartridges, much like Drilldozer with the rumble cartridge, another of my all-time favourites.
My first purchase for 3DS since Samus Returns. Can't wait to have a proper Warioware on the system.
WarioWare Gold is great because Nintendo finally figured out what fans have been wanting for the last 11 years: A plain old-fashioned microgame-fest.
I'm a big, big fan of WarioWare. Friday can't get here soon enough.
Started this up last night, it's extremely funny. If you ever thought the Mario RPGs were hilarious (I find them mildly amusing), this will have you in absolute stitches.
I can only wish for them to make one for Switch eventually.
I don't care about the lack of 3D features; I don't care if it's not as great as the previous games; I especially don't care about it being on 3DS, because I, like any other Wario fan, just cares about it being another fun WarioWare game since Smooth Moves. If you love it, then congrats. If you find any reason to nitpick it, then I will find a way to break your fingers, rendering you unable to play the game and all the while, this'll be playing in the background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3plxAzWPCU
This will be your punishment for directing your anger towards innocent game developers.
in short, buy the game you sickos.
Not the 3DS swan song. 3DS still has Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story slated for 2019!
Hey I'm just posting here because I feel like I should for some reason.....
Still hoping they release a brand new WarioWare title for the Switch.
6/10 from me ...just a quick minigames compilation ..nothing more ...fun for just an hour
@BlackenedHalo I have never played any game in this series so i apologise if i'm completely ignorant here but that's exactly what it has alway seemed to be to me
Isn't it like early tier iOS games? What's the secret i'm missing that makes people pay full price? I want in on it
9/10 seems rather high for what's effectively a full-priced compilation port with a 3-hour story mode, not much new game content and no 3D.
@Shambo WarioWare Twisted wasn’t released in Europe as breached EU laws due to the use of mercury.
That was the rumour anyway, although Wikipedia disputes that. Maybe a cost issue?
@jn2002dk The fun in WarioWare comes from the variety and speed at which you go through the microgames. The individual microgames themselves are not all that fun or challenging. The enjoyment comes from having to playing microgames in rapid succession. You have to first identify what the objective of the game is, then complete the game, and then prepare for the next game all within about 5 seconds or less. It's just hectic, crazy fun.
EDIT: The microgames also often use features on the consoles in unusual and creative ways, creating some unique experiences. Gamer from Game and Wario on Wii U, for example, had you play microgames on the Gamepad while simultaneously checking the screen to make sure you weren't caught staying awake. Smooth Moves on the Wii had you use the Wii Remote in a variety of positions.
This review has more or less sold me. I played the snot out of Touched! back in the early DS days and thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe it's a good thing that I haven't gotten around to a lot of the other entries (unless we're counting the Game & Wario spinoff); a lot of the minigames will feel fresh to me as a result.
@Steve_Bowling: Did they salvage anything else from Game & Wario?
@Rontanamo_Bay
Its crazy that it has no 3D effect, definitely a no buy for me too - unless its dirt cheap somewhere in the future or something.
@zool it seems that they are already phasing out the 3d enabled games and hardware, you hardly see new 3ds xl in the shops and online now.
@Shambo i'm waiting for a switch release aswell it's 50/50 if it ever happens.
I have the GBA ambassador version and Touched! On my 3DS, both for free, is it worth buying this game in this case or wait for a sale.
I wanted the first Wario Ware game back when it came out and when I went to the store to buy it the clerk helping me tried to talk me out of buying it because in his mind it was just a stupid mini game collection. I knew what it was and to me it looked awesome.
One thing I loved about the game was you could easily hand it to a friend (even none gamers) and usually they would get the concept quickly and play smiling, laughing, groaning in frustration and all around having a good time trying to beat a score or just doing better than they did last time. Some friends would even seek it out when they came over and play it until they could loudly proclaim that they got the highest score on one of the gamez, usually causing some one else to try and beat it.
Wario Ware was a great game for gamers and non gamers alike and I will probably pick this up for my son since he seems to love the very limited demo (that way I can play it too).
@GKO900 Switch port beggers are everywhere. It's like a plague.
No 3D - no buy.
Great review day one buy. Steve, are all the levels from Wario Twisted in this? This hard to find game, with gyro control, is worth the purchase alone if all levels here.
@BigKing To me that's kinda like saying "Super Mario All-Stars--7/10 because it's just NES games ported to SNES with some new sprite art.", yet that game compilation was/is utterly brilliant and deserves way more than 7/10 by any reasonable standards. If a game is great it should get great scores imo; and WarioWare Gold looks to be a great game from what I can see.
Think I'm beginning to regret spending loads on the eShop sale games - should have got Wario Ware instead!
@polarbear ok cya!
@Oat all new 3DS game should be ported to switch. Shame that latest 3ds Metroid (which is great) not on Switch.
@impurekind All Stars was lazy too and boring if you already played the previous versions. I don't even like the sprites that much compared to the classic NES versions. Not every game deserves a 9/10.
Super Mario Bros was terrible in All Stars. The physics were off and the graphics were hideous.
Just picked it up today and enjoying every minute of it. I like that the old puzzles were given a needed facelift and all of the extras look like they are well worth the time to invest in playing the microgames to their fullest to get them all.
A 9 huh? Mmm, that may be to high. So far I like it though (only played a fraction).
You forgot to mention the missions, that net you coins for the souvenir dispenser!
Swansong huh? What about Luigi's Mansion, M&L: Bowser's Inside Story and Persona Q2?
I've been playing WarioWare Gold all weekend long, and overall it is an extremely good title with a shocking amount of content and replay value. I know a lot of people are saying they’re going to skip this game because it’s not on the switch, but WarioWare Gold was tailor made for the 3DS, and ignoring it just for this fact alone is doing the title a huge disservice. It is clear that a huge amount of love and care was put into the making of this game. It is a love letter to the WarioWare series, and a perfect entry point for newcomers. Please, for the love of god do not overlook this game!!!
"Sneaky Gamer" is all kinds of awesome.
Wario Ware Gold is like a mix of Mega Microgames, Twisted, And Touched all rolled into one! I really enjoyed this game when I played it and I beat it along with Mega Microgames on 2/24/2019! I recommend this game to anyone who is a Big Wario Ware Fan!
Still playing it today! In case anyone happens to read this
Here gomes the switch entry!
@tamantayoshi it took some time. But there it is!
@romanista late reply here but yeah and i enjoyed it!
Tap here to load 66 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...