Wario Ware: Touched! (DS)

Details: Category: DS; By IBJamon; 04.Jun; Hits: 12239

After the smash hit Wario Ware Inc.: Mega Microgame$ for GameBoy Advance, it was inevitable that Wario would come up with a reason to make himself more money with his microgames. Wario manages to find himself with a strange dual screen handheld with no buttons, and after figuring out how to use it, he realizes that with two screens, he can make double the money!

So what is this about?

Well, this game is somewhat similar to the last Wario Ware, where you have a large number of microgames, each of which lasts for just a few seconds in which you have to figure out what to do, and complete that goal, whatever it is. In this new game, it is played with either the touch screen, the microphone (you blow into it), or both, instead of the direction pad and A button. This allows for some really interesting and quirky microgames, as well as other bonus games you can unlock.

What are the microgames like?

There are over 180 microgames available in this game (actually 181, + 9 bosses= 190). These take advantage of many of the non-controller features of the Nintendo DS. You will have to do many things including cleaning dirt off of a plate, shooting an arrow into a target, hitting a ninja with a shuriken, playing a piano, spinning a pinwheel, sucking up the nearby universe, catching fairies in The Legend of Zelda, and much more. The varied activities to perform are so many that it would be far too much to explain them all. Each group of about 20 levels is grouped by the character who made them for Wario. Wario has his own sets of levels, as does Jimmy, Mona, Dr. Crygor, Ashley, Kat & Ana, Mike, and last but not least, 9-Volt & 18-Volt. Each set of levels is based on a theme, which can help you determine what you need to do to pass. Ashley\'s levels require dragging, where Dr. Crygor\'s require spinning. And most quirky of all is that Mike\'s require the microphone to be blown into. 9 & 18-Volt\'s levels are all based on NES and other Nintendo classics, and are adapted in some way to use the touch screen. For example, in Metroid you have to keep the Metroids off of Samus by continually dragging them off of her to keep her from dying before the time runs out. In Sweet Nothings from Mike\'s levels, you have to blow gently into the microphone to blow \'Sweet Nothings\' into the ear of the lady on the screen. In one of Ashley\'s levels called Basket Case, you have to drag a basket into the proper position in order to catch a flying object, usually a ball of some kind. There are many other microgames here; suffice it to say that there\'s a lot here. When you complete certain goals within the game, it often will unlock something new for you to play with.

What are the unlockables?

There are many unlockables, including other characters\' levels, since you start with only a few available. You also eventually unlock all of the microgames, and many associated minigames and toys. There are approximately 35 unlockable things of some sort beyond just the microgames and related levels. My favorites include Pyoro T (which requires all microgames to have been unlocked), Orbit Ball, and a few others. In general, with a few exceptions, I found the unlockables in this game to be nowhere near as good as the ones in the original Wario Ware, but your tastes may vary. A lot of those 35 are silly toys that you will most likely pick up and put down never to use again. Some of the more silly toys include the Grandma simulator and the Pet Parrot. The more worthless ones include the Wario Spinner, Yo-Yo, Whistle a Tune, and unfortunately many more. It seems a lot of them are there just to show you what the DS can do with a touch screen or microphone.

How are the graphics?

The graphics are really appropriate to what the game intends, and are adequate and fun. The variety is astounding. They vary from simple stick figures to really neat looking 3D environments. There is really nothing to complain about, and of all microgames were intense 3D it would somehow take away from what the game is about. Also the dual screen functionality is used really well here, from a status or help screen on top to extending the viewable play field and acting as one tall screen. Overall, it\'s pretty neat and I have no complaints.

How is the sound/music?

The sound and music is what you expect from Wario Ware if you have played them before. If you have not, the game is filled with silly, short, and sometimes catchy tunes for each microgame. Also a few of the tunes have been improved here and have decent sounding voices in the music. Ashley\'s theme is a good example of this. I have nothing to complain about here, though a few themes may get a bit repetitive as you play a stage over and over and over if you decide to clear it and unlock everything there is to get.

How appropriate is this game for Christians?

Nintendo has, in general, made some pretty family friendly games, and this one is mostly no exception. However there are a few more areas of concern than the last game, but nothing Earth-shattering. One of the levels called \'Chance of Showers\' has you aiming the line if whiz from a male statue\'s genitals to put out a fire. You don\'t see anything, but it is obvious what is happening. That kind of crude humor is present in other places as well, though not always as obviously. The area that is somewhat more objectionable is that one of the characters (Ashley) is a witch, and the game kind of plays that up a bit. She has one of the few levels with a catchy theme song throughout that also has English lyrics. She lives \'in the haunted mansion next door\'. One line of the song\'s lines says that she turned her teacher into a spoon. It\'s hard to say how serious these problems are, but we are here to inform you, and that job is done. Other than these things, most of the game is silly slapstick humor that\'s mostly harmless.

Overall/Conclusion

This is a very fun, simple, and silly game that is really perfect for the Nintendo DS. It makes use of the touch screen and microphone better than most games do so far. It\'s also a fun distraction that can be played for virtually any length of time. If the small appropriateness allowances (most of which can also be found in cartoons these days..) are not a problem, then I think most will enjoy this game, especially fans of the first Wario Ware. If you are looking for a game to surpass the first in ingenuity and cool unlockables, this may not fit that bill, but it is still great fun nonetheless.