Wario Ware, Twisted! is the excellent sequel to the original masterpiece Wario Ware, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! for the GameBoy Advance. Wario, after dying while playing a game on his GBA, throws it against the wall and breaks his GameBoy. When he realizes his mistake, he has an idea - he will bring it to his friend Dr. Crygor\'\'s house; he\'\'ll surely fix it right up! He does; and when he gets it back, he notices it has no control pad on it any more. The Doc shows him how to play - by twisting it. As some more friends visit, he realizes what he has - another scheme to make a lot more money!
So what\'\'s so Twisted about this installment?
This Wario Ware game, which is the second in the series (Touched! came out here before Twisted!, but it was developed first) not only has a whole slew of new microgames to play, it has a built-in twist sensor and rumble pack. This allows for some really creative microgames (and others) as the standard control pad is not used at all. The A-button is the only button used throughout the game; the L & R buttons are only used for the menus. The unique control scheme and rumble feature are used to full effect in this game. It really makes you twist!
What are the microgames like?
There are over 200 microgames available in this game (actually 214, + 9 bosses= 223). The 214 total makes this the largest of all of the Wario Ware games. Each game takes unique advantage of the twist feature in great ways. An example might be to carefully glide your motorcycle in between obstacles, or to clean a dirty plate by scrubbing, or trying to climb a tricky staircase, or guiding a balloon to the hero from Balloon Fight, and many more. Each group of stages has a certain theme to them. Mona\'\'s levels require short, accurate spins, while Jimmy\'\'s levels require a whole lot of spin (many times more than a full GBA/DS rotation!) to complete. Others have the gravity modified, have levels which require \'\'patience\'\' (and are more difficult), some which require twisting and using the A button, and a few that use the A button only. The WarioWatch levels are the most unique; they do not have a time limit of 3-5 seconds like the other levels. These require you to complete a certain number of them as a whole in a set amount of time. When you clear a level, the game gives you a few more seconds. This can be really great as many levels can be completed in under a second, but a few may require much more time to pass. By juggling these two factors, you play some pretty unique levels! There are also a whole LOT of unlockables. This game has by far more unlockable toys, games, records, and other content then both other Wario Ware games combined. A few of the boss levels take really unique advantage of the twist sensor. In one boss level, you have to rotate the GBA in such a way as to always keep the ground appearing right side up to you, even though the ground goes in hills, and even upside-down. Another boss is played completely with the GBA turned on its side - you only need the A button and press it to fire in a unique nose-styled boss battle. All in all, a very creative set of levels!
So how are these unlockables?
At first, you have to unlock other character\'\'s levels to play on them as you progress through them. Also, when you beat a boss (and a few other times), you have the chance to grab a souvenir. Each of these souvenirs can be a music record, a simple instrument to play with, a figurine to look at, a minigame, a toy, a doodad, or some other object. There are 140(!) unlockable things of some type. Though many of them are simple or similar, there is still a staggering amount of stuff to play with here. Some of them are rather pointless (a few of the instruments, most of the figurines and doodads), and a few are rather clever. There are several \'\'actualized\'\' microgames that get the special status of having their own minigame. One example is the Cyclone Scuffle; this level is a microgame expanded to its own minigame where you attack all oncoming people by spin-kicking them. There is also the ever cool Apple Assault where a group of Warios fends off an oncoming attack from apples. As you would expect, very silly. And also many others. It\'\'s an incredible quantity of unlockables, as well as some with decent quality/playability/fun factor as well.
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 almost 3D environments. There is really nothing to complain about. Compared to the first Wario Ware, the graphics are immensely improved, and in places really do shine. Overall, very good. The effects on each polygon when the game is rotated is very appropriate, and sometimes looks really neat and 3D-like. Great job, and no doubt pushes the GBA hardware in a few places, and barely flexes it in others, as some characters are stick figures.
How about 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. The Mona Pizza theme is a good example of this. It can also stick in your head like few other pieces of game music. Overall it\'\'s pretty good, though a few themes may get a bit repetitive as you play a stage over and over and over if you decide to clear the whole game 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. There are a few small areas of concern, but nothing Earth-shattering. In one level you are guiding food through a digestive system and you see it come out the other end as \'\'waste\'\'. This and other crude humor is common throughout. But really, the appropriateness issues are pretty minor. This Wario Ware probably has the least appropriateness issues of the series as of this date of writing. It\'\'s mostly harmless.
Overall/Conclusion
This is a very fun, simple, and silly game that is really a nearly perfect execution of creativity in the Wario Ware formula. It makes really great use of the twist sensor, and the rumble really helps the microgames a lot. The creative uses of the twist along with the GameBoy Advance hardware are really almost surprising the first time you play the game. It also offers a simple distraction that can be played for virtually any length of time, like other games in the series. I think that overall, this game is the best in the series thus far. The original may have a better unlockable (Dr. Wario, etc.) then this one, but the breadth and depth of the game\'\'s features, creativity, and unlockables, which have you coming back for more and more, easily make this the best Wario Ware title, and arguably one of the system\'\'s best games.
Final Score
Appropriateness Score: Violence 8/10 Language 9/10 Sexual Content/Nudity 9/10 Occult/Supernatural 10/10 Cultural/Moral/Ethical 8.5/10 Appropriateness Total: 44.5/50 Game Score: Game Play 20/20 Graphics 10/10
Sound/Music 10/10 Stability/Polish 5/5 Controls/Interface 5/5 Game Score Total: 50/50
