Over the holidays, we’ll be re-publishing some of our best features, interviews, opinions, and views from 12 months ago. from employees and contributors alike – articles that we feel represent the best of the year 2021. In them you’ll find our usual mix of thoughtfulness, vanity, nostalgia specialize, nostalgia for gaming, and – of course – enthusiasm for all things Nintendo. Interesting!
With the latest installment in Nintendo’s thoroughly enjoyable WarioWare series – WarioWare: Together! – recently hit shelves, we think it’s a bit too old to look back at the entire series and pick out the 25 best minigames out of the thousands we’ve seen so far.
Naturally, we’re not including any of our own games from WarioWare: DIY, as that would be cheating – clearly our effort is far superior to that of Nintendo’s team. Nothing from WarioWare Snapped!, because by comparison, it’s a bit trashy. However, any other entries are taken into account. No, not Nintendo 64DD Mario Artist: Polygon Studio Prototype “Sound Bomber”, clever clogs.
Anyway, without further advice, take your garlic and pop it in the cream of the Microgame crop. Waaaaahhh!!!
25. Cut To The Chase
Request: Trim
The source: WarioWare Smooth moving (Wii)
A fun game that sees you using the Wii Remote to trim a fingernail only to reveal that the hand your nail is cutting is part of an extremely long arm. The visual craftsmanship of one of Nintendo’s most creative and aesthetically diverse series. Level 3 is toenail clippers, natch.
24. Waves
Request: Wave!
The source: WarioWare Twisted! (GBA)
For a game that focuses on, well, spinning your GBA, it’s a little surprising how compelling the Kat & Ana-hosted one-button stage is in fact. Of the many mini-games at the touch of an ‘A’ button, this pink bear’s attempt to join a Mexican wave is the funniest and the silliest. Huh! Huh! Huh! Hroo?
23. Sleep Clinic
Request: Hypnosis!
The source: WarioWare: Together! (Switch)
Controlling your chosen character, you must control a hanging pocket watch to set a giant background for Wario to sleep. Iconography is universally acknowledged, a sensible input and compelling visuals that make this one of the best Mini Games in the fairly homogenous (necessary) Get It Together games.
22. Nintendo Badge Arcade
Request: Don’t get caught!
The source: WarioWare: Together! (Switch)
We chose this one simply because it reminds us of Nintendo badge video game, namely the absolutely ridiculous amount of “go” we found ourselves buying on. Those badges are great and we can only hope that it returns in some form.
Oh, that’s right, Microgame. Er, just avoid claws? It is quite simple.
21. Wario Land 3
Request: Reach the coin!
The source: WarioWare Gold (3DS)
Wario once again eats himself as you’re thrust into a divisive Game Boy Color exploration Wario Land 3, as you take control of Wario on your own as he flies overhead in a bubble for one of the game’s elusive Musical Coins. Clever use of WarioWare Gold’s tilt mechanism and an exciting blast from the past.
20. You can choose your friends…
Request: Pick!
The source: WarioWare Smooth Moves (Wii)
The series has an obvious fascination with nose picking, but it’s never been more tactile than here – swinging the Wii Remote as if it were your own digit, you have to press it hard against the giant nose on the screen through the nostrils. Schnozz-tastic, and almost as satisfying as picking your own nose.
Wait, that’s disgusting. Can we get rid of this bit? [Nope – Ed]
19. Jumpin’ Rope
Request: Jump!
The source: WarioWare, Inc: Mega Microgame $! (GBA)
Possibly the purest of the WarioWare Microgames, just tap ‘A’ rhythmically to jump over the jumping rope as it wobbles. Difficulty is higher when you transform into a platypus-like creature that jumps much lower, followed by the head of a Moai (think Gradius) leaps as well as you’d expect.
18. No seducers
Request: Away!
The source: WarioWare Gold (3DS)
In it Wario committed tax evasion by forcibly closing the door when the little man of the Internal Revenue Service came ’round to visit. Of course, all you do is mix ‘A’, but this one does a lot with a little. Namely, makes you think of Wario’s tax records. Which can only be said to be quite bad.
17. Fragile!
Request: Do not move!
The source: WarioWare Twisted! (GBA)
You’ve enthusiastically tossed around the room trying to conquer the powerful WarioWare Twisted, revealing only a single fragile egg and the command “Don’t move!”. Indeed, a single movement will cause the egg to fall and crack, causing the game to fail. And it was in this overthrow that WarioWare once again revealed its genius.
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