Wario Ware: Twisted! Game by Nintendo Reviewed by Philip "Pocket Squirrel" Wesley Size: 96 megabits Save: batteries (1 slot) Released: 2005 Works with: Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Micro, Nintendo DS. Rated: E (Some crass humour) Quick Opinion: OWN **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: Oddly enough, this was supposed to be out in the USA BEFORE Wario Ware Touched! for the Nintendo DS came out, but that was not to happen. Anyhow, the funny thing is that Touched references this game, by having a reference to Mona's Pizza, the character 18-Volt (Introduced in this game), as well as a reference to the motion use in this game in the opening sequence of Touched. The story is simple, Wario is playing a game and he gets upset at it. Wario, like a truely spoiled gamer, tosses his GBA and it gets busted. Instead of buying (or stealing) a new one, he asks Dr. Crygor to fix it. Dr. Crygor tosses it into his newest invention and out pops a button-less GBA. Wario is a bit peeved until he realizes that this new GBA requires you to tilt the device to use it. He then realizes he can make a huge amount of cash with this new gyroscopic revolution in gameplay. It's not about innovation, it's about CASH! So, he gets his friends to make over 200+ new games based on this new technology. There you have it. New Wario Ware game! **************************************************************************** Gameplay Descripion: This game is set up a bit like previous Wario Ware games where you have games seperated into little "stories." When you play through the stories, you are thrown into an odd situation and then are made to play "micro-games" to get out of it. A micro-game is a simple game with a simple directive like "jump", "Dodge", "Munch", etc. Because the game has a gyroscope, you must physically move the Game Boy or Nintendo DS unit to accomplish that objective. Some of the games also require you to push the "A" button as well. The games are a bizzare assortment where you must spin the Game Boy to help a figure skater, or move Wario to dodge bird poop. Some of the games are pure genius, like the boss of 9-Volt's level. This boss stage is a gyroscope and A button recreation of Super Mario Bros. It is PURE GENIUS when you see. I just wish it was longer. So, every dozen normal micro-games is a boss stage. Check. The best part though is what happens AFTER the boss stage. You get to unlock a "souvenior." These items are games, records, toys, figurines, musical instruments, and more. They all use the gyroscope. The games you unlock are genius bits like "Mewtroid", or a game where you play table-top air hockey against the characters. It is indeed sweet. You unlock extras by playing through the levels repeatedly. You also open up games you have already played in the "Spindex." Fill that up to earn more extras, and beat the high scores on those to unlock more stuff. The interesting part about this one is that it is the hardest Wario Ware yet as filling out the Spindex only counts successful games. So, if the high score on a game is 10, then you have to be successful on it 10 times. You used to be able to just finish it 7 times and just let it fail the other 4 times and still top 10. Not so in this one. There's also a Stop Watch mode where completing puzzles earns you time on a stop watch. Needless to say, that one is pretty challenging too. Unlike Wario Ware Inc, Twisted seperates the stories into motions and such. Mona is small turns, Orbulon gives you more time, Kat & Anna's games only use the A button, Jimmy's games require big turns, Dribble & Spitz require you to turn and press A, and Dr. Crygor's games require you to turn the unit all the way around or in one way or the other. After Dribble & Spitz, all the later stories require turns and A button presses. As usual, 9-Volt and 18-Volt (No relation to that trouble maker 9-Volt) present NES classics for you to play through. The new "spin" on Super Mario Bros. in this game is pure genius. I already said that though. Hey, I thought it was cool. That said, there are 200+ Micro Games, a bunch of full games, and this thing has replay value in SPADES. This is better than Wario Ware Touched, and as good if not better than Wario Ware Inc. Liked: Sweet new challenges, harder than previous Wario Ware games, longer than the other ones too. Loads of unlockables. Hated: Well, you look a little silly spinning and moving your Game Boy, or Nintendo DS. But the game is hella fun, so if anyone says anything: Kill them. ^_^ **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: The graphics differ between claymation to simple sprites to fully 3D rendered games. All have one thing in common though. They are all very strange. A lot of risque humor in this game actually. For example, there is a game where you move food through a digestive tube and out the back end. Yes, the graphics are weird, but good. Needless to say, everything looks like it should and there is no complaint on graphics here. Very strange graphics to say the least. Some of the games have a hand drawn look to them. Lots of strange uses of color or medium. This is very creative visually. Liked: Looks great! Hated: Hey! That is what it looks like.. umm.. thanks. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: Loads of voice samples, a whole "song" and tons of musical pieces, many from classic NES games. The sound effects work for or against the player sometimes, the sound work is intensely creative. I think the records that are available are nearly worth the price of admission by themselves. Liked: This here is Mona's Pizza! Great little song. Hated: One of the games has you alaigning a spine and the noise it makes as it moves is incredibly uncomfortable. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: The game design is tried and true, but makes exceptionally good use of the movement gimmick. The thing has to calibrate when you turn on the game, but it's fine. You move the GBA to select items, but you can hold the R button down to lock onto a specific object when you select things. The games presentation is also excellent as there is a TON of things to find and mess with. The touch sensor is really sensitive, but that works in this game as it has to be sensitive. Liked: Loads of things to do, loads of things to unlock, and lots of replay value. Hated: Not many two-player options, sadly. **************************************************************************** Improve: Well, add more games. Bring back a few games, just give more. Also, since Twisted came out before Touched in Japan.. there's no Ashley here. Next game.. she better be in it. Because she owns. RIYL: Wario Ware! If you hated Touched, you'll love this one. If you hated al the Wario Ware games before this.. than you just suck. **************************************************************************** Final Words: It's so good you'll start a fight. (For more Mona's Pizza) Just gotta say this: Twisted Gyroscope Experiment..... SUCCESS! **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: ***** Graphics: ***** Sound/Music: ***** Play Control/Game Design: ***** Personal Opinion: ***** Total: 25 out of 25 Final Score: 100% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: Place the game into your DS and use Wario Ware Touched and you can unlock an extra in Touched. Use this game with the ice hockey demo that Nintendo gave out wirelessly at E3 and it adds rumble to that game.