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Wario Ware, Inc.: Mega Party Game$ Gamecube Nintendo  'Wario Ware''s first appearance on the GBA was a feat of true genius. A manic fast paced game that delivered one simple microgame after the next, each one giving the player a one word hint and a millisecond to work out what the hell it meant. 'Wario Ware' wasn't about skill or strategy, it was all about reflexes; that, and crazy Japanese flavoured games mixed with cool characters and stylised cut scenes. The concept has now graduated to the GameCube with 'Wario Ware Inc.: Mega Party Game$.' This update is largely the same thing, right down to the GBA-quality graphics used in the microgames. In some ways, it has actually been stripped back, all of those lovely storylines and cut scenes from the GBA version have disappeared. The key addition that makes this new port stand out on its own is the all new Multiplayer action. But first, let's look at the Single Player Mode in which you'll battle your way through nine themed stages, full of twenty-odd microgames thrown at you in quick succession. As you progress, the game gets faster and when you screw up you'll lose one of your three lives. All of the microgames in this mode are lifted directly from the GBA version, so if you're familiar with the original and are expecting something new, you'll be bitterly disappointed. So the question is "does the Multiplayer mode make it worthwhile?" The answer is a tentative yes. Some of the multiplayer games are a lot of fun, and the simplistic nature of the whole thing makes it easy for newcomers to join in. I'm just not sure how long the fun will last before it starts to get a bit old, however. Multiplayer modes include Survival Fever, in which players are eliminated after three failed microgames, leaving the last man standing (all, of course, within a disco setting). Wobbly Bobbly features brand new microgames where players compete against each other, with the added challenge of balancing turtles (yes, that's right: turtles) between each round. Milky Way Delirium is essentially Tic-Tac-Toe set in space with microgames added into the mix. Outta My Way! is all about getting in the way while your foe tries to complete a mini-game. Balloon Bang has players taking it in turns to complete microgames while the other players blow up a balloon, the person playing the mini-game when the balloon blows is the loser. That's only about half of the multiplayer action up for grabs in the game, so there's a good amount of variety, but in the end, they're all just different reasons to play the collection of over 200 microgames . 'Wario Ware Inc.: Mega Party Game$' has a retail price of $45 which definitely works in its favour. If you don't like crazed multiplayer fun, I'd recommend the GBA version over this one. But if you don't own a GBA it's worth the buy to experience the magic that 'Wario Ware' has to offer. If you are a multiplayer mini-game fan, then you should this, even if you do own the original.  |
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