Pong and Beyond

283rd played so far

Genre: Action
Platform: Game Boy Advance
Year of Release: 2004
Developer: Nintendo SPD/Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo

Holding the cartridge for this game now, it’s clear why we had to import this from the US. Bigger than a normal GBA cartridge, the game has a chunky extension at one end that contains an accelerometer. It’s a feature that’s common now – I believe iPhones have one, as does the DS and its successors – but it was a novelty at the time.

It’s also what this game is about. The WarioWare series is a collection of minigames, after the first each with its own small twist on the concept. This time (obviously) it’s that accelerometer.

Our Thoughts

The thing about minigames is that there’s usually not much to say about each of them, while make broad statements stay… well… very broad.

The games are true minigames, obviously, usually taking about ten seconds each with a very simple goal. While they are at times slightly repetitive, especially considering the control method (rotate your GBA left and right), but that doesn’t matter. They’re charming and diverse in setting and so far removed from what you’d normally consider doing that every game is a surprise and every game is a fun new thing to play.

The unlocks from there are as interesting and as much a part to pull you in. They’re mostly simple toys making use of the gyroscope, but spinning a globe and moving the sky to reveal different constellations does feel fun.

The graphics are simple, on its own the parts of the game are nothing to write home about. It’s just that when you combine them in an overwhelming combination like this, it makes for a fun game taken together.

Final Thoughts

Simple, but charming, the game’s enhancements feel notable not just because of its technical accomplishments, but also its collection of different minigames and engagin side items. It’s a toybox of fun, really, but a nice one there.

I have always preferred the WarioWare series to Raving Rabbids for one main reason, innovation. This doesn’t have to rely on toilet humour and cute characters to keep you interested… plus this has the benefit that you will come back again and again to try to get better scores for each character.