Review: Wario World
The epic journey that is my backlog has brought me a rather interesting title. Today, I’m going to be discussing Wario World. If this is a game that you’re not familiar with, I won’t hold it against you. Wario World, while popular during its initial release, has fallen into a bit of obscurity over the years. The last time I played a Wario title was almost five years ago, when I posted my review for Wario Land 4. As that title suggests, Wario Land 4 was very much a continuation of the the Wario Land series. This time around, however, we are in for something just a little bit different. As the word “world” in the title suggests, Wario World takes the award winning formula and expands on it.
While the Wario Land games were staples of Nintendo’s handheld Game Boy systems, Wario World is the first true Wario title for a home console. Released for the GameCube in 2003, Wario World brings our favorite quirky anti-hero to the big screen. And if you ask me, this is the perfect place for him. Sadly, unless you own a classic GameCube console, you’re going to have a difficult time experiencing this game. At the time of this writing, Wario World has never been released digitally. However, there is some hope on the horizon. The Nintendo Switch 2 has promised digital versions of Game Cube classics via the Nintendo Switch Online service. So perhaps, Wario World will eventually see a digital release there in the near future. One can hope…
Like most Wario games, the plot for this title is simplistic and silly. Having finally accumulated plenty of wealth during his “Wario Land” adventures, Wario is finally taking it easy and enjoying life in his newly constructed castle. However, little does he know that somewhere in his vast horde of treasure, he has acquired a cursed Black Jewel. The jewel has a mind of its own and transforms Wario’s treasure horde and castle into nightmarish playground. To restore order, Wario is tasked with taking back his castle and treasure. While doing so, he encounters a number of captured “Spritelings” – previous victims of the Black Jewel. Ultimately, his success will depend on how much treasure he can reclaim and how many Spritelings he can rescue.
Wario World is a 3D platformer. The gameplay is not that much different from other similar games (ie: Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine), but Wario World certainly puts a unique spin on the concept. The character of Wario is just as zany as ever. Players who have experience with the Wario Land titles already know what to expect when it comes to controlling Wario. As usual, Wario does combat with bad guys by punching or charging them. But there are a few new tricks too. In this game, once an enemy is knocked prone, Wario can pick them up and spin them around. Then throw them or put them in a piledriver (all of these tactics will damage other nearby enemies). It’s as ridiculous as it sounds, but extremely fun to execute.
Like most other games of the era, Wario doesn’t instantly die when hit by an enemy. He has a life-meter (represented by hearts) at the bottom of the screen. Once this meter is empty, the player can spend coins (which are found by defeating enemies) to restore their health. If the player runs out of coins, and the meter runs out, it’s officially game over.
When it comes to level design, gone are the days of an overworld map. Taking a cue from games like Super Mario 64, this game consists of a central hub featuring four distinct zones, each with two levels. At the beginning of the game, only one zone is accessible. But as the player achieves various objectives, access to more zones become available. Players are able to quit a level at any time and return to the main hub. The general concept here is one of progression. Wario will become stronger as he locates various treasures, making it easier to go back to old zones/levels to conquer challenges that may have been too difficult the first time around.
So far, this formula may sound like a simple variation of what’s already been seen in the Wario Land series. But, being a 3D platformer, there’s an entirely new element this time around; camera control. Several of the puzzles found in this game, will require the player to manipulate the camera so that they can get a better vantage point when dealing with various platformer puzzles. These days, the concept sounds pretty basic. But, at the time this game was released, using custom camera controls to help navigate a 3D world in a platforming title was still a bit of a novelty for home console players.
Wario World wouldn’t be an early-2000’s Nintendo title without some kind of cross-platform integration. One of the more unique features in this game is connectivity with the Game Boy Advance. During your time with Wario World, you will occasionally find various treasures that will unlock mini-games for the GBA. This is accomplished by using the link cable to connect the two systems. These days, doing so can be a bit of a hassle because it requires that you own both systems and a working link cable – which can be a bit of a tall order. So if you’re not able to take advantage of this connectivity, don’t fret too much. These unlockable mini-games are actually really nothing more than demos for mini-games found in the WarioWare, Inc. game for the GBA (and later the GameCube). So, you can always enjoy them there without all the hassle.
I played Wario World briefly when it was first released and I remember enjoying it quite a bit. Now, revisiting it a little over twenty years later, I found it to be just as fun as I remembered. That being said, it’s not a particularly big game. I think I managed to complete it in about eight or nine hours. But it’s so over the top and fast-paced that I’m willing to overlook the lack of content. This is one title that Nintendo should definitely consider remaking with some extra content. I think it would be quite a hit.
Version Reviewed: GameCube
Difficulty: Easy – When it comes to platformers, this game is one of the easier ones I’ve played. The only times in the game that my health meter ever really ran out was during boss fights. Even then, I always had more than enough coins to recharge and defeat the boss. I didn’t unintentionally get a Game Over a single time during my playthrough.
Multiplayer: No.
Story: The story here is typical first-party Nintendo. The plot is very basic and really only serves as the shallowest setting possible for the game. Which, considering the type of game we’re talking about, is more than appropriate.
Originality: At this point, it’s difficult to talk about originality with these types of games. By 2003, platformers had been done to death. But somehow, Nintendo always manages to keep things feeling a little fresh by putting some kind of spin on this. In the case of Wario World, this spin consists largely of over-the-top action and the sheer chaos of the gameplay.
Soundtrack: Where do I start… The soundtrack to this game is interesting, to say the least. It’s a mixture of weird fart-noises and hip-hop. Seriously… I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s not terrible, and it’s actually quite fitting for the game. But it’s not exactly something you’ll be humming while doing housework. Still, I have to admit that it’s just quirky enough that it matches the action on the screen perfectly.
Fun: This is one of those games that you can pick up and play without having to invest too much time and energy. It’s a fun romp, even if it’s a bit short. Wario World would have been the type of game my friends and I would have blasted through during a sleepover if only it had come out when I was younger.
Graphics: The graphics are pretty standard fare for a GameCube title. Sharp, colorful, and pretty. The game doesn’t feature native widescreen support like some GameCube titles do. But it’s still quite an attractive game.
Playcontrol: The N64 controller is one of those devices that you either love or hate. Personally, I never had any real issues with it and all of the controls for this game feel quite natural and responsive on my WaveBird controller. If this game ever does see a digital release, I’d be curious to see how the playcontrol might transfer over to modern controller. Time will tell.
Downloadable Content: N/A
Mature Content: N/A
Value: Being a retro game that has never been released digitally, Wario World sells for a pretty hefty price on the used game market. Most eBay auctions offer used copies for around $80-$90. As much fun as I had with this game, I have to admit that $80 for only 8-9 hours of gameplay is hard no. Especially when there’s hope of a digital release on the horizon.
Overall score (1-100): 80 – Wario World is a fun little title. If Attention Deficit Disorder could be personified in a video game, this would that game. It’s fast-paced, chaotic, and silly. It’s a lot of fun in a small package. A part of me appreciates it for being such a short, fun experience. I have to admit, I would have liked it a bit more if there was just a little more content to enjoy. Still, it’s a pretty solid game that really showcases the power of the GameCube.
Original System: GameCube
Available today on: Switch 2 (Nintendo Switch Online) – (Updated as of Fall 2025)
Best Experience: Switch 2 (Nintendo Switch Online) – (Updated as of Fall 2025)
Other Reviews In This Series:
SMB – SMB Lost Levels – SMB 2 – SMB 3 – SM World – SM World 2– SM Land – SM Land 2 – SM Land 3 – Mario 64 – Mario Sunshine – New SMB – Galaxy – Galaxy 2 – New SMB Wii – Mario 3D Land – New SMB 2 – New SMB U – SMB 3D World – Super Mario Odyssey – Wonder
Paper Mario – Thousand Year Door – Super Paper Mario – Sticker Star – Color Splash
Wario Land 2 – Wario Land 3 – Wario Land 4 – Wario World – Master of Disguise – Wario Land Shake It
Luigi’s Mansion – Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon – Luigi’s Mansion 3
Super Princess Peach – Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
