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WarioWare: Twisted! Review
Written by Modojo Staff on Saturday, May 7, 2005
User Score
Great visuals, innovative controls and games, making this the best WarioWare yet...
We need more.
This review was supposed to be done yesterday. I guess it's a testament to WarioWare Twisted! that I'm just sitting down to write it... and to tell you the truth, I'd rather be playing the game right now. The latest in the WarioWare series of microgame collections, Twisted! ranks up there with the original as one of the most addictive and fun times you could have on any system. It proves that the Game Boy Advance is still the best portable money can buy, and is helping bolster the argument that Nintendo is the industry's most innovative publisher.
If you've never played a WarioWare game, you're in for a treat. The games compile a series of "microgames," twitch games that take an average of five seconds to get through. String a bunch of these games in a row, ratchet up the speed, and watch as these short little games start to drain hours away from you. Examples of these games could be anything from washing a windshield to helping a man eat sushi, and with over two hundred of these games (in the case of Twisted!), you'll find something new for a long time to come.
But as you probably know by now, Twisted! follows WarioWare Touched! on Nintendo DS with an innovative control style. Using a gyro sensor that's built into the game, Twisted! is able to sense movements of the GBA from left to right. Not only is this unique method of controlling a game used in almost all of the microgames, but it's the best way to look absolutely crazy on the bus. Just watch your elbows.
Your first destination is Story mode, which is ironic because there really is no coherent story. But that's the point, as the cutscenes are as ridiculous and clever as the microgames. You start off by taking on a set of games by Wario, which will unlock another character with their own set of games. Each character has their own twist, with Orbulon's games taking a bit more time than usual, and 9-Volt's being all about the NES classics. Fans of the previous games in the series will notice all the old characters with a couple of new faces. So yes, Dr. Crygor is back. And yes, his hotpants have also made the trip.
Twisted! starts off slowly, letting you get your bearings with a few microgames, but things speed up as you complete more of these games in one sitting. After about twenty games, you'll barely have any time to react, and friends, children, and small animals around you will have scattered away from your gyro-induced seizures. To say this is twitch gaming is an understatement, as you'll be asked to balance umbrellas, drive cars, demolish castles, and more, one right after the other. You better be quick on your feet and know how to follow instructions, because Twisted! does not let up.
If you're looking to practice some of the games you've already played in Story mode, head to the Spindex to play whichever games you want at your leisure. Here you'll find all the characters plus a couple of custom level sets that will keep you playing for a long time. Each microgame also has a goal, and if you reach that goal (usually getting past level 15 or so), you score a shiny gold crown. Do that for all two hundred of the microgames and... well, we're not so sure, but we'll find out soon enough. Once we spend several hours doing that, we have a feeling we'll see more of Pyoro, the little bird who starred in some of the more addictive unlockables of the series.
And talking about unlockables, Twisted! has the other WarioWare titles beat in this department. Split up into several categories including toys, records, and even figurines, the Souvenirs part of the game include some very cool things that you earn in Story mode. Some of these are as inconsequential as a bald head rolling around to your movements, but some of them are quite useful, especially if you've ever wanted to use your GBA as a protractor...
The game's visuals are also mighty impressive, with the same style as in previous games or quickly drawn yet vibrant characters and locales. Environments also range from full 3D models which rotate smoothly to perfect recreations of our favorite NES games. And check out the boss level (yup, there are boss microgames) that has you going through snippets of Super Mario Bros. levels through a cool fisheye lens. This is on GBA? Yup, and it's never been more impressive.
The audio is also catchy, with the same sort of tunes that come and go as quickly as the games themselves. Check out your records for some of the songs, especially a cool vocal track that seems to be the new standard for handheld WarioWare titles. Again, very impressive, especially for the hardware.
The bottom line with a game like Twisted! is you have to play it, even if only for a few minutes. The innovative controls (did I mention the rumble?), the huge amount of microgames, and the overall quality of WarioWare Twisted! ranks it right up there with the original, far surpassing even the Nintendo DS version as the most impressive WarioWare title yet. Even those of you put off by the disappointing GameCube version best take a look at Twisted!, because it'll probably be one of the best games you'll play in recent years.
