Things come to you as you replay one of your favorite, classic games on a current console. I’ve recently been going through WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ on my Wii U, for example, and It reaffirmed a few things for me. The idea that Wario is a sorely underused character is a given, as is the fact that this original installment is easily the best installment in the series. However, the thing that struck me most is that this Virtual Console rerelease of WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ hammers home the thought that the WarioWare games should always be handheld affairs.
Think back to the WarioWare games you’ve known and loved. I know when I do, I count WarioWare, Inc: Mega Microgame$ , WarioWare: Twisted , and WarioWare: Touched! among my favorites. Each one holds a special place in my heart and have cumulatively stolen away at least 60 hours of my life. That may even be a conservative estimate, as when I check my 3DS time logs, I can see that WarioWare: Touched! , a game I still play, has about 10 hours of play gathered on this handheld alone.
It’s the nature of the beast. These three second microgames are perfectly suited to pick up and go play. I even find my focus is greater when I hold a WarioWare game in my hands. If I have a few moments, I head to the timesink. It’s an indulgent pleasure, and even the simplified graphics and methods feel more at home on the GBA, DS, and 3DS. Even my least favorite of the portable ilk, WarioWare: D.I.Y. , has brought me more joy than any console incarnation.
Though I never did profess the same affection for the GameCube, Wii and Wii U installments of WarioWare , it wasn’t until WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ came to the Virtual Console that I understood why. The addition of multiplayer to the console editions is a minor bonus. When the microgames come to the big screen, they lose much of their magic and appeal. Even familiar microgames somehow seem less interesting, and the longer, console-specific games don’t seem to have the same personality. Game & Wario , the Wii U installment, is the worst of the lot, and often feels more like a collection of tech demos than a whimsical conglomeration of minigame goodness.
After all, the WarioWare games are designed mostly for either frantic bursts or compulsive marathoning. In either case, a handheld is the way to go. It’s much easier to grab a GBA, DS or 3DS and turn to your copy than go through the effort of sitting down at a console. With consoles, you’re there for the duration. Handhelds let you come and go.
But even the WarioWare marathon sessions are better on portables than in a living room. Perhaps it’s just me, but when I play WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ , I’m not always sitting still. I’m hunched over the screen, exhibiting more focus than on any other task, tensed and ready to strike. I may bob and weave as I play, as somehow my mind equates these extra movements with improved abilities. Playing it on a console just doesn’t offer that same experience, and I almost find it harder to sit still for longer microgame sessions.
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ is an inspired game, and a fantastic installment in a largely wonderful series. Yet, it seems the handheld entries shine brighter than any console counterparts. Microgames are meant to be enjoyed on a portable system, and one can only hope Nintendo will release this and bring us a 3DS entry soon.