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WarioWare Touched! Review for Nintendo DS
Posted on Friday, March 04, 2005 @ 08:34:38 pm E.S.TDriveway. Thumbprint. Bankruptcy. Rottweiler. Jackhammer. Curtain. Typewriter. Island. Stumble. Monarch. Tapes. Supermarket. Keys. Swamp. Forecast. Gift... Alright, what do all these words have in common? Nothing. In fact, when you look at them side-by-side like that, it really is just random. Well, not quite as random as Nintendo's latest title for their dual-screened portable. WarioWare Touched!, a pseudo-sequel to the popular WarioWare for the GameBoy Advance, has finally hit the shelves, and I have no idea what the hell is going on.
If you've ever played a WarioWare game before, you know that the goal of the game is to complete as many five to ten second mini-games as humanly possible. Of course, this is no cakewalk; The more microgames presented to you in a row, the faster the pace gets, making the game just about as challenging as you can handle. While the original Wario Ware categorized it's mini-games in their appearence, Touched! assorts the games by physical actions involving mostly the touch screen. For example, some levels require you to "slice" your screen, while others make you draw a line from point A to point B; It ranges from drawing circles around the bottom screen to blowing into the microphone. Each division has it's own feel, and they're all executed brilliantly.
You may still be wondering, "so what makes this game so random?". There is literally no correlation between these games. This means that you'll be completing games such as tickling a midget, rearranging facial expressions, and even slappin' a horse's ass! How does this all fit into the game? Well, if you'd really like to know, here's what the game's "premise" is: One day, Wario is eating some candy, when he gets a horrible toothache. After his trip to the dentist, however, he's presented with a seemingly infinite amount of mini-games to complete, all while riding his chopper. Or take Dr. Crygor, for instance. This mad scientist finally learns how to build a machine that turns him into some sort of superhero (although, I'm quite sure that his DNA was mixed with that of an apple). Bam! Mini-games. And even after going through this same type of nonsense 11 times, Touched! remains fresh and entertaining.
After completing each of the characters' microgame challenges, it seems like the game is at an end. Absolutely not. Even when it's all said and done and you've managed to unlock all of the mini-games, there's still a plethora of toys (yes, toys) to collect. These are just as random as the aforementioned microgames. Unlockables include many objects and mini games, like a working harmonica, metronome, and even spirometer. And to please fans of the original Wario Ware game, there's even a new touch-enabled version of Pyoro. To be brutally honest, I'd be completely surprised if the use of illegal narcotics where not involved in the making of this video game.
Colorful patterns and arrays penetrate your eyes constantly (sort of like an acid trip). Though there's generally never anything too intricate to view on the screen, that doesn't mean it's not nice to look at. And just like it's GBA predecessor, the graphics get the job done, even without profound bumpmapping. The inclusion of three-dimensional objects in a fresh splash of something new, but honestly doesn't make a great deal of difference. While everything is fairly simple-minded, each mini-game has it's own visual style that really keeps the game desirable.
WarioWare games also feature audio synchronization, which basically means that the faster the games get, the faster the songs get. Believe it or not, this is an essential aspect of completing mini-games to the fullest extent. Since the games are timed (and at an extremely fast pace, I might add), it's vital that you know exactly when they're going to end. And since it's tough to look at your game and the timer at the bottom of the screen at the same time, listening to the background music will let you know exactly when the mini-game will end. In addition to the creative music, the sound effects are equally as zany as the games themselves. (Oh crap, I promised myself I wouldn't use the word "zany" in this review...) With the DS's stereo speakers and WarioWare's erratic sound, you'll be pleased, or at the very least, confused by the audio in this title.
One of the most redeeming qualities of Wario Ware Touched! is, without a doubt, the replay value. I must admit that even after two long years, I still play the original WarioWare game on a regular basis, and I can definitely see the pattern repeating in Touched! Even after you master all the microgames and obtain all of the toys, there's still over 180 mini-games in all, so odds are you'll come back for more on a regular basis. Stupid aspects of the game, like the music, even offer a large amount of replay value. Believe me, you'll spend at least five hours just trying to figure out what the hell the lyrics to "Ashley's Song" are. There is no multiplayer to keep you busy (with the exception of one crappy ping-pong game), but that won't hold you back that much.
Overall, Wario Ware Touched! is a solid title for the DS. (And possibly the only solid title up until this point.) Obviously it's a must-have for all DS owners, especially considering the DS's minimal title launch. Almost everything about this title makes it worth buying for one reason or another. Everyone seems to be waiting for the DS's "killer title" and while this may not be it, Touched! still offers more than enough to satisfy gamers of all sort. Review By: Dacvak - 1116 Reads
WarioWare Touched! Review Scores for DS :
| Gameplay |
| 9 |
| Graphics |
| 7 |
| Sound |
| 8 |
| Replay |
| 9 |
| Overall |
| 8.6 |
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