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Wario's second adventure is arguably his best thanks to some very creative gameplay

Wario Land II was released for the Game Boy Color in 1998. It was developed and published by Nintendo, of couse, and is a platformer. However, don't be fooled. If you think this is just another Mario game, you're absolutely wrong. Not only does Wario bring his own style to the mix, but the overall feel of the game is very different from any Mario platformer.

The story goes like this: these little goons somehow get into Wario's castle and steal his money (three whole bags of it!). Later you find out that Syrup the Pirate is behind it. Wario is awakened by his alarm clock, and eventually realizes that his money is gone, so he sets off to get it all back. The point of the game is to get as many coins as possible, as they play a big role in different ways; you'll use coins to play minigames, and Wario will lose coins if he gets hit.

As Wario, you can move, jump, charge with his shoulder, do a butt-stomp, and even roll into a ball if there's a sloped section of land. By holding up, Wario can jump a little higher. But by far the most unique aspect of the game is Wario's different transformations. These transformations are comical, but useful in progressing past certain areas. For example, a critter with a match in its mouth can set Wario on fire, causing him to run back and forth and eventually turn into a giant flame; this will allow him to break through flame blocks. If Wario eats a piece of cake, he will become extra fat and be able to break through stronger blocks. If Wario is flattened, he can continue on as Flat Wario (with nothing but his eyes and feet sticking out), able to progress through narrow passages. And there are many more! Inflated Wario, Spring Wario, Bubble Wario, Drunk Wario (I thought this was a kid's game), Frozen Wario, Shrunk Wario, and even Zombie Wario! With so many transformations, the game never becomes dull.

If you think that's cool, there's another major aspect that sets this game apart, and that is that Wario cannot die. That's right, you'll never see a Game Over screen. When Wario gets hurt, he'll lose some coins, but that's all. Once again, things that would usually hurt characters, such as being stung by a bee, frozen by some ice, or flattened with a hammer, will not hurt Wario, but rather change him to do something unique. What an awesome idea!

The main point of the game is to collect coins. Walls of coins are sitting in plain sight, waiting for Wario to come and nab them. Hidden areas and special rooms can be found in order to get more coins. You can even find giant coins with Wario's face on them. I have to ask, How did Wario get so rich? I mean, he has his own castle! Did he strike oil or something? Anyways, there are certain blocks which Wario can bust through using the shoulder charge. Some blocks can only be broken through by throwing a certain enemy at them.

There's a simple game between each level in which you have to try and guess a number piece by piece. You have to spend 50 coins to see the next piece, so it's best to guess as soon as possible. If you get a correct answer, a little piece of a treasure map is set in place. However, if you guess wrong, there's no way to go back and get that spot on the map. There are also other minigames throughout the game which you can find, such as one in which you have to match a certain card with another one, and you only get a second to peek at all the cards. These minigames are certainly fun, and add some variety to the game.

You can tell that Nintendo made this game; there's a lot of creative implementations in gameplay throughout. One level has Wario trying to keep up with a turtle while he runs through an obstacle course above; another level has an owl carrying Wario over some water, avoiding pointy objects and enemies along the way; one level has Wario climbing a building, going in and out of windows, making his way to the top via inside and outside, all the while avoiding guys who throw beer bottles at him (perhaps they're Coke bottles?). The levels are short, perfect for a handheld game, but they're chock-full of great things.

The bosses in the game are simple, yet solid. Some of the bosses include a giant snake, a big dino bird, and a giant bee (the biggest bee I've ever seen actually). Nintendo made a wise choice with these bosses; since Wario cannot be killed, there's always a way to be taken out of the fight and have to start over. This happened to me several times while fighting the bee; if Wario gets stung, he'll inflate and float to the top of the screen, where he'll go through a door and have to re-enter the boss room. It's a good choice, and you'll never have to worry about those annoying Game Over screens.

If you're thinking that WL2 is a nice short linear game, you're wrong again. There are alternate routes and hidden levels to find which will keep you busy for a long time. It also astounds me that there are so many different locales in the game: Castle, Forest, Building, Train, the scenery never becomes monotonous. The music is enjoyable to listen to, and Wario is so funny. You gotta love Wario; yeah, he's fat and ugly (and crude), but also charming in his own way. There's no obstacle he can't overcome, even if it means being set on fire to overcome it.

Final Verdict--4 Stars: Recommended

Overall, WL2 has a lot to offer. The main game is great, but there's also a lot of hidden levels and minigames to enjoy. Seeing Wario's different transformations is hilarious. The level design is great, peppered throughout with puzzles that really make you think. WL2 is available on the 3DS Virtual Console, and it's well worth your money. If you've never played a Wario game, this is a great one to start with. It's arguably the best of the Wario Land series. If you enjoy creative platformers, you can't go wrong with this one. Plus, it's Wario, dude!

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