(Note: I played this on the Nintendo Switch Online service, but I did not use any of the extra emulation features like save states or rewinds. Figured I'd clarify that.)
Its kinda crazy to think about how this little game started a series that gets new releases on every console since. That's not to imply anything about this game's quality, I just think its interesting and was probably quite unexpected, especially since its the only Wario related property that's still going after the 2000s. Wario's Woods, Mario & Wario, and Wario Land all died, but thankfully WarioWare survived. I think people playing this first game in the series nowadays will find it pretty barebones in comparison to any other WarioWare game; there's no special gimmick to this one, just the microgames. Its also very short, you can probably beat it in less than an hour. It took me just a few more minutes longer than an hour to get through. That's fine, though, since I don't really think stretching out the length of a game like this would be all that beneficial. Its surprisingly pretty tough near the end, the microgames can get very fast which really tests your reaction speed and ability to quickly understand what you need to do. The concept of the WarioWare series is pretty genius in my opinion and, of course, this game started it all. It makes for such a great party game, which is probably why the GameCube game is basically this one but focused entirely on multiplayer shenanigans. In comparison, this game focuses much more on single-player content, though it does have some multiplayer modes that I unfortunately won't be able to play. My familiarity with the GameCube game also meant that I knew every microgame in this one, but that didn't really sour anything for me.
I don't think there's anything left to cover for the gameplay section, since I just summarized my thoughts on it in the intro paragraph. I'll discuss the presentation, which I thought was really good and probably a big part of the draw here. The game is split up into different survival gauntlets (plus some side modes I couldn't play) that have a different amount of microgames you need to play and each one is followed by a series of cutscenes that are quite fun to watch. There's a sort of mini story given for each, whether that be Mona running away from cops for speeding or Orbulon trying to get to a rescue ship after his own ship got hit by a rock, and the visuals associated with each is tied into the story in a cool way. 9-Volt, for instance, has a retro Nintendo theme to his gauntlet, so before each microgame you see a parody of a traditional JRPG on an original Game Boy screen with 9-Volt as the protagonist and textboxes telling you that you defeated a microgame. The characters all feel really unique and charming in their own ways, ESPECIALLY for a Mario related title; aside from the aforementioned retro Nintendo levels, there's no sign of any traditional Mario stuff anywhere, so WarioWare's world really sticks out (which I personally think is a good thing). You can really feel all the soul, for lack of a better term, put into this game's presentation.
Usually, my reviews are longer than three paragraphs, but this game really doesn't give me a whole lot to talk about. Its a good game imo, if a bit barebones and very short. It doesn't take long for the microgames to start repeating. I think it's intended to be very replayable, which I would say is something that it pulls off well. The game does include a few little sidemodes that aren't the multiplayer stuff, but they're either endless versions of one of the microgames or a much longer version of the survival gauntlets you were already playing. Still, though, its nice content to have. Overall, I'd give the first WarioWare 3.5 stars; after so many other WarioWare games, I can't help but feel like there isn't much special about this one, and it can feel a bit too simple. But, at the same time, I think it is a good game overall.
Its kinda crazy to think about how this little game started a series that gets new releases on every console since. That's not to imply anything about this game's quality, I just think its interesting and was probably quite unexpected, especially since its the only Wario related property that's still going after the 2000s. Wario's Woods, Mario & Wario, and Wario Land all died, but thankfully WarioWare survived. I think people playing this first game in the series nowadays will find it pretty barebones in comparison to any other WarioWare game; there's no special gimmick to this one, just the microgames. Its also very short, you can probably beat it in less than an hour. It took me just a few more minutes longer than an hour to get through. That's fine, though, since I don't really think stretching out the length of a game like this would be all that beneficial. Its surprisingly pretty tough near the end, the microgames can get very fast which really tests your reaction speed and ability to quickly understand what you need to do. The concept of the WarioWare series is pretty genius in my opinion and, of course, this game started it all. It makes for such a great party game, which is probably why the GameCube game is basically this one but focused entirely on multiplayer shenanigans. In comparison, this game focuses much more on single-player content, though it does have some multiplayer modes that I unfortunately won't be able to play. My familiarity with the GameCube game also meant that I knew every microgame in this one, but that didn't really sour anything for me.
I don't think there's anything left to cover for the gameplay section, since I just summarized my thoughts on it in the intro paragraph. I'll discuss the presentation, which I thought was really good and probably a big part of the draw here. The game is split up into different survival gauntlets (plus some side modes I couldn't play) that have a different amount of microgames you need to play and each one is followed by a series of cutscenes that are quite fun to watch. There's a sort of mini story given for each, whether that be Mona running away from cops for speeding or Orbulon trying to get to a rescue ship after his own ship got hit by a rock, and the visuals associated with each is tied into the story in a cool way. 9-Volt, for instance, has a retro Nintendo theme to his gauntlet, so before each microgame you see a parody of a traditional JRPG on an original Game Boy screen with 9-Volt as the protagonist and textboxes telling you that you defeated a microgame. The characters all feel really unique and charming in their own ways, ESPECIALLY for a Mario related title; aside from the aforementioned retro Nintendo levels, there's no sign of any traditional Mario stuff anywhere, so WarioWare's world really sticks out (which I personally think is a good thing). You can really feel all the soul, for lack of a better term, put into this game's presentation.
Usually, my reviews are longer than three paragraphs, but this game really doesn't give me a whole lot to talk about. Its a good game imo, if a bit barebones and very short. It doesn't take long for the microgames to start repeating. I think it's intended to be very replayable, which I would say is something that it pulls off well. The game does include a few little sidemodes that aren't the multiplayer stuff, but they're either endless versions of one of the microgames or a much longer version of the survival gauntlets you were already playing. Still, though, its nice content to have. Overall, I'd give the first WarioWare 3.5 stars; after so many other WarioWare games, I can't help but feel like there isn't much special about this one, and it can feel a bit too simple. But, at the same time, I think it is a good game overall.