Wario Land 4 is a really freakin' funky (in a good way) game. Everything about the style of it, the actually insane music, just gives that off.
It's an amazing experience of a game, and a great pick if you're looking for an out-of-the-box platformer for the GBA. I did have my problems with it, but I still highly recommend it.
The music, I think is one of the best soundtracks I've heard for a GBA game. Some of the tracks (Palm Tree Paradise, the credits track) even have VOCALS. I'm sure this isn't as impressive as I make it out to be, but the fact that you can actually tell what the person is singing is quite impressive. The music really fits the mood of the stages, from relaxing in nature (Wildflower Fields, Monsoon Jungle), to haunted and spooky, with a touch of funky (Crescent Moon Village, Hotel Horror), and then my favorite, the hyperactive "Hurry Up!" music that starts when the timer goes off.
I also want to mention the level design. Here, I don't just mean the way the levels are layed out, like enemy placement, but just literally how the levels are designed, artistically speaking. Every level is really just a visual treat, and the visuals actually lend to the identity and function of the levels. Mystic Lake is going to be kind of weird and mystical, with you traversing these underground water-tunnels, and dodging these weird eels. To fit the theme is also has really strange and mystical music. It makes it extremely interesting to traverse these stages, because each one is really fun just to soak in, and the people making this must have been masters at setting the stage. The music, aesthetic design, and functional design of each level worked in almost perfect tandem.
The enemies are really goofy in their design. They aren't as straightforward and too-the-point in their design like in Super Mario Bros. (even though the enemies in those games are surreal as well). You have fish wearing scuba goggles, these weird pink guys with an axe in Hotel Horror, and altogether just a bunch of really colorful enemies, most of which (as far as I can tell) are not recycled from previous games.
I nominate it for the most colorful Wario Land game (with Shake It coming in second). I still think 2 is my favorite, but this one just has so much personality. It might be unfair the call it the most colorful, because two of the entries were on the OG Gameboy, and the Virtual Boy, where there wasn't much color literally. However, I think that it's a really just bold game, the boldest out of the already experimental Wario Land games, which is what I mean by colorful. You have a timer that happens when you leave each level, Wario has a health bar, along with countless other experimentations. I can't quite phrase it, Wario Land 3 was bold for being a metroidvania rather than a normal sidescrolling platformer, Wario Land 2 for having a unique aesthetic style, Wario Land VB for being on well... the Virtual Boy, and lastly, Wario Land 1 for making a game about freaking Wario of all things, but 4 is really where the series found it's identity. The limitations (although they made the previous games charming) were really just overcome here, and Wario really realizes his full potential.
I still have some problems with the level design. I take the blame for it, but many times I had to retraverse levels in order to get an item I needed. This is game where collection isn't optional, but necesarry. It works, don't get me wrong, with the timer system. Both that you had to collect all the gem pieces and the key, and get out in time, was actually a really fun gameplay mechanic. The part that wasn't fun was either losing all progress when you ran out of time, or forgetting something and not being able to backtrack because the area was now blocked off.
Some of these complaints are actually what made the game interesting, however. It was really cool to see the pathways that were blocked off before became exit routes when you hit the timer switch. So I really do like the gameplay elements at work here, it's just kind of a personal thing ;(.
As a last complaint (talk about ending on a positive note) the movement feels kind of clunky. It's part and parcel of the Wario Land series, and Wario's character, however. You are definitely not controlling a lanky, speedy Mario. You are controlling a portly, muscly Wario. It wouldn't make sense for him to move any other way, but it does make some of the boss fights somewhat annoying. It's easily forgiveable though.
TLDR: Wario Land 4 is perfect for those looking for an out of the box platformer on the GBA. With plenty of identity, jamming tunes, and a fun and clever but once in a while frustrating gameplay system, this game is highly recommended. You might feel a bit like Wario after playing it, greedy for more.
It's an amazing experience of a game, and a great pick if you're looking for an out-of-the-box platformer for the GBA. I did have my problems with it, but I still highly recommend it.
The music, I think is one of the best soundtracks I've heard for a GBA game. Some of the tracks (Palm Tree Paradise, the credits track) even have VOCALS. I'm sure this isn't as impressive as I make it out to be, but the fact that you can actually tell what the person is singing is quite impressive. The music really fits the mood of the stages, from relaxing in nature (Wildflower Fields, Monsoon Jungle), to haunted and spooky, with a touch of funky (Crescent Moon Village, Hotel Horror), and then my favorite, the hyperactive "Hurry Up!" music that starts when the timer goes off.
I also want to mention the level design. Here, I don't just mean the way the levels are layed out, like enemy placement, but just literally how the levels are designed, artistically speaking. Every level is really just a visual treat, and the visuals actually lend to the identity and function of the levels. Mystic Lake is going to be kind of weird and mystical, with you traversing these underground water-tunnels, and dodging these weird eels. To fit the theme is also has really strange and mystical music. It makes it extremely interesting to traverse these stages, because each one is really fun just to soak in, and the people making this must have been masters at setting the stage. The music, aesthetic design, and functional design of each level worked in almost perfect tandem.
The enemies are really goofy in their design. They aren't as straightforward and too-the-point in their design like in Super Mario Bros. (even though the enemies in those games are surreal as well). You have fish wearing scuba goggles, these weird pink guys with an axe in Hotel Horror, and altogether just a bunch of really colorful enemies, most of which (as far as I can tell) are not recycled from previous games.
I nominate it for the most colorful Wario Land game (with Shake It coming in second). I still think 2 is my favorite, but this one just has so much personality. It might be unfair the call it the most colorful, because two of the entries were on the OG Gameboy, and the Virtual Boy, where there wasn't much color literally. However, I think that it's a really just bold game, the boldest out of the already experimental Wario Land games, which is what I mean by colorful. You have a timer that happens when you leave each level, Wario has a health bar, along with countless other experimentations. I can't quite phrase it, Wario Land 3 was bold for being a metroidvania rather than a normal sidescrolling platformer, Wario Land 2 for having a unique aesthetic style, Wario Land VB for being on well... the Virtual Boy, and lastly, Wario Land 1 for making a game about freaking Wario of all things, but 4 is really where the series found it's identity. The limitations (although they made the previous games charming) were really just overcome here, and Wario really realizes his full potential.
I still have some problems with the level design. I take the blame for it, but many times I had to retraverse levels in order to get an item I needed. This is game where collection isn't optional, but necesarry. It works, don't get me wrong, with the timer system. Both that you had to collect all the gem pieces and the key, and get out in time, was actually a really fun gameplay mechanic. The part that wasn't fun was either losing all progress when you ran out of time, or forgetting something and not being able to backtrack because the area was now blocked off.
Some of these complaints are actually what made the game interesting, however. It was really cool to see the pathways that were blocked off before became exit routes when you hit the timer switch. So I really do like the gameplay elements at work here, it's just kind of a personal thing ;(.
As a last complaint (talk about ending on a positive note) the movement feels kind of clunky. It's part and parcel of the Wario Land series, and Wario's character, however. You are definitely not controlling a lanky, speedy Mario. You are controlling a portly, muscly Wario. It wouldn't make sense for him to move any other way, but it does make some of the boss fights somewhat annoying. It's easily forgiveable though.
TLDR: Wario Land 4 is perfect for those looking for an out of the box platformer on the GBA. With plenty of identity, jamming tunes, and a fun and clever but once in a while frustrating gameplay system, this game is highly recommended. You might feel a bit like Wario after playing it, greedy for more.