I can just link my review of Wario Land 3 here and say 2 feels exactly like the previous draft of that game. Most of the mechanics from 3 were actually created here: what 3 did was change secondary systems, such as stage structure and character progression. However, those are changes that elevated the game to a new level, and while I also like 2, it's not my favorite.
There are, if my notes don't fail me, exactly six exceptions, other than which every stage in WL2 is linear and has exactly one exit and one treasure to be found. A lot of extra rooms exist, which does give some room for exploration and puzzles, but the only thing in them is coins, and considering only one route is relevant to complete the stage, they can be skipped.
Coins are however, necessary to obtain treasures and map pieces, which are required for completion and are locked behind rather costly minigames. This turns the game into a bit of a grind, with coins feeling like they're there more to pad the playtime than anything.
Wario Land 2's greatest flaw, however, is in the secret exits to stages. In six out of the fifty stages there are secret exits, and while the game tells you in which stages they are, they're downright impossible to find without a guide. Butt-stomp this ordinary-looking tile, throw an enemy against that ordinary looking wall, and so on.
It's all stuff you wouldn't try unless you knew about it, and this is a problem because half of the total stages in the game are locked behind those exits. If you can't find them, you'll miss out on a large portion of the game.
Speaking of butt-stomping and throwing, though, another issue I have with this entry is how character progression is handled, or rather, how it isn't. In Wario Land 2, Wario starts out with all of his abilities unlocked, and the only way you'd know about them is by opening the tutorial screen and memorizing each one, making for a far steeper learning curve than the sequel.
In the end, though, while Wario Land 2 has its problems, I still consider it part of the top cut of Game Boy Games. If you only really have the time to play one game, skip it in favor of the sequel, but 2 is when the foundations of 3 were created, so it's a solid game, as well.
There are, if my notes don't fail me, exactly six exceptions, other than which every stage in WL2 is linear and has exactly one exit and one treasure to be found. A lot of extra rooms exist, which does give some room for exploration and puzzles, but the only thing in them is coins, and considering only one route is relevant to complete the stage, they can be skipped.
Coins are however, necessary to obtain treasures and map pieces, which are required for completion and are locked behind rather costly minigames. This turns the game into a bit of a grind, with coins feeling like they're there more to pad the playtime than anything.
Wario Land 2's greatest flaw, however, is in the secret exits to stages. In six out of the fifty stages there are secret exits, and while the game tells you in which stages they are, they're downright impossible to find without a guide. Butt-stomp this ordinary-looking tile, throw an enemy against that ordinary looking wall, and so on.
It's all stuff you wouldn't try unless you knew about it, and this is a problem because half of the total stages in the game are locked behind those exits. If you can't find them, you'll miss out on a large portion of the game.
Speaking of butt-stomping and throwing, though, another issue I have with this entry is how character progression is handled, or rather, how it isn't. In Wario Land 2, Wario starts out with all of his abilities unlocked, and the only way you'd know about them is by opening the tutorial screen and memorizing each one, making for a far steeper learning curve than the sequel.
In the end, though, while Wario Land 2 has its problems, I still consider it part of the top cut of Game Boy Games. If you only really have the time to play one game, skip it in favor of the sequel, but 2 is when the foundations of 3 were created, so it's a solid game, as well.
Reviewed on Jul 10, 2022