REVIEW | Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
Introduction
So, a long time ago, we looked at the first two games in the Super Mario Land series, specifically Super Mario Land and Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. And the games were pretty good, compressing the Mario formula into the tiny monochrome screen of the Game Boy. However, what would come next would serve as a turning point for the series.
Released on Jan 21, 1994, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 sees the antagonist from the last game, Wario, take the leading role, bringing a selfish motive and new gameplay along with him. But how does this differ from the first two games? Is it deserving of the Super Mario Land in the title?
Wario's Rise: A New Hero Emerges?!
As stated before, this game focuses on everyone's (favorite?) garlic-eating, motorcycle-riding, microgame-playing antagonist Wario. After being kicked out of Mario's castle in the last game, Wario decides that he wants to get back at Mario. How? By showing him up, purchasing his own castle, far larger and more impressive than Mario's. To fund this larger-than-life dream, he travels to Kitchen Island, determined to uncover the hidden treasures, including a golden statue of Princess Peach, which the Brown Sugar Pirates had stowed there.
Here we're presented with something refreshing. There are a ton of games where you're either saving the princess or the world from zombie outbreaks and existential threats. Here? Wario wants a supersized castle to one-up his rival—the guy whose castle Wario took over. And this only works to reinforce his character and show that a protagonist does not always have to be a good person. Wario is the furthest thing from a hero. He's mean-spirited, selfish, and greedy, which works as a juxtaposition to his red-hatted counterpart. But this switch-up from Mario to Wario isn't the only massive change brought in from this new adventure.
Different Yet Familiar
Wario Land keeps very few, if any, aspects from the previous two games. While graphically it's similar, with Wario having some hilarious facial expressions, everything from the enemy lineup to the world layout has been altered.
Let's start with the world. In Super Mario Land 2, you are given the ability to move freely around the world map, allowing players to take on levels in whatever order they want. Wario Land, however, abandons this approach and returns to a linear world structure, with Kitchen Island divided into seven worlds comprising a total of forty levels. Is it disappointing to lose the freedom to play the game as you want to? Yes. Is it a detriment to the overall quality? No. The level design here retains the quality as seen in Land 2, but with some significant changes. Changes we'll get into once we break down how our rotund rival performs in this new world.
Wario isn't Mario. With that comes a 'hero' with a whole different moveset. First up is the debut of Wario's now signature shoulder bash, allowing him to charge forward, taking our enemies and uncovering coins and power-ups alike. Picking up enemies makes a return, similar to Super Mario Bros. 2. He can gain more abilities by collecting power-up Pots like a Bull Cap that lets him ground pound enemies or a Jet Hat, which allows Wario to fly horizontally for a short period of time.
All of these factors come together and pair well with the exploration-based gameplay. Instead of the purely move-left-to-right gameplay of the first two games, Wario Land introduces a more dynamic approach that encourages players to navigate through intricate levels filled with hidden treasures, secret paths, and a variety of challenges. However, the levels lack the same impact as those from the previous game. Sure, they are distinct from each other, but they were not as memorable as, say, traveling through a giant mechanical Mario or navigating a large house as a now shrunken plumber. Even the minigames at the end have gotten some changes. Here, you choose between two minigames to play. One involves picking a bucket to determine if a bag of coins or a 10-ton weight will drop on Wario, and the other gives you five chances to throw a bomb at a distant enemy. The latter is particularly frustrating, as it feels nearly impossible to win, no matter how hard one tries.
Would I Recommend?
Ultimately, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 excels in charm and creativity and succeeds at being an enjoyable albeit easy ride. The game focuses more on exploration and packs in replayability through its collectibles and secrets, making it a fun and worthwhile experience. But, would I recommend it? Eh, maybe. If you want to experience Wario's first outing as the main man, then it's a fun time. Otherwise, it's not essential. Giving Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 a rating of...
Either Or
And that it Wario Land done! This was a fun one but I want to hear from you! Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments below or on X at IntoBacklog!
