Wario’s Woods (1994)

by Nish
written by Nish 6 minutes read

Summary

Wario’s Woods (1994)

Wario’s Woods is a puzzle game developed by Nintendo and released for the NES in 1994. It is a spin-off of the Mario series, and stars Wario as the main protagonist. The game is similar to Tetris and Columns, but with a twist: instead of directly controlling the monsters and bombs that are falling down, the player controls Toad who has to carry around stacks of monsters and bombs and to combine them in the right way.

Gameplay

The goal of Wario’s Woods is to clear all of the monsters from the playfield. To do this, the player must combine at least two monsters of the same color with a bomb. When this is done, the monsters and the bomb will disappear. If five or more objects are cleared at the same time, a diamond will appear. Destroying the diamond will clear all monsters of the diamond’s color.

The player controls Toad, who can move left and right along the bottom of the playfield. Toad can also jump up to catch falling monsters and bombs. The player must use Toad to carefully stack the monsters and bombs in order to create matches.

The game becomes more difficult as the levels progress. The monsters and bombs fall faster, and the playfield becomes more crowded. The player must also contend with Wario, who occasionally appears at the top of the screen and throws bombs down at Toad.

Items

There are a variety of items that can help the player clear the monsters from the playfield. These items include:

  • Bombs: Bombs can be used to destroy monsters of any color.
  • Diamonds: Diamonds can be used to clear all monsters of a single color.
  • Hearts: Hearts can be used to restore Toad’s health.
  • Stars: Stars can be used to make Toad invincible for a short period of time.
  • Mushrooms: Mushrooms can be used to make Toad grow larger, which allows him to carry more monsters and bombs.

Modes

Wario’s Woods has three different modes:

  • Puzzle Mode: In Puzzle Mode, the player must clear a series of increasingly difficult puzzles.
  • Vs. Mode: In Vs. Mode, two players can compete against each other to see who can clear the most monsters.
  • Time Attack Mode: In Time Attack Mode, the player must clear as many monsters as possible within a time limit.

Reception

Wario’s Woods was a critical and commercial success. It was praised for its innovative gameplay, charming graphics, and catchy music. The game was also a hit with Nintendo fans, who were excited to see Wario in a starring role.

Wario’s Woods has been ported to a number of different platforms, including the Game Boy, Super Nintendo, and Virtual Console. The game remains popular today, and is considered to be one of the best puzzle games ever made.

Legacy

Wario’s Woods has had a significant impact on the puzzle game genre. The game’s innovative gameplay mechanics have been copied by a number of other games, including Puyo Puyo and Tetris Attack. Wario’s Woods has also helped to popularize the character of Wario, who has since gone on to star in a number of other games.

Wario’s Woods is a classic puzzle game that is still enjoyed by gamers today. The game’s innovative gameplay, charming graphics, and catchy music make it a must-play for fans of the genre.

Review Score

8/10

Art

Cover Art

Screenshots

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Nish is a software engineer by day and avid gamer who loves to play video games after he puts his two boys to bed. His insights delve into the mechanics, and storytelling of the games he plays with the aim to share his passion with the audience. He loves to travel back to his native India and travel the country on his restored Royal Enfield Bullet 350, a relic from a simpler time, like some of the games he plays.

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