WarioWare D.I.Y., the latest microgame collection from Mario's greedy doppelganger, isn't about twisting or touching or waggling or even making funny faces - it's about creating.
The chubby game maker has obviously run out new mini-game ideas and is passing the mantel to you, hoping that his faithful followers will come up with something deeply original and like nothing we've ever seen before.
Except, that's not really the case. Look over any video sharing website and you'll see armfuls of WarioWare D.I.Y. micro-games that spoof, reference, and copy classic video games. From Morrowind to Pokemon and from Team Fortress to Guitar Hero, practically every game you can think of has a custom made microgame to its name.
So, without further ado, here are some of our favourites.
Castlevania (NES - 1986)
Whip the bejesus out of bats and wizards as everyone's favourite bullwhip-cracking, castle exploring hero. No, not Indiana Jones - Simon Belmont, from
Castlevania.
Okay, second favourite.
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (PC - 2002)
Relive the joy of repeatedly bashing a poor, defenceless critter with a giant sword, over and over again. Strangely enough, this is a bizarrely accurate representation of just about every RPG ever made.
Mega Man (NES - 1987)
N64Mario's construction lets you complete the entire game of
Mega Man in eight seconds flat. You've got to cap a couple of Met enemies and make Dr Wily fall out his ship to end his world domination. Bring on the sequel.
Rock Band (Various - 2007)
Rock Band has come to just about every platform under the sun, including the PSP and iPhone. But its never been on DS until now. Play along to a classic
Super Mario tune in loboreeves815's game.
Left 4 Dead (PC - 2008)
Left 4 Dead's straight laced zombie apocalypse survivor Louis has something of an affinity for instant heath-boosting medication, shouting 'Grabbin' Pills' at first sight of a pot of pain relief. Relive the enjoyment in
WarioWare D.I.Y.
Battletoads (NES - 1991)
A nice simple one: simply hit the 'pause' button to hear
Battletoad's rocking pause menu beat. It's a tune that instantly brings back memories of fighting frogs, speeder bikes, and wanting to throttle your friend with an NES controller's cable.
Shantae (Gameboy Colour - 2002)
Created by Matt Bozon, the original designer behind cult classic
Shantae on Game Boy Colour, 'Nab' has
Shantea, in monkey mode, leap out to grab a bouncing gem.
Street Fighter 3rd Strike (Arcade - 1999)
One of most awesome looking mini-games, GXSCChater's microgame looks like its been ripped straight out of the original fighting classic. The aim of the game is to deflect the ball, much like
SF 3rd Strike's bonus round.
Dance Dance Revolution (Arcade - 1998)
xMisterEpicx has managed to create a pretty convincing version of everyone's favourite 'make-a-fool-of-yourself' arcade cabinet,
Dance Dance Revolution, complete with an embarrassing Euro-trash techno soundtrack.
Bit.Trip Runner (WiiWare - 2010)
Another big named designer getting his grubby mitts on
Wario Ware DIY, this time its Gaijin Games's Alex Neuse and a spectacular rendition of his upcoming game,
Bit.Trip Runner.
Super Mario Bros (NES - 1985)
What would a list be without Mario poking his little Italian head in? This
Super Mario Bros game sees little Mazza bashing blocks to get coins, before chomping a mushroom and turning into his super self.
The Super Mario World themed background music might be a tad anachronistic, but we'll let it slide.
Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox - 2001)
What's this? A Microsoft game ending up on a Nintendo system? Say it ain't so. This one's got a really cute chibi-Master Chief, blowing up Banshees and Grunts with rockets.
Donkey Konga (Gamecube - 2003)
So you've played D.I.Y.
Rock Band and
Dance Dance Revolution, and you still demand more rhythm game action? There's no pleasing you, is there? Well, here's
Donkey Konga, but without those cool rubber-skinned peripherals. Barely worth it now, is it?
Street Fighter IV (Arcade - 2008)
Okay, this is seriously the best looking microgame of them all. Ryu's bouncing around, in his full pixelated glory, and you've got to K.O. Akuma with a Hadouken. Hope you've remembered the combo. Here's a handy mnemonic: they call me Hadouken because I'm Down, Right, Fierce (Punch).
Team Fortress 2 (Various - 2007)
A collection of spiffy
Team Fortress 2 styled microgames that see you camping with sticky bombs to blow up the scout, protecting a sentry from sappers and rockets, and rocket jumping out of the train's way.
Yar's Revenge (Atari 2600 - 1981)
This one is painfully retro. Shigamado has pretty much got everything from
Yar's Revenge into one game, as you blast the enemy without killing Yar. I assume its accurate, the Atari classic was a little before my time.
Elite Beat Agents (DS - 2006)
Leaving out the actual agents themselves is a little lazy on Segab's behalf, but his portrayal of Nintendo's addictive stylus-stabbing dance-off is great. Calling it "HEEEALP" is a nice touch for
Elite Beat aficionados.
Paper Boy (Arcade - 1984)
Don't you miss throwing newspapers onto front porches and into that dog's face. These days games are all about genocide and space marines and death. It reminds me of
Hover Bovver, when games could be about the simple joys of delivering papers and mowing lawns.
The Konami Code (First used in Gradius - 1986)
One of those little juicy bits of video game trivia, the Konami Code has been featured and referenced in over 160 games, as well as songs, websites, and wrestling moves. This game pays homage to the trick: Up Up, Down Down, Left Right, Left Right, B, A, Start, if you forgot.
Cosmic Gate (DS - 2007)
A game within a game about a game within a game. Did we just blow your minds?
Cosmic Gate is a shooter spoof that appears in the excellent DS game
Retro Game Challenge, a giant bizarro mash-up of '80s gaming culture complete with fake consoles and spoof magazines.
