REVIEW: Wario's Woods 1994 NES
	By: Nintendo Type: Puzzle Players: 1-2 Difficulty: Hard

 
 
Wario's Woods is a brave attempt to do something completely new with the old "lineup four blobbies of the same colour to make'em go away" puzzle game genre. You see, instead of guiding the blobbies -or monsters in this case- as they fall down the screen, you control a small character, Toad, who runs around on the screen and has to pick up the fallen monsters and rearrange them so that they form lines of three or more monsters of the same color. Plus you also need a bomb of a matching color to "detonate" a row of monsters. It's a very clever and completely original twist on the genre that has truly never been used before. Just for being so very innovative, Wario's Woods deserves credit.

It does have faults, though. Graphics and presentation are a little bland, and because it's so very different, it's certainly no pick up and play kind of game. There's a complex -but very clever- control system and many nasty tricks to master before you can even attempt to play properly. Thus, the game will seem unfair, uncontrollable and not interesting enough for casual players, or those who lack the will to really get into the game.

But once you do get into it, there's plenty to enjoy. Once you're actually getting good at it and manage big combos and specials, you'll feel very satisfied and proud of yourself, precisely because it was so hard to master in the first place. You actually feel like you've accomplished something. This is also one of the very few puzzle games that really works as a one-player game, as the one-player modes are vast and get seriously nasty in later levels. It will take a lot of time and effort to see and complete absolutely everything, and there's enough incentive to keep trying, plus there's the Vs. Mode and little extras like the time attack mode that provide nice little diversions.

So all in all an extremely clever and original puzzle game, with lots to sink your teeth into. Not for everyone, perhaps, but great if you like this sort of thing. Also, Mario fans take note: this game has quite a lot of novelty appeal. I mean, picture it: Toad in the starring role, taking on Wario! In a game that's actually quite good - Toasty 81%

[Key to the reviewing system]

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