Wario Land 4

Did You Know?

• Wario Land 4 was included in the list of Game Boy Advance games available for download by the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program on December 16, 2011.
• It was rereleased on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2014 and on the Nintendo Classics service on February 14, 2025.
• The game's engine was used to create Metroid Fusion (2002).

Gameplay

The gameplay of Wario Land 4 is generally similar to that of Wario Land II and Wario Land 3, allowing for some open-endedness as well as some order of difficulty. After an Entry Passage that serves as a tutorial, there are four main passages: the Emerald Passage (themed around nature), the Ruby Passage (themed around mechanics and technology), the Topaz Passage (themed around toys, games, and other playtime ideas), and the Sapphire Passage (themed around horror and danger, prominently involving ghosts). Each passage contains four levels and culminates in a boss fight. After these four passages is the Golden Pyramid, which recaps the four themes and houses the Golden Passage level and the final boss. Each level contains four jewel pieces found in boxes that must be collected; finding all jewel pieces within a passage unlocks access to the boss. The player must also find a creature called a Keyzer, which unlocks the door to the next level. Coins dropped by enemies and floating crystals increase the player's score. Wario begins every level by jumping through a Vortex that closes behind him; it can be reopened only by finding a Switch somewhere in the level. Pressing the Switch starts a timer, forcing the player to return to the beginning quickly. If the timer reaches zero, the player's score depletes rapidly, and Wario is kicked from the stage, losing all collectables. Switches can also make certain blocks appear or disappear, often altering the path back to the Vortex. Unlike previous entries, Wario now has a health meter that depletes when he takes damage; losing all health forces the player to restart the level and lose all collectables. Every passage ends with a boss that must be defeated within a time limit. Players can optionally use medals from minigames to buy an item that deals damage to the boss before the fight begins.

Plot

Wario flips through the newspaper and spots a story about a strange pyramid hidden deep in the jungle. According to legend, the pyramid was ruled by Princess Shokora, who was placed under a curse by the greedy Golden Diva. When Wario steps inside, he spots a black cat and gives chase, only to tumble down a hole and get trapped. As he explores the pyramid, he takes on several bosses, each holding an item that once belonged to Princess Shokora. Beating them opens the way to the pyramid’s core, which turns out to be the Golden Diva’s lair. There, Wario finds the cat again, and it reveals itself as Princess Shokora. He defeats the Golden Diva and escapes with all the treasure he collected. Once they are free, Shokora returns to her true form. What she becomes depends on how many treasure chests Wario grabbed from the earlier bosses and how fast he beat each boss, including the Golden Diva. If he was too slow, some chests are held back. Her final shape might be a bratty child, a female version of Wario, a princess who looks like Peach, or a superheroine-like princess. Shokora gives Wario a kiss on the cheek and floats up into the sky while he watches. After she vanishes, Wario gathers his loot, and the ending suggests he heads off to celebrate at an all-you-can-eat steak buffet.

Reception

By August 2006, Wario Land 4 had moved 720,000 units in the United States, generating $20 million in revenue. Between January 2000 and that date, it ranked as the 33rd best-selling title for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, or PlayStation Portable in the country. Worldwide, total sales reached 2.2 million copies. Critics praised the game highly. IGN awarded it a 9 out of 10, highlighting its thoughtful level design and high replay value. GamePro noted that its graphics and water and fog transparency effects pushed the Game Boy Advance to its technical limits. GameSpot called the gameplay tight and varied, the visuals detailed and bright, and the audio unmatched. GameSpy described it as a highly entertaining, diverse, and humorous entry in the Mario and Wario series, challenging and creative without the frustration of its predecessor. Game Informer found it enjoyable for series fans, if not groundbreaking. Nintendo Power appreciated its polished variety and mix of moves, calling it fun throughout. The game was a runner-up for GameSpot's Best Game Boy Advance Game and Best Platform Game awards, losing to Advance Wars and Conker's Bad Fur Day, respectively.

Legacy

Nintendo R&D1 later built Metroid Fusion using the same engine as Wario Land 4. The game also directly inspired several indie titles. Developers confirmed that Antonball Deluxe, Pizza Tower, and Antonblast all took influence from it. Pizza Tower and Antonblast each reimagined Wario's transformations and the escape sequences at the end of levels, while Antonball Deluxe adapted the shoulder-bash move, renaming it the clutch.