Wario's Woods
Toad clears monsters with bombs in the Peaceful Woods.
Wario's Woods is a 1994 puzzle video game developed by Nintendo R&D1 and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the NES and Super NES. A spin-off of the Mario series, it features Toad defeating Wario in the Peaceful Woods. The NES version is notable as the last officially-licensed game and final first-party title for the system in North America, and the only NES game to receive an ESRB rating.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Nintendo R&D1 (NES), Intelligent Systems (Super NES, Satellaview)
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Director
- Kenji Miki
- Series
- Wario
- Designer
- Soichiro Tomita
- Masahiro Iimura
- Naotaka Ohnishi
- Composer
- Shinobu Amayake; Soyo Oka
- Released
- February 19, 1994 (JP)
- December 10, 1994 (NA)
- 1995 (EU)
- Genre
- Puzzle
Facts from the source article.
Plot and gameplay
The Peaceful Woods, once home to sprites and gentle creatures, is invaded by Wario and his monsters, turning the community upside-down. Toad arrives to stop Wario and return the Woods to the sprites. The objective is to clear the playing field of colored monsters by using bombs of matching color, dropped from above by a sprite. Players rearrange monsters and bombs so that three or more objects of the same color are adjacent horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, with at least one bomb in the match. A match cannot consist of three monsters of the same type. A Thwomp may descend, disguised as the ceiling, reducing space. Clearing all monsters advances the player to the next round, with more monsters initially. Some monster types require specific destruction methods, such as two quick matches or diagonal placement. Unlike games like Tetris, the player directly controls Toad, who moves atop fallen objects. Toad can pick up individual objects or entire stacks, kick objects across the field, and climb stacks. If the field fills, Toad is trapped and the game ends. The multiplayer mode, VS or VS 2P, allows two players to compete, where consecutive matches send enemy stacks to the opponent's field.
Re-releases
Two modified Super NES versions were released in Japan for the Satellaview. The first, Wario's Woods: Bakushou Version, copyrighted in 1994, featured personalities from the Japanese radio comedy show Bakushō Mondai. The second, Wario's Woods: Again, was broadcast from April 23, 1995, to June 30, 2000, and rebroadcast at least seven times, including as a special event version. The NES version appears as a collectible in the 2001 game Animal Crossing for the GameCube, obtained via the GameCube–Game Boy Advance link cable. It was among the first Wii Virtual Console titles, launching with the service in North America, Australia, and Europe, and on December 12, 2006, in Japan, costing 500 Nintendo Points. It later released on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShops in various regions from 2013 to 2014, and joined the Nintendo Classics service on December 13, 2018.
Reception
Wario's Woods received mixed reviews. GamePro called the Super NES version a ho-hum puzzler, noting interesting mechanics but deeming it a standard Tetris clone with difficult controls. Nintendo Power praised the fun two-player mode and challenge, but found it less easy to control than Tetris 2; it gave slightly higher Super NES scores in Play Control, Challenge, and Theme and Fun. Next Generation argued the gameplay mechanics were too complicated for an action puzzle game, with a steep learning curve. Allgame rated the NES version 4 out of 5 stars and the Super NES version 3.5 out of 5. Christian Huey, reviewing the NES version, called the controls both surprisingly complex and completely intuitive, with surprising depth, and welcomed the versus mode. Scott Alan Marriott, reviewing the Super NES version, felt it did not match the addictiveness of Tetris or Dr. Mario, citing awkward controls and complicated gameplay, though he appreciated the developers trying something new.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Wario's Woods released?
Wario's Woods was released on February 19, 1994 in Japan, on December 10, 1994 in North America and in 1995 in Europe.
Who directed Wario's Woods?
Wario's Woods was directed by Kenji Miki.
Who designed Wario's Woods?
Wario's Woods was designed by Soichiro Tomita, Masahiro Iimura and Naotaka Ohnishi.
Who composed the music for Wario's Woods?
The music for Wario's Woods was composed by Shinobu Amayake and Soyo Oka.
More in Nintendo Entertainment System Game Library
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced