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Wario Land 4
250px-Wl1
Developer(s) Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Platform(s) Game Boy Advance
Release date Game Boy Advance [1]

August 21, 2001 [1] November 9, 2001 [2] November 16, 2001 [3] November 19, 2001 [4] June 2004 (For iQue Player)

Virtual Console (3DS) [2]

December 15, 2011


[5] December 16, 2011 [6] December 16, 2011 [7] December 16, 2011

Genre 2D Platformer
Rating(s)
ESRB: [8] - Everyone

(comic mischief)

Mode(s) Single player
Media Game Boy Advance cartridge
Input Game Boy Advance:

[9]Control padNintendo 3DS:[10] Control pad

Wario Land 4, known in Japan as Wario Land Advance: Yōki no Otakara (ワリオランドアドバンス ヨーキのお宝, meaning "Wario Land Advance: The Treasure of the Golden Diva")[3], is a platform game released for the Game Boy Advance in 2001. It was later re-released for the Nintendo 3DS system on December 16, 2011 via the Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors program. It is the fifth game in the Wario Land series, which is a spin-off of the Super Mario Land series. In the game, Wario travels to the Golden Pyramid after reading a newspaper article about a rumor of a Legendary Treasure hidden inside. His intention is to rob the Pyramid, but he accidentally goes on a quest to save the legendary Princess Shokora from the money-crazed Golden Diva, evil ruler of the Golden Pyramid. It features 2-D graphics with linear transformations (similar to Super Mario World and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island). The game received very positive reviews from websites and game critics alike. The "portable masterpiece" received praise and excellent review scores on it's soundtrack, collectibles throughout the game, and its general thrill of satisfaction.

Contents[]

[hide] *1 Story

Story[]

[11]The Newspaper shown in the game's intro.The story begins in the ancient Golden Pyramid. The legendary Princess Shokora and her loyal subjects rule the Pyramid. After her thousand year reign, the evil, power-hungry, money-crazed Golden Diva was jealous of Shokora's power and beauty. So she defeated her in a magical duel and ascended to the throne. With her ancient powers, she transformed Princess Shokora into a being that lacked great beauty or power-an ordinary Black Cat-and banished her from the Pyramid forever. With nowhere to go, the Black Cat walked until she came across a city inhabited by modern humans. There, she lived on the streets with a group of stray animals and soon forgot about her exile. Many months later, the Pyramid was discovered by a group of archaeologists, but many strange occurrences, and even the disappearance of a group member, caused all future investigations of the Pyramid to be cancelled, and a Newspaper Article was published.

On a dark and quiet night when everybody else is asleep, Wario starts the engine of his Wario Car, and speeds through the city. The Black Cat is crossing the road but Wario makes no attempt to slow down, and he gains speed. Frightened, she covers her eyes with her paws, and the Car's wheels narrowly miss the her. A newspaper flies into the Cat's face. It reads; "Pyramid discovered deep in jungle. Legendary Treasure nearly found, but accidents hindered findings." The Princess in her feline form remembers the once beautiful Pyramid that she once ruled now in the hands of evil, and decides to try to steal it back. [12]Wario falling down a precipice in the Pyramid.Meanwhile, Wario speeds out of the city and enters the desert. With his mind on the ancient treasure, he speeds full throttle toward the Legendary Pyramid mentioned in the newspaper article. After some time, he reaches the jungle, and Wario is forced to abandon his vehicle once it gets too thick. After much trekking through the jungle, he finally reaches the Pyramid. Unable to contain his excitement, he climbs it and without hesitation and finds an entrance. Inside the pyramid, he descends a set of stairs and comes across the Black Cat, which runs into the next room after catching sight of Wario. Curious, Wario follows. He and the Cat come across a precipice in the ground. The Cat jumps in and Wario, worried that he will be beaten to the treasure, jumps in after her. [13]The outer side of the Golden Pyramid.He lands in a strange room somewhere near the center of The Pyramid. Here, Wario must clear the Pyramid's five Passages. A boss challenges Wario to a battle at the end of each passage. When Wario clears all five passages, the Inner Pyramid is revealed. Inside lurks the Golden Diva, final Boss and ruler of the Pyramid.

At the beginning of the battle, The Black Cat attacks the Golden Diva by scratching her face. The Golden Diva is unaffected, and she casually swallows the Cat. Wario then battles the Golden Diva. When defeated, the Cat is set free, the treasure is recovered, and Wario flexes his muscles in a not-at-all-modest way. At that moment, the Pyramid begins to shake and crumble. Scared, Wario gathers as much treasure as he can and escapes the Pyramid with the Black Cat leading the way out.

On the edge of the forest, Wario and the Black Cat watch the Pyramid crumble to the ground. They both laugh. The Golden Diva's Jewelry flies out of the treasure sack, and The Black Cat absorbs them. Suddenly, she undergoes a transformation and turns into the legendary Princess Shokora, true ruler of the Pyramid. She was defeated and transformed into a cat by the Golden Diva. The Princess gives Wario a kiss and says, "Thank you, Wario." Wario cannot believe his eyes, and he doesn't say a word as she is surrounded by four angels and flies up to heaven. Wario sits there for a while still making sense of it all. He dismisses it, grabs the remaining treasure and gets back into his Wario Car. With the treasure in the boot, he drives through the desert, back the way he came, and the staff credits roll.

A few days later... the ending cut scene shows Wario speeding through the city once again. Like the beginning, Wario narrowly misses another cat, a White Cat this time. After Wario drives off, a newspaper flies into the White Cat's face. It reads; "STEAKS! EAT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!" The game ends with gold bars forming the words THE END.

Gameplay[]

The game begins in the Entry Passage which includes one level and a boss, Spoiled Rotten. When completed, the next part of the game consists of four more Passages, each with a different theme and boss. They are the Emerald Passage, Ruby Passage, Topaz Passage and Sapphire Passage. These four passages can be completed in any order. Each has four levels and a boss. When each boss of the five passages have been cleared, an inner pyramid (The Golden Pyramid), is revealed on the main map. This includes one last level, (the Golden Passage) and the final boss; the Golden Diva. [14]Four Pyramid Jewels need to be collected in each main Passage.Unlike previous installments in the series, Wario is given a health meter, which contains a total of eight hearts. Wario can gain a heart by collecting health that are scattered randomly throughout a level. Wario can lose a heart by touching a threatening part of an enemy (eg. horns, teeth), or by touching spikes. He can also fully replenish health by opening a Heart Box.

Each of the eighteen levels has four Jewel Pieces that need to be collected. When four Jewel Pieces are joined, they make a Pyramid Jewel. The color of the Jewels varies on the Passage they are collected in. The player must collect all Jewel Pieces in a Passage to gain access to the boss.

A Keyzer (or Key Bird) must be collected to unlock the next level. Without the Keyzer, the four Jewel Pieces in that level can still be collected, but the next level will remain locked. [15]Wario about to exit a level through a Vortex.When Wario enters a level, he enters through a vortex, which closes behind him. The only way to open it again is to find the Frog Switch that is somewhere in the level to open it once again to return to the map screen. A time limit is given to return to the vortex. The player should focus on finding the four Jewel Pieces and the Keyzer before hitting the Frog Switch. However, there are some areas that can only be accessed by hitting the switch. This is done by the Frog Switch Blocks. The Frog Switch Block can be seen solid or transparent. When the Frog Switch is hit, all transparent Blocks will become solid, while all the solid Blocks will become transparent. This opens up new areas that can only be accessed when the Frog Switch is hit, so there may be some other Jewel Pieces or maybe even the Keyzer to find in that new area, but the player is limited by time, and once you are out of time, the player's score will start to decrease. Once the score reaches zero, Wario is sent back to the passage, and must start the level again. Each level has a different set amount of time to get back to the Frog Switch. In some levels like Golden Passage, the Frog Switch is placed at the beginning of the level directly under the vortex, so Wario lands on it when entering a level. This makes the level more difficult because he must recover all four Jewel Pieces and the Keyzer within a smaller time limit. [16]A Puzzle Room in Palm Tree Paradise.There are two Puzzle Rooms in each level (excluding the Entry Passage and Golden Passage). Each one is found in a Purple Pipe, and will contain either a Giant Diamond worth 1000pts., or a bunch of coins that are worth 1000 points when combined. Wario must solve some kind of puzzle to get to these points, usually using Dr. Arewo Stein as an object to throw. Completing these rooms is optional, and is not needed to complete the game, but rather if the player wants a few extra points. Likewise, the player will never see a Jewel Piece or a Keyzer is a Puzzle Room, but a Heart Box can be seen from time to time.

There is also an optional bonus challenge to complete. In every level except for the Entry Passage and the Golden Pyramid, there is a hidden CD that can be collected and played in the Sound Room, each containing a different sound. There is a total of 16 CDs to collect. A Karaoke can also be unlocked, a full song with Japenese vocals. It can be unlocked by getting 10,000 or more points in each of the eighteen levels.

There are a total of twelve Treasure Chests in Wario Land 4. Three of them found in each of the four main boss rooms, embedded into the wall in the background. They cannot be touched by Wario. During the boss battle, when time starts to run low (usually under a minute) the Treasure Chests in the background will begin to disappear, one by one. Once Wario defeats the boss, the Treasure Chests that are left over are collected and stored in the Golden Pyramid for the final boss against the Golden Diva. The amount of Treasure Chests collected do not affect the main game, but the ending. The more Treasure Chests Wario has on the game's completion, the more beautiful Princess Shokora will appear in the game's ending cut-scene.

==Minigame Shop==

Before the boss, there is a Minigame Shop where Wario can play one of three minigames. If Wario gets a certain amount of points in each of the mini-games, then he can earn Frog Medals, which he can then spend at the Item Shop for items to assist him to defeat the boss of that passage. Each minigame costs 5000 points to play (excluding the Entry Passage, which is discounted to 2000.) Points are earned during normal gameplay.

The three minigames include:

The Item Shop entrance.==Item Shop== The Item Shop in Wario Land 4 is a place where Wario can spend his Frog Medals in exchange for items to assist him in defeating the boss by doing pre-damage at the battle's start. The shopkeeper is Princess Game & Watch, a transformation of the Black Cat. This character is very similar to the later-occuring Mr. Game & Watch. However, a major difference between the two characters is Princess Game & Watch has eyes in Wario land 4. It is of common belief that this cameo's design was taken from Super Smash Bros. Melee (released a few months after Wario Land 4), where Mr. Game & Watch makes his first official appearance.

The more effective the item has on damaging a boss, the more Frog Medals it is likely to cost. The price of the items also varies on the game mode , e.g. an item in hard mode would be more expensive than the same item in normal mode. The Smile is the only thing in the Item Shop that is free. It is a joke item, because selecting it will just play a sound effect. All items and prices are as follows:

Item Price in Frog Medals
Normal Hard S-Hard
Apple Bomb 2 3 4
Blast Cannon 2 3 4
Vizorman 4 6 8
Bugle 6 9 12
Black Dog 10 15 20
Large Lips 10 15 20
Big Fist 10 15 20
Black Dragon 10 15 20
Smile N/A N/A N/A

Each item deals a fixed amount of damage to each boss. All damage totals are shown below. The last four items are not available for use against the first boss, Spoiled Rotten.

Item Boss / Damage taken by Item
Spoiled Rotten Cractus Cuckoo Condor Aerodent Catbat Golden Diva
Apple Bomb 2 2 2 1 2 1
Blast Cannon 3 3 2 2 1 1
Vizorman 6 4 3 3 3 2
Bugle 8 5 4 4 4 3
Black Dog N/A 7 9 8 10 8
Large Lips N/A 9 8 14 7 5
Big Fist N/A 8 12 7 9 6
Black Dragon N/A 10 7 9 8 7

Sound Room[]

The Sound Room is a place where the player can listen to collected CDs obtained in levels. Each of the sixteen CDs have a unique track recorded on it. A bonus Karaoke can be unlocked by getting 10,000 or more points in each of the eighteen levels.

Image Name Sound Description
[17] About That Shepherd The wind is blowing and several dogs are barking. The baas of sheep are are also heard. As the CD plays for longer, the barking gets faster and faster, and then begins to slow down. The CD ends with the dogs whimpering.
[18] Things That Never Change Raindrops and frog croaks can be heard at the beginning. Crickets, birds and owls come in later. The "Things That Never Change" tells the story of how many things on our planet change, but the beauty of nature stays the same.
[19] Tomorrow's Blood Pressure Several mechanical sounds introduce this CD. Wheels are turning, and electricity is flowing. It is a very stress-filled CD. A lot of the sound effects heard are from the level The Curious Factory.
[20] Beyond the Headrush Loud, confusing sound effects gives the listener the impression that a lot is happening at once, very quickly. Mysterious, Castle-like themes follow. The wind can be heard in the background.
[21] Driftwood & the Island Dog A beach feel introduces this CD. Waves are crashing as seagulls caw and a dog barks. An instrument can be heard playing very short notes in a loop, repeating until the end of the track.
[22] The Judge's Feet A glass ball is bouncing on a hard surface, making a ping sound every time it hits the ground. The gap between bounces becomes smaller. More and more balls start bouncing, hitting the ground at different times. They each make a different pitched sound. Drums come into play later on.
[23] The Moon's Lamppost A distorted version of the Karaoke consists of this whole CD. The female vocals can be heard, as with the normal Karaoke, but the voice is stop-started on rapid intervals, and even played backwards in places.
[24] Soft Shell This CD is a remix of the Puzzle Room theme. Extra sound effects fill the gaps in the theme, like animal sounds from The Wario Hop, a creature that sounds like Pikachu, and a train.
[25] So Sleepy A person is snoring loudly. Doors creak open and shut with a slam, but he sleeps through it. A clock strikes, and he stirs, but quickly drifts off again. Springs bounce, cats meow and frogs croak. A cuckoo clock sings and the clock chimes again, but he does not stir a second time.
[26] The Short Futon Two people are whispering to each other in a long corridor, with many doors on either side. They start opening doors. They peek into the many rooms, finding a rainforest, a snoring man, the female voice from Karaoke, a music box and Pikachu. Eventually, they come to the end of the corridor, where they find a room of royalty.
[27] Avocado Song Drums begin to play a funky tune, with spoons tapping in an upbeat rhythm. Everything goes silent. An alarm rings, which cues the music back. The tune is very cheerful all the way to the end, where the music fades out.
[28] Mr. Fly A fly is buzzing around a room, stopping to land every few seconds. Someone tries to squash it, but they miss and the fly buzzes away. They keep trying to squash it again and again, but always missing. With all the noise going on, a dog begins to bark. It's victory for Mr. Fly as he survived.
[29] Yesterday's Words A clock is ticking, getting louder and louder. Suddenly, many noises come in at once, like doors opening and closing, a cuckoo clock and the sounds of a Frog Switch getting hit. Soon, the only sound left heard is the clock. That soon fades out and a catchy tune similar to the Mystic Lake theme plays to the end.
[30] The Errand A person is walking, with the noises of a highway is heard in the background. The highway fades, and the sounds of waves are heard crashing and seagulls are cawing. He then comes across a forest. Crickets chirp and birds. He reaches his destination, and he sighs with relief. He goes inside and takes a well deserved nap.
[31] You and Your Shoes A girl is tap-dancing. Her steps start off simple, and then start to get more and more complicated. She clicks her fingers, and suddenly, many instruments play a loud and upbeat tune in time to her steps. She bows when the show is over.
[32] Mr. Ether & Planaria Begins with a mysterious tune full of suspense played by Mr. Ether. Drums tap in a sharp beat. Twenty seconds into the track, Planaria starts whistling over Mr. Ether in a high-pitched, catchy tune. The whistle fades out towards the end as machines start beeping. A few more loud notes end the CD.
[33] Karaoke (Medamayaki) The Karaoke is different from all other CDs. It is not found in any level. The player must unlock it by obtaining 10,000 or more points in each of the eighteen levels. The song is an extended version of the Palm Tree Paradise theme. A female sings the song in Japenese. The song title, Medamayaki, means "Sunny Side Up" [4] in English.

Game Modes[]

Upon creating a file, the game will ask what game mode the player prefers to play as. The game modes are as follows:

  • Normal
  • Hard
  • S-Hard (unlockable, by completing Hard mode)

The game mode affects the location of the Jewel Pieces, the amount of enemies in the levels, the health the player begins with upon entering the level, and the time given to get back to the Vortex after the player hits the Frog Switch (see table in section below). In a few levels on some difficulties, the Frog Switch even changes its location. Purchasing items will cost more Frog Medals. The difficulty of Minigames are generally unchanged across difficulty levels. However, on S-Hard, the baseball minigame has pitches thrown by a cheerleader who throws more hard pitches and has a different style from the normal pitcher. [34]The Frog Switch.==List of Frog Switch times== This table is a list of Frog Switch times given to complete levels in different game modes. It also includes the times to defeat the in-game bosses.

Level Frog Switch times given in different game modes to complete the levels
Normal Hard S-Hard
Entry Passage
Hall of Hieroglyphs 1:00 0:15 2:30*
Spoiled Rotten (boss) 1:00 0:30 0:15
Emerald Passage
Palm Tree Paradise 1:30 0:45 4:30*
Wildflower Fields 2:30 1:20 0:50
Mystic Lake 3:00 2:00 1:30
Monsoon Jungle 4:00 2:45 2:00
Cractus (boss) 4:00 3:00 2:00
Ruby Passage
The Curious Factory 3:30 2:50 2:30
The Toxic Landfill 5:00 3:30 2:30
40 Below Fridge 4:00 3:30 2:00
Pinball Zone 6:00 5:15 3:30
Cuckoo Condor (boss) 4:00 3:00 2:00
Topaz Passage
Toy Block Tower 4:00 2:30 2:00
The Big Board 3:00 2:30 2:00
Doodle Woods 6:00 5:15 4:00
Domino Row 4:00 3:00 2:00
Aerodent (boss) 4:00 3:00 2:00
Sapphire Passage
Crescent Moon Village 3:30 2:45 2:00
Arabian Night 4:00 3:00 1:30
Fiery Cavern 5:00 4:00 2:45
Hotel Horror 4:00 3:15 2:00
Catbat (boss) 4:00 3:00 2:00
Golden Pyramid
Golden Passage 9:30 6:00 3:30
Golden Diva (boss) 6:00 5:00 4:00

Wario's Transformations[]

One of the best features of Wario Land 4 is the many transformations that Wario can use. He has a total of ten different transformations in the game, which all have some kind of purpose to help Wario get through the level, such as turning into a Bat to reach a high place, or catching fire to break certain blocks. All of the transformations have been re-used from previous games in the series, but the developers made more use of them in Wario Land 4. In all forms, Wario is invincible. But touching an enemy will not destroy it; merely knocking it aside.

The following is a table showing each form and explains its effect in detail.

Image Name Description
[35] Wario Wario in his standard form. In this state, he can perform a ground-pound, ram enemies or blocks, crawl to get through tight spaces and throw small objects such as enemies or rocks.
[36] Puffy Wario Wario after getting stung by a Beezley, or getting hit by the arrow of a Bow Balloon. His cheeks puff up, and he is able to float continually upwards. The effect ceases once Wario hits a ceiling.
[37] Flaming Wario Wario catches fire from a Torcher. He will run without stopping while the fire spreads, however, the player can still make Wario jump by pressing . He will run in the opposite direction when he hits a wall, and any Bonfire Blocks he touches will turn into ash. Falling into water will return Wario to his normal form.
[38] Flat Wario When Wario gets crushed by a Compressor, he will transform into Flat Wario. His body will become flat and as light as a feather. If he leaves the ground, he will fall back to earth slowly, swaying side to side, like a feather. He can get into small spaces. Wario can transform back into normal form by entering a Decompressor.
[39] Fat Wario Wario, fatter than usual. It can be achieved by eating the apples that is thrown by an Apple Monkey. Wario is invulnerable to enemy attacks, and just by touching an enemy will defeat it. However, Wario's weight has doubled, so he cannot jump very high and he walks very slowly. The effect will wear off once Wario walks a certain distance.
[40] Bubble Wario When Wario touches a large Bubble underwater, he will enter that bubble and float upwards until he reaches the surface. This effect is useless unless there is a water current. The bubble is unaffected by these currents, so Wario can access areas that are otherwise inaccessible.
[41] Snowman Wario When a mound of snow falls from the ceiling, Wario will collapse and re-emerge as Snowball Wario. Snow will stick to Wario around his belly area, and will be greatly weighed down. When Wario sets foot on a slope, he will turn into a huge snowball and start rolling, breaking any Snowman Blocks that get in the way.
[42] Frozen Wario When a Yukiotoko sneezes, it will exhale a blast of cold air. It's so cold, that it will freeze Wario instantly. He will be immobile, and will slide backwards. The ice will crack once Wario hits a wall or object.
[43] Bouncy Wario When a Hammer Warrior strikes Wario with his hammer, Wario will curl up into a spring and transform into Bouncy Wario. The player is able to make Wario bounce to incredible heights by pressing . If left alone, he will gain bounce power. After jumping, Wario will transform back into his normal form by hitting solid ground.
[44] Zombie Wario When a Skeleton Bird chucks goo at Wario, he will become contaminated and turn into a fearsome Zombie. Zombie Wario is slow moving, and jumping above a thin platform will cause him to fall through the floor, reaching otherwise inaccessible places. Like Wario Land 3, Zombie Wario is still able to jump, but cannot jump any further. Wario can transform back by either touching water, or being exposed to bright lights.
[45] Vampire Wario Contact with a Minicula will transform Wario into Vampire Wario. In this form, Wario takes on the appearance of a Bat, and is able to fly by repeatedly pressing in order to reach high places. Unlike Wario Land 3, he cannot transform into an actual vampire. Like Zombie Wario, returning to normal form can be achieved by touching water or being exposed to bright light.

Controls[]

  • : Opens pause menu/confirm
  • : Jump/swim/confirm
  • : Ram (attack), throw (hold to build power)
  • : Left/right to move. Up to look up.
  • + : Throw upwards
  • : Ground Pound (break blocks below or defeat enemies, ends when player releases the d-pad), roll on 45 degree slope, S-Ground Pound (break stronger blocks, hold d-pad down for more than a second while falling. Does not end if the player releases the d-pad.)
  • + : Slide down ladder
  • + : Crawl
  • /: S-Ram (ram with more power)

Wario's Moves[]

Wario has several different moves in Wario Land 4'. Mastering each one of them is essential for reaching the Golden Diva's stronghold.

Image Name Description
[46] Ram Wario can shift his body weight to ram into objects. He can hit the weak spot of enemies to destroy them, or break blocks to make a path. He also runs a tad faster than running.
[47] S-Ram Just like a ram, but with more power. Wario must run for a short distance to build up the power. Once he does, he runs at terrific speed, and is able to break stronger, more solid blocks.
[48] Ground Pound The classic move that is mainly used in the Mario series can be used in Wario Land 4. Wario can use it to break blocks below, or defeat enemies.
[49] S-Ground Pound Similar to the normal Ground Pound but with more strength. Triggered by continuously ground pounding for a certain amount of time without hitting the ground. Wario can break the stronger blue blocks by doing this move. The move won't cancel until he hits the ground.
[50] Roll On a 45º degree slope in the floor, Wario can begin to roll. He can jump while moving, destroy blocks and defeat enemies by using this move. He will stop rolling if he either hits something solid, or falls into water.
[51] Swim Wario is able to swim when he is in a body of water. He can move forward, as well as upward and downward.
[52] Crawl When Wario has a small space to squeeze through, he can crawl to pass through. He can also jump while crawling.
[53] Throw If Wario picks up an enemy, rock or pinball, he can throw it upwards, or sidewards. He can also break blocks from a long way away.

Passages[]

This article or section is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it's being worked on. We hope to have it completed as soon as possible. The passages, levels and bosses in the game are as follows:

Entry Passage[]

This passage only has one level; the Hall of Hieroglyphs, which, true to its name, uses hieroglyphics on the walls to teach Wario his basic moves. The boss of this passage is Spoiled Rotten.

Image Name Description
[54] Hall of Hieroglyphs The very first level in the game. It consists of a very basic layout, with hieroglyphs of Princess Game & Watch on the walls that teach Wario his basic moves. Simple enemies like Marumen and Spear-Masks appear in this level. In the Normal and Hard game modes, the Frog Switch is right at the end of the level (thus making it far more easier to reach the Vortex in time). However, in S-Hard mode, the Switch appears near the beginning.
[55] Spoiled Rotten (boss) The boss of the Entry Passage is a purple, eggplant-like creature. It seems quite young, as it carries a blanket and toy. Accompanying it are two Eggplant Warriors that act as body guards. They behave exactly like Totsumen and they can be defeated the same way. Spoiled Rotten is, at first, defenceless on its own. But after Wario rams it a few times, it will reach a point where its health is quite low. Spoiled Rotten will then throw a tantrum, bearing teeth that harm Wario on contact. He will then need to attack its behind. Defeating Spoiled Rotten will grant access to the four main passages.

Emerald Passage[]

A nature-themed passage of low difficulty. The boss is a pot-plant called Cractus.

Image Name Description
[56] Palm Tree Paradise The first level of the Emerald Passage is very straightforward and of extremely low difficulty. It takes place on a tropical setting with lots of palm trees. Marumen and Spear-Masks in low numbers patrol the grounds of this level. The level's path has no alternate routes for the player to take. The Frog Switch is at the end, and the player must go back the way they came to reach the Vortex. The level's theme is a shortened version of the Karaoke soundtrack.
[57] Wildflower Fields The level Wildflower Fields takes place in a sunny field blossoming with wildflowers. Throughout the stage, there are many Money Flowers that are pollinated by Beezleys, which will swell and release coins. The Beezleys can also sting Wario and transform him into Puffy Wario, which will enable him to reach greater heights in the level. Alot of the level's structure is made up of giant sunflowers, which are hollow so Wario is able to pass through them
[58] Mystic Lake The Mystic Lake is a location of great beauty, with lush grasses and cool lakes. A large part of the level is underwater, where Wario must swim most of the way. The waters are abundant in Goggley-Blades and Utsuboankō, which harm Wario. In the mid-way point of the level, a Togenobi guards the Keyzer, which is essential for progressing to the next level. After hitting the Frog Switch, the upper part of the level is unlocked, which mainly consists of blocks and falling boulders.
[59] Monsoon Jungle The Monsoon Jungle takes place in a swampy setting with lots of water. The water is absolutly infested with Tobawani, which will snap at Wario if he swims near. Swinging Platforms are in abundance above the water, in order to allow Wario to safely cross without harm from the Tobawani. However, the swing is often difficult to time, and the player may often find themselves falling in the water. After hitting the Frog Switch, Wario will gain access to the underground area of the level, where he will make his final progress through the level.
[60] Cractus (boss) The boss is Cractus, a possessed venus flytrap with a huge head that can skewer Wario with its claws and drool a poisonous liquid on him, turning Wario into Zombie Wario. Wario can cause it damage by ground pounding it's head. After taking a certain amount of damage, Cractus will stand upright, making it harder for Wario to inflict damage on the creature. He will then have to climb a vine above the plant. Defeating Cractus restores the Crown to the Golden Pyramid.

Ruby Passage[]

This passage is mechanical-themed. The boss is a giant cuckoo clock called Cuckoo Condor.

Image Name Description
[61] The Curious Factory The Curious Factory is a level full of machinery; such as conveyor belts, Compressors and Decompressors (which will transform Wario into Flat Wario and back again). Flat Wario is used to get into tiny places. Togerobos make their unique appearance in this level, being a strange creature that has a spike-ball for a head. Kaentsubos also make their first appearance here. Hitting the Frog Switch will open up the underground area of this level, which is much more challenging than the overworld, because of the abundance of rotating platforms that Wario will have to cross.
[62] The Toxic Landfill The Toxic Landfill is a filthy, polluted level that is mainly made up of polluted water and garbage that take the shape of blocks, which Wario must ram to destroy them and make a path. Bow Balloons and Ringosukī are the main enemies that appear in this level. The arrows of the Bow Balloon will transform Wario into Puffy Wario, and the apples of the Ringosukī will transform him into Fat Wario. Both transformations are crucial for progressing in the level. After hitting the Frog Switch, Wario must make his way through the underground part of the level to the Vortex.
[63] 40 Below Fridge The level 40 Below Fridge, as the name suggests, takes place in a very cold fridge. The level is mainly made up of ice. The snow creature Yukiotoko are in abundance in this level. They have the ability to transform Wario into Frozen Wario by sneezing on him. Falling Snow from the ceiling transforms him into Snowman Wario if it lands on him. In this form, if Wario walks on a 45° platform, he will start rolling into a snowball and he will be able to break Snowman Blocks.
[64] Pinball Zone The Pinball Zone is a funky, colorful and noisy level with lots of things going on at once. It takes place inside a Pinball machine, where the main focus is throwing Pinballs into slots to break the Pinball Block and progress to the next room. This is the only level to feature the Spike Cannons, which is an indestructible enemy that shoots spikes at Wario. The level's background shows a new theme every room. The themes vary from forests, robots, dragons, ect.
[65] Cuckoo Condor (boss) The boss is Cuckoo Condor. He is what appears to be a giant cuckoo clock. He can grab Wario and shoot gears and electricity at him. After taking a fair amount of damage, the cuckoo clock falls apart, revealing a giant bird, presumably a condor, underneath. In this form, Cuckoo Condor can lay eggs that hatch into self-destructing chicks to damage Wario. Wario can counter this attack by catching and throwing the eggs at the Condor's head.

Topaz Passage[]

A toy-themed passage, the boss being a giant inflatable teddy-bear called Aerodent.

Image Name Description
[66] Toy Block Tower The first level of the Topaz Passage takes place in a toy castle, with lots of toy blocks throughout the level. Several unique items appear in this level. There is the Triangle Toy Block (which Wario must throw into the slot on a Toy Block Door to open the door), and the Rolling Toy Block; which Wario can ram to move along the ground and use as an object to stand on. The Pig Head Statue is also unique to this level. It is a pig head that is fixed to a wall in the background. It spits out fire which flares up on the ground below, transforming Wario into Flaming Wario if he come into contact with it.
[67] The Big Board The Big Board is the only level to feature the Event Block, which is an object with a rotating number counter that Wario can stop by hitting the blue button below the block. When it stops on a certain number, it will have numerous effects such as producing Giant Diamonds, Dice Men and transforming Wario into many of his transformations. The very last Event Block is blue, instead of green. It will not disappear after the first hit, but will allow Wario to keep hitting it. This will eventually release the Keyzer. The level has a general relaxed feel to it. It contains many Toy Cars, being the main enemy found here.
[68] Doodle Woods The Doodle Woods is a level with a very up-beat feel to it. It is the only level to feature Hoggus, an untouchable enemy that loves to draw. It has a sketchbook, where it will produce drawings of Butatabis and Dendens, which will come to life and try to harm Wario. There are also many prominent features of the level related to drawing such as pencils and erasers as platforms. Later on in the level after the Frog Switch has been hit, Wario will come across an are that he must keep climbing up. There are several pictures of Deburinas on the walls that may have been drawn by Hoggus. The pictures will come to life once Wario nears it, releasing Deburina.
[69] Domino Row Domino Row is the only level in the game to have the use of Dominoes. As the title may suggest, there are increasingly long rows of dominoes throughout the level. If Wario is to brush past a beginning of a row, they will begin to fall, bringing the ones in front down with it. At the end of the row is a switch. If the dominoes are to hit the switch first, a flag will be raised. This flag will be colored blue with a D on it. However, if Wario is to beat the dominoes to the switch and he hits it first, then a yellow and purple flag will be raised with a W on it. In result, this will open up a path that would be more convenient for Wario to take, such as shortcuts or paths with more coins.
[70] Aerodent (boss) The boss is Aerodent, a rat that hides in a giant inflatable teddy bear. He throws down Tack Soldiers, which Wario can throw to deflate the teddy bear. This will cause it to flip upside down and expose the rodent, it's weak spot. Wario can then ram the rodent to inflict damage. When Aerodent has taken a considerable amount to damage, the Teddy will drop flames, which do not harm Wario, but instead turns him into Flaming Wario. He will catch fire and run around the screen for a while, wasting valuable time.

Sapphire Passage[]

This passage is horror-themed, with many ghosts and zombies appearing in the levels. The boss is Catbat, a giant Cat with a Bat as an alliance.

Image Name Description
[71] Crescent Moon Village
Arabian Night
Fiery Cavern
Hotel Horror
Catbat (boss) The boss is Catbat. He is essentially a big cat with a statue of a bat on his head, which is his weak spot. He creates waves which must be jumped over, and can also spit out orange and purple spiked balls, which either damage Wario or turn him into Puffy Wario, respectively. The latter's purpose is to waste time.

Golden Pyramid[]

The final area in the game. It only has one level, the Golden Passage. It's boss is the Golden Diva, the last boss of the game.

Image Name Description
[72] Golden Passage The very last level is very different in terms of gameplay. For starters, the Frog Switch appears at the beginning of the level directly above the Vortex, regardless of the game mode. This forces Wario to complete the whole level within a time limit. The whole underground area of this level consists of a river with a strong current that pulls Wario back towards the beginning of the level. In some of the overworld areas, there are places that Wario can fall down, thus causing him to travel back to a certain location due to the water's current. The enemies that appear here all first seen in the Sapphire Passage. If the player is to use an Action Replay or some other similar hacking device, they can avoid hitting the Frog Switch and a hidden theme will play as the level's true theme, instead of the normal Frog Switch music.
[73] Golden Diva (boss) The game's final boss.

Allies[]

Fortunately, within the Golden Pyramid, there are a few characters who are willing to help Wario. They may have different purposes, and their personalities and traits may differ, but they all have the same goal; to rid the Pyramid of the money crazed Golden Diva and to restore it to it's former glory.

Image Name Description
[74] Wario The game's protagonist. Wario found out about the Pyramid while reading a newspaper article. In the dead of night, he hops into his Wario Car and drives off across the desert and through a jungle to reach the Pyramid, however he falls down a precipice and gets trapped inside.
[75] Black Cat While Wario is speeding through the city in his Car, he almost runs over a Black Cat. A copy of the newspaper that Wario read about the Pyramid flies into her face. The Cat takes a curious interest in the article, and she decides to go to the Pyramid herself. The cat seems to know her way around the Pyramid, because she leads Wario to the main room.
[76] Keyzer Keyzers seem neither alive or dead, but one thing's for certain- they love to sleep. Eighteen Keyzers are found in the game, one for every level. They unlock the door to the next level in a Passage, and disappear once they do so. Yūrei tries to steal Keyzer off Wario in the level Crescent Moon Village.
[77] Dr. Arewo Stein Dr. Arewo Stein is the detective that was exploring the Pyramid before Wario came and raided it. He also appears in the newspaper in the opening cut-scene. While always minding his own business, Wario is polite enough to usually use him as an object to throw in a Puzzle Room.
[78] Princess Game & Watch Princess Shokora/the Black Cat in the form of a Mr. Game & Watch, who is the shopkeeper of the Item Shop in the room before the Boss. He sells Wario items that assist in defeating the Boss of that passage. Frog Medals are used as currency, which are earned by achieving a good score in the Minigame Shop.
[79] Princess Shokora After the Golden Diva is defeated, Wario and the Black Cat escape the Pyramid before it crumbles on top of them. Outside, Wario and the cat laugh. But then something unexpected happened. The treasures that Wario stole of the Diva are "absorbed" by the Black Cat, and she undergoes a transformation and turns into Princess Shokora, rightful ruler of the Pyramid. She kisses Wario thank you, and she gets lifted into heaven by four angels.

Bosses[]

Each of the six bosses guards a different passage in the Pyramid. Items can be purchased with Frog Medals to weaken bosses at the battle's beginning. Defeating Spoiled Rotten will unlock the four main passages, and defeating a main passage boss will store it's Legendary Treasure and collected Treasure Chests into the Golden Pyramid.

Image Name Passage Description
[80] Spoiled Rotten Entry Passage A slowly moving eggplant-like creature that is harmless at first, but turns into a fanged, yet still slow enemy after a certain number of hits. Two Eggplant Warriors accompany it, aiming to harm Wario. They behave similarly to Totsumen, and can be defeated in the same way.
[81] Cractus Emerald Passage A floating plant-like boss that attacks with its razor-sharp leaves. Its weak spot is its head that has to be ground pounded.
[82] Cuckoo Condor Ruby Passage A condor-like creature hiding in a giant cuckoo-clock equipped with a claw in the fight's first part. Wario must ram the claw so it flies out of control and hits the Cuckoo. When this is done several times, the outer, wooden casing of the creature falls off and a bird form is revealed. It will then lay many eggs containing explosive chicks which Wario must catch before they hit the ground. He can then throw them to inflict damage.
[83] Aerodent Topaz Passage A small mouse rides a large inflatable teddy bear. Wario has to throw Aerodent's Tack Soldiers at the teddy bear in order to deflate it. Then, when the teddy is near the ground, Wario must ram the feet to flip it around, exposing the rodent, the boss's weak spot.
[84] Catbat Sapphire Passage A monster resembling both a cat and a bat that flies above a pool of water and creates waves. Wario has to ride the waves in order to ground pound the top head first and later Catbat's bald head. A Drill Fish patrols the pool of water.
[85] Golden Diva Golden Pyramid The final boss first sends masks at Wario that he has to throw at her fan. Afterwards she calls upon four creatures, all related to a previous boss. They all use a different attack that each require a different counter strategy. In the last phase her vulnerable face is revealed and she starts destroying the room's ground.

Enemies[]

During his adventure, Wario encounters more than three dozen types of enemies. While a dozen of them is found in the levels of different passages, most enemy types are normally only found in a certain passage. They usually go in line with the passage's theme.

Common Enemies[]

Image Name Description
[86] Marumen A weak walking enemy which can be found in most Passages. They is unable to hurt Wario in any way. They change from purple to red whenever Wario Ground Pounds near one.
[87] Spear-Mask (yellow) A common enemy wielding a spear as a weapon. The weakest of the Spear-Mask family, they turn blue when Wario Ground Pounds near it.
[88] Tornado Spear-Mask (blue) A slightly stronger Spear-Mask, it spins its spear before it starts to walk or when it changes its direction. A Ground Pound near it causes it to turn red.
[89] Angry Spear-Mask (red) The strongest and most aggressive form of a Spear-Mask charges at Wario when ever they catch sight of him. It becomes yellow again by performing a Ground Pound.
[90] Totsumen An aggressive creature wearing a mask with a knife on it. It charges at Wario at high speed when he comes near it. If it's attack misses, and it hits a wall or object, it will flip over.
[91] Harimen An enemy that is protected by a pink spiked shell. A Ground Pound causes it to flip over, exposing it's vulnerable underside.
[92] Harimenzetto A stronger version of a Harimen with a black shell. An S-Ground Pound is needed to flip it over.
[93] Goggley-Blade The most common aquatic enemy charges at Wario when it sees him. The Goggley-Blade's belly is its weak spot.
[94] Spiked Head An immobile spiked creature that is immune to all of Wario's attacks. However, some of Wario's forms can defeat them.
[95] Shieragutchi A spiked clam found underwater. It quickly moves up when Wario comes near. It can be defeated with a hit from below.
[96] Ringosukī A monkey that throws apples which transforms Wario into Fat Wario upon contact.
[97] Beezley A bee which flies down and stings Wario, causing his head to swell to a ridiculous size and transform him into Puffy Wario.
[98] Bow Balloon An archer that shoots arrows at Wario which have the same effect as a Beezley's sting.
[99] Menhammer A hammer-wielding creature that tries to flatten Wario. A hit won't hurt Wario, but turn him into Bouncy Wario.
[100] Yukiotoko A yeti that tries to freeze Wario with its icy sneeze, turning Wario into Frozen Wario.

Entry Passage Enemies[]

Image Name Description
[101] Eggplant Warrior An eggplant-like creature wearing a headband with a knife that assists the boss Spoiled Rotten. It acts the same way as Totsumen.

Emerald Passage Enemies[]

Image Name Description
[102] Imomushi A harmless, slow moving caterpillar. They mostly appear in Wildflower Fields, eating the many large leaves in the level.
[103] Moguramen A mole-like creature wearing a mask with a drill which harms Wario. Some of them dig through the ground.
[104] Utsuboankō A giant sea monster that hides in a hole in the background. When Wario comes near them they will jump out, damaging Wario if they make contact. They cannot be defeated.
[105] Togenobi A large octopus with four rotating tentacles holding maces. Wario is not able to defeat them.
[106] Tobawani A crocodile enemy that wims near the water's surface. It jumps up and tries to bite Wario once he is above it. They only appear in the level Monsoon Jungle.

Ruby Passage Enemies[]

Image Name Description
[107] Togerobo A heavy robot with spikes it's back. It has a spiked head that it drops when they catch sight of Wario. The head rolls along the ground, damaging Wario if it hits him. Togerobo will grow back a new head if the other one is lost. A ram from behind will defeat it.
[108] Kaentsubo A walking jar whose flames turn Wario into Flaming Wario. It flips and creates a flame on the ground when Wario is nearby. No coins are produced when it is defeated.
[109] PET Bottom A bottle walking on four legs. It is armed with a spear on its front, which retracts if it is disturbed. It can be defeated by a ground pound or a ram from behind.
[110] Robo Bird A robotic bird that attacks by flying in a straight line as soon as soon as it spots Wario. It will inflict damage if it makes contact with Wario. It only appears in the Hard and S-Hard game modes. It can be defeated by a standard ground pound or ram.
[111] Pearl Bird A strange bird-like creature that is found in a Puzzle Room in the level 40 Below Fridge. It spits out glass orbs on regular intervals, and they smash when they hit the ground. Wario can catch and throw it at colored ! Switches to clear a path to a Giant Diamond.
[112] Spike Cannon An enemy that only appears in the level Pinball Zone, mostly around wire mesh that Wario must climb. They shoot out spikes out of the top of their heads at regular intervals, harming Wario if they make contact. The top of it's head acts as a platform, where Wario can stand. However, he can only do this while no spikes are being released, otherwise they will harm him. The Spike Cannon cannot be defeated.

Topaz Passage Enemies[]

Image Name Description
[113] Toy Car A tiny Wario driving a mini Wario Car with a spike on the front. They slowly drive along the ground, harming Wario if the spike touches him.
[114] Dice Men A walking dice wielding a spear. They emerge from an Event Block when the appropriate space on the ribbon is struck.
[115] Hoggus A floating pig-like artist that doesn't harm Wario. He draws Dendens and Butatabis, which come to life shortly after he draws them.
[116] Denden A pig in a spiked shell created by Hoggus. It rolls along the ground when Wario comes near (similar to a Togerobo).
[117] Butatabi A pig with a spike on its head created by Hoggus. It glides from right to left and inversely.
[118] Deburina A drawing of a dancing pig that has come to life. She has a hula-hoop around her body that rotates while Deburina dances. The edge of the hoop harms Wario.
[119] Pig Head Statue A Pig Head Statue which only appears in the level Toy Block Tower. It drops flames out of it's mouth, which transforms Wario into Flaming Wario, allowing him to break Bonfire Blocks.
[120] Tack Soldier A hopping creature with a spike on the bottom assisting the boss Aerodent. They have to be thrown by Wario at the bear balloon to defeat the boss.

Sapphire Passage Enemies[]

Image Name Description
[121] Skeleton Bird A skeletal ghost-like bird that drops green goo that turn Wario into Zombie Wario. He can then harm the Skeleton Bird by touching it in his zombie form.
[122] Men'ono A hooded creature armed with an axe. It charges at Wario when it sees him and swings its weapon with the intention to harm. It can be defeated by a Ground Pound or aRam from behind.
[123] Yūrei A pirate-like ghost that doesn't harm Wario, but follows him and tries to pick every coin before Wario can do so. He also tries to steal the Keyzer off Wario. He cannot be touched by Wario and likewise, he cannot be defeated.
[124] Minicula An invincible bat flying in circles that transforms Wario into Vampire Wario upon contact.
[125] Mayu Bird A strange bat-like creature that only flies within a small area, but is found in large groups. They have fangs on their underside which harm Wario. They can be defeated by a Ground Pound or a Ram. If they are tapped on the side, they will mysteriously fly away.
[126] Onomī A mummified enemy weilding an axe. It uses the same attack as Men'onos, and can be defeated in the same way.
[127] Iwao A burly creature that throws rolling rocks at Wario. They turn into Yukiotokos when the Frog Switch is hit in the level Fiery Cavern. It can only be defeated with a Ground Pound on the head.
[128] Drill Fish A mechanical fish with a drill patrolling the pool of the boss Catbat. An S-Ground Pound is the only way to defeat it.

Golden Pyramid Enemies[]

The last part of the game doesn't introduce new enemies, aside from the final boss, the Golden Diva, and the creatures created by her (see table). However, some enemies that are otherwise exclusive to the Sapphire Passage reappear in the last level before the boss, the Golden Passage, including Skeleton Birds, Men'ono and Miniculas.

Image Name Description
[129] Spike Rock A rock produced by the Golden Diva. It flies down from the sky, the movement similar to a Butatabi. When it hits the ground, it loses the spikes, and Wario can throw it at the Diva to inflict damage.
[130] Bear Bomb The Bear Bomb is dropped by the Golden Diva. It is a blue ball with a bear that looks like Aerodent on it. Wario can ram it to send it flying, bouncing off the walls, and hopefully hitting the Diva, causing her damage. The ball will explode by itself if left alone.
[131] Black Duck The Golden Diva can throw black eggs at Wario, which crack open on impact on the ground to reveal a time-bombed duck. They walk back and forth across the stage, flashing faster and faster, until they explode. Wario can catch the eggs before they hit the ground, and then throw it at the Golden Diva to inflict damage.
[132] Spike Hammer A spiky Hammer which is thrown by the Golden Diva. Shortly after hitting the ground, it will lose it's spikes. Wario can then throw it up in the air, with the intention of it landing on him, transforming him into Bouncy Wario. He can then use this transformation to damage the Diva.
[133] Diva's Lips When the Golden Diva has been defeated, her lips will remain wiggling helpless across the stage. Wario must merely ground pound or ram them to destroy it. Once done so, the Black Cat is freed (since the Diva swallowed her), and the game ends.

Reception[]

The game received generally positive reviews. The "portable masterpiece" received praise and excellent review scores on it's soundtrack, collectibles throughout the game an it's general thrill of satisfaction. One gaming website commented how even on it's ten year anniversary, it "still remains the best portable Mario game to date".[5] IGN gave Wario Land a 9 out of 10, or "Outstanding", citing its well thought out level design and replayability, and how the game "puts a lot more emphasis on action" [6]. Attention was also given to how much attention the developers paid to the sounds and music (see Wario Land 4/Media). It was not given a full 10 because the game does not necessarily push the performance power of the Game Boy Advance in regards to graphics. The website quoted that "It's a little disappointing to see that Wario isn't much of a step beyond his GBC adventure in terms of art and animation...other than the sprite effects, it could have been done on the 8-bit handheld". Global sales exceeded two million copies.[7]

Trivia[]

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