Often said to be the one shining gem in the putrid mess that is the Virtual Boy. While I disagree that the rest of the Virtual Boy’s library is as bad as people say, I will agree that Virtual Boy Wario Land is a great game, one that shows that the Virtual Boy could be used for, both in terms of gameplay and graphics.

Like a few other Virtual Boy games, Wario Land starts off looking a little bit bland. I suspect this was due to helping people’s eyes focus, but it creates a poor first impression. After a few levels, though, the background and level design gets a lot more complex and the game looks gorgeous, even with the red and black colour scheme. It makes each level feel unique and the depth really adds to the style of the game. While you could play the game entirely 2D, you would be missing out on some of the impressive effects. Even character and enemy sprites have depth to them, which creates a really lovely look that’s hard to get across in screenshots.

The gameplay is also really strong. It’s a very solid 2D platformer that feels nice to play, Wario’s jump is precise and easy to control. Wario can collect various hats which change his main action, which starts with a shoulder barge and can be upgraded to a short-range flamethrower or the dragon hat, which fires a longer distance and lets Wario fly for a short period. Another gameplay mechanic are sections that shoot Wario into the back of the screen, giving another layer of platforming that can be used for exploration and puzzles.

Exploration is a key part of Wario Land, as the exit to the level is locked. You’ll need to find a key hidden in the level before you can progress, but there are also hearts and coins hidden everywhere, with some utilising hidden blocks or walls you have to destroy. Each level is also hiding a piece of treasure, often very difficult to find. While you can finish the game without them, if you want Wario to unlock the secret vault for the full treasure, you’ll need to hunt them down. And then for the best ending, you’ll need to know the game well enough to do it all in under two hours.

It really is a great shame that this game is hidden in the Virtual Boy’s collection, and has never been re-released. It’s an immensely enjoyable game that feels long enough the first two times you play (once to complete and second to find the secrets), yet once you know the game, it’s also short enough for a quick blast. There’s also an extra unlockable difficulty that makes enemies more aggressive and adds extra spikes and obstacles. This alone is worth modifying your 3DS for.

Great

Remake or remaster?

This really should have gotten a remaster on the 3DS. However, it will still make for a great remake (or perhaps as part of a Wario Land remake collection) with the right effects to pull of the style of the game.