Messed up humor, and fun mini-games.
GAMEPLAY
Warioware is played using a single remote. No nunchuk needed. But you use the remote in ways that until now, and never been thought of. The game consists of 100+ micro-games. These are mini-games that typically last around 5 seconds, and involve using the remote in a particular way. Before each game, you are shown a brief slide explaining what remote “form” the mini-game uses.
For example, one mini-game might require you to use the “mohawk form” which has you hold the remote above your head. The content of the mini-games varies greatly. One may require you to put false teeth in an old lady's mouth. Another might require you to sweep up some leaves, or even pick your nose. It’s very bizarre to say the least.
None of the mini-games are particularly challenging. But what makes the game fun and challenging is the way the games are presented. They come at you in a completely random order, and you’re only given a second or two between mini-games to prepare for the next one. This can lead to some confusion, as it’s not always clear on what needs to be done to win a given mini-game. But the controls work well, and the game is an absolute blast to play. Especially once you unlock the multi-player mode.
GRAPHICS
From an artistic view, the graphics in Warioware standout, and give the game it’s colorful and lighthearted style. The story scenes are rendered in a 2D flash style. It doesn’t look great, but it suffices to give the game a cheerful look. However, the graphics in the actual mini-games vary greatly. Some of them are rendered in the same style as the cut-scenes, but others are more hand drawn cartoons. Still others use very basic 3D renders. This adds to the weirdness of the game, but this also means that there's no consistent style in the mini-games. Not that this is a bad thing, but some of the art is just painful to look at.
SOUND
The sound varies almost as much as the graphics. There's no voiceovers during the cut-scenes expect for the occasional laugh or grunt. The other sound effects are your typical cartoonish bops, boinks, and what not. What makes the sound stand out is the sounds used through the remote speaker. This makes the player feel more like his direct actions are controlling the on-screen games. The music is what really sets the sound department away from other party games. It's very wacky, and fits the theme of each scenario.
VALUE
The one thing that really bugs me about Warioware is that you're required to play through the entire single player game before multi-player is unlocked. It seems to be a common trend in party games lately, and I don't like it. Multi-player should be playable right from the start. That's the reason most people bought a Wii. On the positive side, the multi-player is a lot of fun. In addition to the games from the single player mode, there are also multi-player only games like darts. The only problem with multi-player is that you only use one remote, and take turns handing it off. This sort of goes against Nintendo's emphasis on using the remote strap; you don't have enough time to put it on before the next mini-game starts.
Overall, Warioware is a fantastic party game that is sure to please Wii owners. Its sense of humor is a bit strange at times, but that further adds to the light-hearted atmosphere of the game. If you like party games you need to check this game out. You wont be disappointed.