Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
Box art
Developer(s)	Nintendo R&D1
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Hiroji Kiyotake Takehiko Hosokawa
Producer(s)	Gunpei Yokoi
Composer(s)	Ryoji Yoshitomi Kozue Ishikawa
Series	Wario Mario
Platform(s)	Game Boy, 3DS Virtual Console
Release date(s)	Game Boy JP January 21, 1994 NA March 13, 1994 EU May 13, 1994 3DS Virtual Console JP December 14, 2011 EU February 16, 2012
Genre(s)	Platforming
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	K-A: Original release E: Virtual Console re-release

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, known in Japan as Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land (スーパーマリオランド3 ワリオランド, Sūpā Mario Rando Surī Wario Rando), is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo on the Game Boy in 1994. It is the first video game to feature Wario as both a playable character and the main character, as well as the first appearance of Captain Syrup and her Brown Sugar Pirates, recurring villains in the Wario Land series.

Game overview

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 starts at the end of Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. Wario Land features a theme of greed remarkably different from almost all of Nintendo's other franchises: It is the first game Nintendo has made where the main character's cause is decidedly selfish. There are no princesses to save, no world in peril. There is only one goal: for Wario to earn as much money as possible, in an effort to buy his own massive castle and make Mario jealous. The larger the cash total Wario has collected at the end of the game, the better house (and ending) that Wario will receive.

The Super Mario Land 3 subtitle links the game with the popular Super Mario Land 2. The game also increases its replay value by including a large hidden treasure chest in some levels. The chests (which can only be accessed by finding a special key placed elsewhere in the level) contain special one-of-a-kind treasures, which would each add a considerable amount to Wario's coin total at the end of the game.

Gameplay

Wario with the Bull Cap power-up

Despite being billed as Super Mario Land 3, Wario Land controls completely differently to that of the Mario titles. The game takes place on a linear route through several themed areas, which are split into several courses culminating in a boss fight. Wario is able to jump on or bump into enemies to knock them over, during which he can pick them up and throw them at other enemies. When in his grown form, Wario is also able to perform a shoulder charge, which is used to attack opponents and break blocks. There are additionally three caps that Wario can obtain, with their own advantages and disadvantages. The Bull Cap gives Wario the ability to perform a butt stomp which stuns nearby enemies and breaks through blocks underneath. The Jet Cap increase Wario's speed and let's him fly short distances in the air, as well as shoulder charge underwater. Finally, the Dragon Cap lets Wario shoot a stream of fire, but takes away his shoulder charge. Players can also collect a Starman to gain temporary invincibility. If Wario takes damage from an opponent or obstacle, he will shrink, losing his shoulder barge move, and will remain small until he collects another cap or reaches the end of the level. If Wario is hit whilst small, or is hit by an instant kill obstacle, such as pits or lava, he will lose a life and all the coins he had collected in that level.

Unlike the Mario series, in which coins are typically used to earn extra lives, coins in this game are instead used as currency, the goal being to try and collect as much treasure as possible by the end of the game. These can be earned by collecting them, finding them in blocks, or shoulder charging enemies. During gameplay, Wario can pull out a large coin, worth 10 coins, which he can throw. This can be used to attack opponents, open the exit at the end of each stage, or activate checkpoints where players can restart should they lose a life. Conversely, extra lives are earned by collecting heart points, which are earned by defeating enemies or collecting Hearts, with an extra life earned for every 100 points earned. At the end of each level, the player can choose to either gamble the amount of coins he has collected in the level in a game of chance, or spend them to try and earn heart points and extra lives. Also hidden in certain levels are keys which open secret treasure rooms containing treasure. The type of ending the player gets at the end of the game depends on how many coins the player has collected, as well as how many pieces of treasure the player has found.

Legacy

Wario Land was an attempt to expand the appearance of Wario in Super Mario Land 2 to a starring role and also to expand the Mario universe, which was successful. Wario Land spawned seven popular sequels: VB Wario Land, Wario Land II, Wario Land 3, Wario Land 4, Wario World, Wario: Master of Disguise, and Wario Land: The Shake Dimension.

The game was later released on the Nintendo 3DS's eShop Virtual Console download service in Japan on December 14, 2011 and in Europe on February 16, 2012 and can be downloaded along with its predecessors, Super Mario Land and Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, both of which are already available to download.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	81.00%
Review scores
Publication	Score

Wario Land was a huge success in both the NTSC (United States) and JAP (Japan) regions, as well as the PAL (Europe) region, with high sales and a considered "new standard" of platforming games for Nintendo.

External links

• Official Nintendo Japan Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 site
• Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 at MobyGames
• Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 at NinDB