is a
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
series, a
spin-off of the ''
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his cre ...
'' franchise. It comprises various video games created by
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
, starring the character
Wario
is a fictional character in Nintendo's ''Mario'' series, designed as an arch-rival to Mario. He first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy game '' Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins'' as the main antagonist and final boss. His name is a portmanteau ...
. The series began with ''
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3'', the first game to feature Wario as a playable character. The ''Wario'' series includes mostly
platforming video games and
minigame
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than t ...
compilations, but also includes other genres.
''Wario Land'' series
The ''Wario Land'' series is a platforming series that started with ''
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3'', following Wario's first appearance in ''
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins''.
''Wario Land'' games
In ''Wario Land'', Wario has a castle in Kitchen Island, and often journeys to find treasure. Its gameplay consists of platforming through levels, tossing enemies, breaking blocks and using other abilities.
''Wario Land'' characters
* was designed as an antagonist to
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his cre ...
, and first appeared in the
1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
handheld
A mobile device (or handheld computer) is a computer small enough to hold and operate in the hand. Mobile devices typically have a flat LCD or OLED screen, a touchscreen interface, and digital or physical buttons. They may also have a physical ...
video game ''
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins'' as the main villain and final boss. Since that time, Wario has developed into the protagonist and
antihero
An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions ...
of his own video game series spanning both handheld and
console
Console may refer to:
Computing and video games
* System console, a physical device to operate a computer
** Virtual console, a user interface for multiple computer consoles on one device
** Command-line interface, a method of interacting with ...
markets, in addition to his numerous appearances in spin-offs of the
''Mario'' franchise. He is voiced by
Charles Martinet
Charles Martinet (, ; born September 17, 1955) is an American actor and voice actor, known for his portrayal of both Mario and Luigi in the ''Super Mario'' video game series since 1992. He is also the voice of other characters in the series suc ...
, who also voices the Mario,
Luigi
is a fictional character featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the younger fraternal twin brother and sidekick of Mario, Nintendo's masc ...
, and
Waluigi
is a fictional character in the ''Mario'' franchise. He plays the role of Luigi's arch-rival and accompanies Wario in spin-offs from the main ''Mario'' series, often for the sake of causing mischief and problems. He was created by Camelot em ...
characters. Wario and Waluigi seem to have been named with respect to the Japanese word ''warui''
Șă meaning "bad" or "evil". Therefore, Wario is a "warui Mario," and Waluigi is a "warui Luigi".
* is the main antagonist of ''
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3'' and ''
Wario Land II''. She is the leader of a legion of seafaring thieves known as the Brown Sugar Pirates, and is Wario's true
archenemy
In literature, an archenemy (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) is the main enemy of someone. In fiction, it is a character who is the protagonist's, commonly a hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional cha ...
, instead of Mario. She is a technological genius and inventor, constantly building mechanized apparatuses to assist her in attacking whatever target she chooses. The Pirates' base of operations is Kitchen Island, a gigantic coved island in the middle of the ocean, and their main mode of transportation is the S.S. Teacup, a massive pirate ship. She acts as Wario's ally in ''
Wario Land: Shake It!'' to have him do all of the work for her, however she
betray
Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. Oft ...
s him in the end and steals his treasure.
* is the main antagonist of ''
Wario Land 3
''Wario Land 3'' is a 2000 video game released for the Game Boy Color. In it, Mario's archrival Wario must free a mysterious figure who is trapped inside a music box. It was a critical and commercial success, and was followed by ''Wario Land 4' ...
''. Rudy lures Wario into the music box world, claiming that he is the god of the world. He convinces Wario to help break the seal that was placed upon him by the other creatures of the world, with the promise of keeping any treasure Wario finds. After the seal is broken, Rudy reveals himself and attacks Wario. Wario defeats him, and the curse on the other inhabitants is broken. Rudy returns in the video game ''
Dr. Mario 64
''Dr. Mario 64'' is a tile-matching action puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. The game was released in North America on April 8, 2001. The game is an enhanced remake of ''Dr. Mario'', which was originally ...
'', where he and Mad Scienstein concoct a plan to steal the Megavitamins from
Dr. Mario because he has a cold, and wants the power to cure any illness.
* is the main antagonist of ''
Wario Land 4
''Wario Land 4'' is a 2001 platform game developed by Nintendo and released for the Game Boy Advance. Wario has to gather four treasures to unlock a pyramid and save Princess Shokora from the Golden Diva.
Gameplay
The gameplay of ''Wario Land ...
''. She is responsible for taking over the golden pyramid that was originally ruled by Princess Shokora whom she placed a curse upon turning her into a black cat. Wario decides to explore the pyramid after reading about its legend in an article. She is not encountered until later in the game when the player gains access to the innermost chamber of the pyramid where various treasures are being kept.
* appears in ''Wario Land 4''. In the game's manual, it is mentioned that she was the original owner of the golden pyramid where the game takes place in, but was cursed by the Golden Diva. In her cursed form, Shokora is capable of shapeshifting, her most common forms being a tiny black cat and a black stick figure. For a price, Wario can get her help in boss fights by inflicting damage on the boss before the fight begins. After Wario recovers her belongings from the pyramid's bosses and destroys the Golden Diva, Shokora is released from the curse and thanks Wario for saving her (though her appearance and Wario's reaction changes based on how many other treasures Wario obtained from the bosses), then is escorted by angels into the heavens.
*The is the main antagonist of ''Wario Land: Shake It!'' who kidnaps Queen Merelda and takes the Shake Dimension's treasures, among them the Bottomless Coin Bag that holds an infinite number of coins. Sweet-talked by Captain Syrup with promises of treasure, Wario defeats the Shake King and frees the Shake Dimension from his evil, though this registers as a complete afterthought in Wario's mind.
* appears in ''Wario Land: Shake It!'' as the ruler of the Shake Dimension. She is captured by the Shake King in the game's beginning. After being rescued by Wario, Merelda gives him her gratitude, but Wario throws her aside and takes the Bottomless Coin Bag, only for Syrup to steal it from him due to a deal that Merfle made with her.
* appears in ''Wario Land: Shake It!''. She is a small fairy-like creature who helps Wario enter and leave the Shake Dimension. Many of her friends (all of them the same species as Merfle) are captured by the Shake King, and Wario must save them in addition to recovering treasures. At the end of the game, Captain Syrup steals the Bottomless Coin Bag from Wario and Merfle explains that it was already promised to her. This sends Wario into a rage as he chases Merfle through his garage.
'' Wario: Master of Disguise'' characters
* is the original star of the television show ''The Silver Zephyr'', in which he is the titular thief. A master of disguise, Cannoli uses his magic wand Goodstyle to change his appearance, but Wario leaps into the television world of the show and steals Goodstyle out of jealousy. Over the course of the game, Cannoli chases Wario demanding Goodstyle back and is a frequent obstacle as he sets traps and attacks Wario in his mechanical Mad Hat vehicle.
* is a sentient magic wand that grants its wearer the power to change their appearance. He has been passed down through the Cannoli family for many generations, but Wario steals him from the current-day Count Cannoli and uses him to become his own alter-ego "The Purple Wind". Goodstyle accepts Wario as his new master and teaches him how to use his power. After Wario defeats Terrormisu, Goodstyle reveals his true form as the very first member of the Cannoli Clan and the one who originally banished Terrormisu. He thanks Wario for his help and gives him all the accumulated wealth of the Cannoli Clan as gratitude. However, Wario discovers that he can't take the treasure out of the television world, leaving him both penniless and furious.
* is a rival thief to Count Cannoli. He owns a corporation called Sigil Securities and can transform into a giant blue ball with a face on it. He initially does not think much of Wario, but quickly realizes that "The Purple Wind" is more than he appears. At one point, Carpaccio teams with Count Cannoli to stop Wario from reassembling the Wishstone, a magical relic that supposedly can grant any wish.
* is a blonde woman in a pink dress who first appears to Wario on Sweatmore Peak and helps him briefly during his search for the Wishstone. After Wario fully reassembles the Wishstone, she reveals her true identity as the demon Terrormisu, the true main antagonist of the game who had been sealed away in the Wishstone by the first of the Cannoli Clan and had been manipulating Wario to reassemble it so she can return and cause disaster. She is ultimately defeated by Wario and runs back into the underworld crying, never to return.
''WarioWare'' series
''WarioWare'' (also ''Wario Ware''), known in Japan as , is a series of games featuring the
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
character
Wario
is a fictional character in Nintendo's ''Mario'' series, designed as an arch-rival to Mario. He first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy game '' Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins'' as the main antagonist and final boss. His name is a portmanteau ...
. The series was established in 2003 with the release of ''
Mega Microgame$!'' for the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
. While the first two games were developed by
Nintendo R&D1
commonly abbreviated as Nintendo R&D1, was Nintendo's oldest video game development team. It was known as before splitting in 1978. Its creation coincided with Nintendo's entry into the video game industry, and the original R&D1 was headed by ...
, subsequent games have been co-developed by
Intelligent Systems
is a Japanese video game developer best known for developing games with Nintendo and the ''Fire Emblem'', ''Paper Mario (series), Paper Mario'', ''WarioWare'', and ''Wars (series), Wars'' video game series. Originally, the company was headqua ...
.
The distinctive feature of all ''WarioWare'' games is that they are collections of short, simple "microgames" presented in quick succession. Each of these microgames lasts about three to five seconds and must be completed, or else a life will be lost. For example, there is a microgame where the player must zap a spaceship; in another, Wario must collect coins in a
Pac-Man-like maze. The numerous microgames are linked together randomly and steadily increase in speed and difficulty as the player progresses. On each level, losing four games results in a game over. After a certain amount of microgames have been played, the player faces a stage-specific boss microgame; the player must complete these to regain a lost life (with a maximum of four). Boss microgames are considerably longer and more complex than other microgames. For example, a boss microgame in ''Mega Microgames!'' instructs the player to hit a
nail
Nail or Nails may refer to:
In biology
* Nail (anatomy), toughened protective protein-keratin (known as alpha-keratin, also found in hair) at the end of an animal digit, such as fingernail
* Nail (beak), a plate of hard horny tissue at the tip ...
with a
hammer multiple times in a row.
The idea of microgame or minigame was popularized generally during the Nintendo 64's
fifth generation of video game consoles
The fifth-generation era (also known as the 32-bit era, the 64-bit era, or the 3D era) refers to computer and video games, video game consoles, and handheld gaming consoles dating from approximately October 4, 1993 to March 23, 2006. For home c ...
and some early minigames appear in the Nintendo
64DD
The is a magnetic floppy disk drive peripheral for the Nintendo 64 game console developed by Nintendo. It was announced in 1995, prior to the Nintendo 64's 1996 launch, and after numerous delays was released in Japan on December 13, 1999. The ...
's ''
Mario Artist: Talent Studio'' in the style that would give rise to the ''WarioWare'' series. Certain minigames literally originated in ''Mario Artist: Polygon Studio'', as explained by Goro Abe of
Nintendo R&D1
commonly abbreviated as Nintendo R&D1, was Nintendo's oldest video game development team. It was known as before splitting in 1978. Its creation coincided with Nintendo's entry into the video game industry, and the original R&D1 was headed by ...
's so-called Wario Ware All-Star Team: "In Polygon Studio you could create 3D models and animate them in the game, but there was also a side game included inside. In this game you would have to play short games that came one after another. This is where the idea for Wario Ware came from." Teammate Yoshio Sakamoto continued, "To add on that, we got the idea of using Wario and the other characters because we couldn't think of anyone else who would be best for the role. Wario is always doing stupid things and is really idiotic, so we thought him and the rest of the characters would be best for the game."
''
Game & Wario
''Game & Wario'' is a 2013 party video game developed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems and published for the Wii U console, named after LCD Game & Watch titles. It is the eighth installment in the ''WarioWare'' series and part of the larger ...
'', released in 2013, is a spinoff of the ''WarioWare'' series.
''
WarioWare Gold
''WarioWare Gold'' is a minigame compilation co-developed by Nintendo EPD and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS family of video game consoles. The ninth installment in the ''WarioWare'' series, it was released ...
'', was announced during a
Nintendo Direct
Nintendo Direct is a series of online presentation or live shows produced by Nintendo, where information regarding the company's upcoming content or franchises is presented, such as information about games and consoles. The presentations began i ...
presentation on March 8, 2018, and released worldwide later that year.
The latest installment in the series, ''
WarioWare: Get It Together!'', was announced during a Nintendo Direct on June 15, 2021, and was released on September 10, 2021.
''WarioWare'' games
Microgames
Microgames are simple
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s created by the fictional company ''WarioWare, Inc.''.
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
's line of ''WarioWare'' games each feature these microgames, which are generally less than 5 seconds long. Microgames are even simpler and shorter than the
minigame
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than t ...
s found in other games such as the ''
Mario Party
is a party video game series featuring characters from the ''Mario'' franchise in which up to four local players or computer-controlled characters (called " CPUs") compete in a board game interspersed with minigames. The games are currentl ...
'' series. Gameplay in all ''WarioWare'' games is distinct from most other games, as they involve the player or players trying to beat the microgames as soon as possible. Most games present instructions in the form of a
verb
A verb () is a word (part of speech) that in syntax generally conveys an action (''bring'', ''read'', ''walk'', ''run'', ''learn''), an occurrence (''happen'', ''become''), or a state of being (''be'', ''exist'', ''stand''). In the usual descri ...
and quickly drop the player into the situation where they must perform said verb. The extremely stripped-down gameplay has intrigued some game researchers, who have used ''WarioWare'' both as a case study in understanding the relationship between rules and play in videogames, and as a target domain for investigating automated game design.
All microgames are strung together in a random order within different "stages", each hosted by a different character. First, the player is presented with a quick one or two word instruction such as "Eat!" or "Rub!" Then, the microgame will appear and the player will have to complete the game according to the instruction.
Microgames usually have only one task to complete. For example, in one microgame the player is told to "Enter!" and is presented with a scene from ''
The Legend of Zelda
''The Legend of Zelda'' is an action-adventure game franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-rele ...
''. The player must use the directional buttons to move Link to a cave entrance before the time runs out. In another microgame, the player is told to "Avoid!" and must drive a car, avoiding oncoming traffic. Most microgames have a
sound bite
A sound bite or soundbite is a short clip of speech or music extracted from a longer piece of audio, often used to promote or exemplify the full length piece. In the context of journalism, a sound bite is characterized by a short phrase or sentence ...
that signifies when the task is completed. The games by themselves are so brief so as to potentially demand the sharp reflexes of a
quick-time event
In video games, a quick time event (QTE) is a method of context-sensitive gameplay in which the player performs actions on the control device shortly after the appearance of an on-screen instruction/prompt. It allows for limited control of the ...
.
Boss microgames always occur at a set point in a stage. They are usually more challenging than regular microgames, have no time limit (as described below), and give lives back upon completion. If a stage is played for the first time, it is completed after the boss microgame. The sound bite will usually play after the task is fulfilled, and then the score screen will return. On repeated plays, if the player has less than four lives, one will be restored.
The unit of time for all microgames is
beats. In ''
Mega Microgames!'' and ''
Twisted!'', a standard microgame is 8 beats, double-length microgames (usually IQ-genre games) last 16 beats; Fronk's microgames in ''Twisted!'' and ''Gold'' only last 4 beats. In most games, the
BPM will start out relatively slow and will increase as the player completes microgames.
In ''
WarioWare: Touched!'', the 8-beat standard has been dropped for all microgames, so many last longer than 8 beats. This may be a difficulty curve for those unaccustomed to the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
's touch-screen interface. To retain pace, the microgames will automatically end if cleared before a four-beat measure is met.
To show the time left to complete a microgame, a small "bomb" appears at the bottom of the screen. The fuse and a countdown timer show the amount of time left to complete the microgame. When time runs out, the bomb explodes and in most cases, the player loses a life. The fuse burns faster when the BPM increases.
Some microgames are intrinsically harder than others, and an increased BPM (increased speed) will make any microgame more difficult to complete than the same microgame at a slower BPM. This is usually reflected in the microgames' "clear scores"âthe score one must reach while playing a microgame in the practice modes to obtain credit for "clearing" it. (''Smooth Moves'' and ''D.I.Y.'' lack this feature.)
Each microgame features three difficulty levels: Blue, Yellow and Red. Blue presents the given task in an easier way, while Red presents it in a much harder way. Not all modes of all ''WarioWare'' games actually show a color to denote the current level, but most modes start with Blue games, progressing to Yellow upon a "Level Up" (usually achieved after passing a boss microgame), then to Red in similar fashion. Once Red is reached, sequential "Level Up"s will typically be replaced by "Speed Up"s (an increase in BPM).
Using the above ''The Legend of Zelda'' microgame as an example, the Blue version of this microgame usually places Link very close to the cave entrance that he must enter. The Yellow version places the entrance further away and places an enemy that blocks Link, and the Red version places the entrance yet further, and has a second enemy that shoots at Link from a lake.
''WarioWare'' characters
There are two major types of character in the ''WarioWare'' series. The first are the WarioWare, Inc. developers, who both create and host the microgames. Each one has a unique theme or twist, depending on the game. For instance, Jimmy T.'s microgames in ''Twisted!'' are focused around large spins, while in ''Touched!'' his microgames involve rubbing objects with the stylus. The second group of characters often show up within the introduction cutscenes â the most notable being Fronk, who hosts "Pop-Up" microgames in ''Twisted!'' and ''Gold'' and pops up in the most unlikely of places.
Major characters
* is 9-Volt's mother and makes a few appearances in the ''WarioWare'' games. She is never fully seen until ''
Game & Wario
''Game & Wario'' is a 2013 party video game developed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems and published for the Wii U console, named after LCD Game & Watch titles. It is the eighth installment in the ''WarioWare'' series and part of the larger ...
'', and is a
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
like her son. 5-Volt lives along with her son and his pet Fronk in
a house
A House were an Irish rock band that was active in Dublin from the 1985 to 1997, and recognized for the clever, "often bitter or irony laden lyrics of frontman Dave Couse ... bolstered by the and'sseemingly effortless musicality". The single " ...
in Diamond City. She makes her first appearance in ''
WarioWare: Twisted!'', where she shouts at 9-Volt to go to bed since he was playing with
18-Volt all day. 5-Volt is seen only from behind, and from the knees down. After 9-Volt has gone to bed, he still furtively plays with his Game Boy Advance SP under the bedspread, but his mother catches him when she opens his room's door a second time. 5-Volt's silhouette is seen in the doorway. 5-Volt is seen again in ''
WarioWare: Touched!'', as a silhouette in the Game Over screen of 9-Volt and 18-Volt's stage. She watches her son and his friend eating cake. In Game and Wario, she has a more major role as the main obstacle in the âGamerâ minigame. In ''
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS ...
'' and ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'', she appears as a stage hazard in the Gamer stage. She appears again in ''
WarioWare Gold
''WarioWare Gold'' is a minigame compilation co-developed by Nintendo EPD and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS family of video game consoles. The ninth installment in the ''WarioWare'' series, it was released ...
'' with her own microgames that are all based on Nintendo games, just like 9-Volt's and 18-Volt's. She is voiced by
Cristina Vee
Cristina Danielle Valenzuela (born July 11, 1987), known by her stage name Cristina Vee, is an American voice actress and voice director. She provides voices for English dubs of anime, animation, and video games.
Vee's roles in anime include ...
in ''Gold'' and
Ruriko Aoki
is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Atomic Monkey. She voiced Riina Tada in ''The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls'', for which she received a top-ten charting single. She also voiced Ranra in ''The World Is Still Beautiful'', Yucho La in ''Id ...
in the Japanese version.
* is a young
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
fanatic, owning everything ever made by Nintendo. 9-Volt's microgames are all based on Nintendo games. He is voiced by
Melissa Hutchison in ''Gold'' and
Makoto Koichi
is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Stay Luck. Starting off as a stage performer, she began voice acting in numerous video games and anime series, with her first main role being in the game ''Toys Drive''.
Biography
Koichi was born in Na ...
in the Japanese version.
* is 9-Volt's best friend, and is also a fan of video games. He is large, but despite his size, he goes to Diamond Elementary School, as does 9-Volt. His other defining trait is the boom box he always carries; his loud music gets him into trouble on his first day of school, although he soon finds an admirer in 9-Volt. He is voiced by Edward Bosco in ''Gold'' and
Subaru Kimura
, known professionally as , is a German-Japanese actor and rapper. His best-known role is voicing Takeshi Goda in the ''Doraemon'' series, which has spawned numerous specials.
Biography
Kimura was born in Blankenburg (Harz) and raised in Japan ...
in the Japanese version.
* is a 15 year-old
witch
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...
-in-training, who lives in a haunted mansion in Diamond City with a little demon named Red. She has long black hair in two long ponytails. Ashley makes a cameo appearance in ''
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS ...
'' as an Assist Trophy character. Ashley also appears in ''
Super Mario Maker
is a 2015 side-scrolling platform game and game creation system developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U, released worldwide in September 2015. Players can create, play, and share courses online, free of charge, based on the styles ...
'' as an unlockable ''Mystery Mushroom'' costume. Ashley reprised her role as an Assist Trophy in ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
''. Ashley is voiced by
Erica Lindbeck
Erica Lindbeck (born May 29, 1992) is an American voice actress known for her work with Bang Zoom!, Studiopolis, and NYAV Post in voicing characters in English-dubbed anime and video games. She was the voice of the Barbie dolls and merchandis ...
in ''Gold'',
Yumi Yoshimura
is a Japanese singer, best known as a member of the pop duo PUFFY, along with Ami Onuki.
Early life and career
She was born in Neyagawa, Osaka, in 1975. She learned that there was a talent search underway in Tokyo. She successfully tried out ...
in the Japanese version, while Red is voiced by Tyler Shamy and Mako Muto in the Japanese version.
* and are two developers who speak with
Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
accents. They also work as
cabbies, and their
cab, which was designed by Dr. Crygor, has the ability to go anywhere. Dribble is a large
anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.
Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
bulldog
The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.[cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...]
. He is always squinting and wears goggles. Their levels generally involve picking up a weird customer and forgetting to ask for the fare. Dribble is voiced by
Kyle Hebert
Kyle Henry Hebert ( ) is an American voice actor and DJ who works for anime and video game series, such as the teenage/adult Gohan and the narrator in the Funimation dub of the ''Dragon Ball series'', SĆsuke Aizen in ''Bleach'', Ryu in the ...
in ''Gold'', Yuma Kametani in the Japanese version, while Spitz is voiced by Griffin Puatu and Kazuya Yamaguchi in the Japanese version.
* is a quirky scientist whose inventions include his
cryogenic suit, Mike, the karaoke robot that would "solve all his cleaning needs", the Super MakerMatic 21, and the Kelerometer diet machine. One of the character card descriptions in ''WarioWare Gold'' states that he is over 100 years old. He is the grandfather of Penny Crygor. In ''WarioWare: Touched'', Dr. Crygor accidentally gets caught in his latest invention and is younger and more fit, with red accents to his costume, as well as a full helmet. These changes remain for a part of ''WarioWare: Smooth Moves''. He is voiced by
Kyle Hebert
Kyle Henry Hebert ( ) is an American voice actor and DJ who works for anime and video game series, such as the teenage/adult Gohan and the narrator in the Funimation dub of the ''Dragon Ball series'', SĆsuke Aizen in ''Bleach'', Ryu in the ...
in ''Gold'' and Kensuke Matsui in the Japanese version.
*The are a strange, blocky, yellow species of creatures. They appear constantly throughout all the ''WarioWare'' games, both in microgames and cutscenes. 9-Volt apparently even keeps one of them as a pet, calling it "Shag." In addition to several varieties of yellow Fronk, there are also red and blue varieties; their faces vary individually from each other. 9-Volt's pet Fronk is voiced by
Todd Haberkorn
Todd Haberkorn is an American voice actor and director, who has dubbed in anime, films, and video games.
Career
While Haberkorn was working in theater, he joined Funimation as a voice actor, with minor roles in ''One Piece'', ''Black Cat'', a ...
in ''Gold''.
* is a man with a large blue afro wig, who is a
disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
dancing fanatic. Jimmy is always seen frequenting hot Diamond City night spots, particularly Club Sugar. His family, which also dances with him includes Papa T. and Mama T., and his brother and sister, James T. and Jamie T. He also has a doppelganger named Jimmy P. whose hair is a different color to his. Their levels often involve remixing the games from previous stages. He is voiced by Vegas Trip in ''Gold''.
* and are
kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...
-aged
ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enem ...
twins. Kat has pink hair with a single ponytail, while Ana has orange hair with two ponytails. They have four pets: Don the Sparrow, Shadow the Dog, Shuriken the Falcon, and Numchuck the Monkey. Kat & Ana make a cameo appearance in ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 List of crossovers in video games, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the Super Smash Bros., ''Super Smash ...
'' and ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U'' as Assist Trophy characters and regular trophies. Kat is voiced by
Stephanie Sheh
Stephanie Sheh is an American voice actress, ADR director, writer and producer who has worked for several major companies, including Cartoon Network and Sony. She is often involved with work in English dubs of anime, cartoons, video games and fi ...
in ''Gold'', Maya Enoyoshi in the Japanese version, while Ana was voiced by
Fryda Wolff
Fryda Wolff (born May 25, 1982) is an American voice actor.
Biography
Wolff attended Las Vegas Academy of the Arts High School during the same era as alumni Matthew Gray Gubler, Rutina Wesley, Baron Vaughn, and Ne-Yo. They identify as queer an ...
and Yui Matsuyama in the Japanese version.
* is a young girl who made her appearance in ''
WarioWare Gold
''WarioWare Gold'' is a minigame compilation co-developed by Nintendo EPD and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS family of video game consoles. The ninth installment in the ''WarioWare'' series, it was released ...
'' and ''
WarioWare: Get It Together!'', coming from an isolated town called Luxeville. Despite her age, she is very smart and brave, considering how she's able to battle Wario Deluxe. She seems to view herself as a hero of sorts, as supported by her saying "Lulu...the greatest hero ever.." in her sleep during one of the cutscenes. She is voiced by Alex Cazares.
* is a
karaoke
Karaoke (; ; , clipped compound of Japanese ''kara'' "empty" and ''Ćkesutora'' "orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone. The music i ...
robot
A robot is a machineâespecially one programmable by a computerâcapable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be c ...
made by Dr. Crygor. Despite being a robot built for karaoke, the slightly mad doctor programs him to be a cleaning robot. Eventually, Mike overrides his cleaning program with his karaoke program by blowing on a pile of dust. He is voiced by
Robbie Daymond
Robert Daymond Howard (né Niles; born March 11, 1982) is an American voice actor who is mostly known for his roles in audiobooks, video games, and animation, best known for voicing Jesse Cosay in the second season of '' Infinity Train'', Spider ...
in ''Gold''.
* is a
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
student with different
part-time
Part-time can refer to:
* Part-time job, a job that has fewer hours a week than a full-time job
* Part-time student, a student, usually in higher education, who takes fewer course credits than a full-time student
* Part Time
Part Time (styliz ...
jobs in each game. Mona is quite adventurous, cheerful and culturally savvy. She always seems to be late to wherever she is going, often speeds on her scooter to make up for lost time, and uses the assistance of her animal companions to stop anyone trying to slow her down. Her former occupations include working at a gelato shop,
pizza delivery
Pizza delivery is a service in which a pizzeria or pizza chain Delivery (commerce), delivers a pizza to a customer. An order is typically made either by telephone, or over the internet, in which the customer can request pizza type and size, a ...
girl on Mona Pizza,
bassist
A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a Bass (instrument), bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), synthbass, keyboar ...
,
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
cheerleader, and a temple explorer. Also, Mona has a crush on Wario. She is voiced by
Stephanie Sheh
Stephanie Sheh is an American voice actress, ADR director, writer and producer who has worked for several major companies, including Cartoon Network and Sony. She is often involved with work in English dubs of anime, cartoons, video games and fi ...
in ''Gold''.
* is an intelligent alien. He has an
IQ of 300. The instruction manual for ''WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!'' and ''WarioWare Gold'' both imply that Orbulon was born in the year 0. Orbulon first wishes to conquer Earth, but after crash-landing on the planet, he settles into life on Earth and ends his mission of conquest. He is voiced by
Robbie Daymond
Robert Daymond Howard (né Niles; born March 11, 1982) is an American voice actor who is mostly known for his roles in audiobooks, video games, and animation, best known for voicing Jesse Cosay in the second season of '' Infinity Train'', Spider ...
in ''Gold''.
* is the granddaughter of Dr. Crygor and dreams of becoming a great scientist. Her stage in ''WarioWare Gold'' reveals that she also has a hidden desire to become a singer. Penny sees her grandfather as an excellent scientist, though she also recognizes his eccentric nature. She is voiced by
Fryda Wolff
Fryda Wolff (born May 25, 1982) is an American voice actor.
Biography
Wolff attended Las Vegas Academy of the Arts High School during the same era as alumni Matthew Gray Gubler, Rutina Wesley, Baron Vaughn, and Ne-Yo. They identify as queer an ...
in ''Gold''.
* is a character that has his own game in almost every ''WarioWare'' title, each one varying in style. The original ''Pyoro'' game is Wario's inspiration to found WarioWare, Inc.. Pyoro resembles a round red bird with a white belly, short wings, and a very stretchy tongue. Pyoro 2 (from the GBA version) is the only game where Pyoro is yellow with a tail. Pyoro also appears as a title character in ''Bird & Beans'', the DSi re-release.
* is first introduced in ''
WarioWare: Smooth Moves''. He has flowing black hair with white streaks and a blue outfit. He practices martial arts and trains with his master, Master Mantis, in the hopes of becoming a kung-fu master. Young Cricket is voiced by
Robbie Daymond
Robert Daymond Howard (né Niles; born March 11, 1982) is an American voice actor who is mostly known for his roles in audiobooks, video games, and animation, best known for voicing Jesse Cosay in the second season of '' Infinity Train'', Spider ...
in ''Gold'', while Master Mantis is voiced by Owen Thomas.
Minor characters
* is a female teenager who appears in 18-Volt's stage from ''
WarioWare Gold
''WarioWare Gold'' is a minigame compilation co-developed by Nintendo EPD and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS family of video game consoles. The ninth installment in the ''WarioWare'' series, it was released ...
''. She steals a kid's video games, but 18-Volt gives them back after beating 13-Amp in a rap battle. 13-Amp is voiced by
Cristina Vee
Cristina Danielle Valenzuela (born July 11, 1987), known by her stage name Cristina Vee, is an American voice actress and voice director. She provides voices for English dubs of anime, animation, and video games.
Vee's roles in anime include ...
.
*4.1 and 4.2 are Mona's two wolflike pets who made their first appearance in ''
WarioWare: Touched!'' (2004). 4.1 and 4.2 only appear during Mona's story. When Vanessa sics The Dinosaurs, other members of her band, in their hawk-like plane on Mona when she travels to the Hawt House, they steal Art, a member of Mona's band, from her van. Pizza Joe comes in, along with her three other animals, to reclaim him. Unfortunately, Mona's animals fail miserably. Joe then distracts The Dinosaurs long enough for 4.1 and 4.2 to come in and use their soccer ball launcher on the Dinosaurs plane. Sadly, even they were unable to save Art from the Dinosaurs. 4.1 and 4.2 have not been seen since.
* is a robot who appears in ''
WarioWare Gold
''WarioWare Gold'' is a minigame compilation co-developed by Nintendo EPD and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS family of video game consoles. The ninth installment in the ''WarioWare'' series, it was released ...
'' that was created by Dr. Crygor before Mike. While on an expedition in Agate Forest, they encounter her and Doris 1 chases Dr. Crygor for abandoning her. After that, they take her back to Dr. Crygor's Lab, where she is forgiven.
* is the owner of the Sweet Spot Bakery that
Wario
is a fictional character in Nintendo's ''Mario'' series, designed as an arch-rival to Mario. He first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy game '' Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins'' as the main antagonist and final boss. His name is a portmanteau ...
visits in the game ''
WarioWare: Touched!'' (2004). After the dentist Dr. Payne told Wario to stay away from all sweets, (since he got a cavity from eating too many sweets) he left the Dental Clinic and picked up the scent from the bakery. Ignoring what the dentist said, Wario asked Bridget the Baker to give him 10 pies. After a few bites Wario got another cavity and the pain sent him all the way to the Dental Clinic. While he flew away, Bridget bid him goodbye with a friendly "Thank you, come again."
* is a demon who appears in ''
WarioWare Gold
''WarioWare Gold'' is a minigame compilation co-developed by Nintendo EPD and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS family of video game consoles. The ninth installment in the ''WarioWare'' series, it was released ...
'' who makes a monster very hungry. According to Red, he is never satisfied, mean and breathes fire. After being defeated by Ashley, he changes into a different person. His name is a play on the word "hungry".
* is an anthropomorphic beagle who made his first appearance in ''
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!'' (2004). He usually appears alongside Mona, often as a co-worker. Like Mona, he has several occupations throughout the series, such as a gelato shop worker and clothing store owner. He is voiced by
Kyle Hebert
Kyle Henry Hebert ( ) is an American voice actor and DJ who works for anime and video game series, such as the teenage/adult Gohan and the narrator in the Funimation dub of the ''Dragon Ball series'', SĆsuke Aizen in ''Bleach'', Ryu in the ...
in ''Gold''.
* is a pop singer from ''
WarioWare: Touched!'', her main appearance being as the antagonist of Mona's story, Cute Cuts.
* is Diamond City's popular singer who made her first appearance in ''
WarioWare: Twisted!'' (2004). She appears during Mona's storyline as the singer for Mona Pizza's commercial.
Other games
Wario has starred in puzzle games such as ''
Mario & Wario'' and ''
Wario's Woods
''Wario's Woods'' is a puzzle video game, puzzle video game developed by TEC and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in Japan and North America in 1994 and Europe in 1995. A spin-off of the ''Mario (franchi ...
'' (the latter of which he was featured as the main antagonist while
Toad
Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands.
A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scientif ...
took the role as the main hero), as well as crossing over into the
Bomberman
is a video game franchise originally developed by Hudson Soft and currently owned by Konami. The original game, also known as ''Bakudan Otoko'' (''çćŒŸç·''), was released in Japan in July 1983 and has since spawned multiple sequels and sp ...
universe with ''
Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman!'' (1994).
Appearances in other game series
Wario is a playable character in the ''
Super Smash Bros.'' series, having appeared since ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 List of crossovers in video games, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the Super Smash Bros., ''Super Smash ...
''. His default outfit in these games is his motorcyclist outfit as seen in the ''WarioWare'' games, although he can also wear his classic overalls. He can transform into Wario-Man after obtaining a Smash Ball. His motorcycle is used as one of his special attacks. Kat and Ana also make appearances as an Assist Trophy. In ''Brawl'', many stickers also represent ''WarioWare, Inc.'' â in addition to all of the above appearing as stickers and trophies, there are stickers of other ''WarioWare'' characters. Also, there is a ''WarioWare'' stage, named WarioWare, Inc., based on the Variety Tower location from ''
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!'' with several different microgames that run in the background, one of which features Jimmy T. Completing the tasks set by the games awards power-ups like invincibility or growth. This stage also features Ashley's Song, Mike's Theme and Mona Pizza's Song as background music. All three are featured in Japanese and English.
In the game's ''Adventure Mode'', he is in league with the Subspace Army. Wario is once again playable in
''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U'', however he now appears as unlockable, instead of being available from the start as in the previous game. The 3DS version retains the WarioWare, Inc. stage from ''Brawl'', while the Wii U version has a stage based on the ''Gamer'' sub-game in ''
Game & Wario
''Game & Wario'' is a 2013 party video game developed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems and published for the Wii U console, named after LCD Game & Watch titles. It is the eighth installment in the ''WarioWare'' series and part of the larger ...
''. Ashley, another character from ''WarioWare'', is also included as an Assist Trophy in ''
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS ...
'', and ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'', and a downloadable Mii costume in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U''.
The Alien Bunnies from Orbulon's stage in ''Mega Microgame$'' make an appearance in ''
Rhythm Tengoku'', a game developed by the same team, and also make brief appearances in its sequel, ''
Rhythm Heaven
''Rhythm Heaven'', known as ''Rhythm Paradise'' in Europe and ''Rhythm World'' in Korea, is a Japanese rhythm video game developed by Nintendo SPD for the Nintendo DS. It is the second game in Nintendo's ''Rhythm Heaven'' series and the first on ...
''. A later sequel, ''
Rhythm Heaven Megamix
''Rhythm Heaven Megamix'', known in Europe and Australia as ''Rhythm Paradise Megamix'', and in Japan as and ''Rhythm World: The Best Plus'' in Korea, is a rhythm game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the fourth g ...
'' features two unlockable challenges called "Wario...Where?" that remix several of the minigames to feature characters from the ''WarioWare'' series.
Notes
References
{{Main franchises by Nintendo
Video game franchises
Nintendo franchises
Video games about witchcraft
Video game franchises introduced in 1994
WarioWare