WarioWare Gold, the latest release in the offbeat Nintendo series that takes the expression ‘a quick game is a good game’ to its most literal extreme, is a greatest hits slab with substantial appeal for newcomers. It’s just a shame that its assortment of rehashed ‘microgames’ and disappointingly mixed bag of unlockables combine for an overall package that feels all too familiar for existing fans.
As with previous entries in the series, the core gameplay of WarioWare Gold is a breakneck succession of gameplay microgames that put your reaction times to the test. This relentless think-quick shtick finds mirth in otherwise mundane tasks and distills classic Nintendo games down to a few frames of fun, with 3-5 second microgames that are separated into three main types: mash, which is button-based; twist, which uses the 3DS’ built-in gyro-sensor; and touch, which requires tapping and swiping of the stylus. (There are also a few microphone-based games, but they all ultimately amount to just blowing air as hard as you can.)
