Microgame

The microgame Gold Digger from WarioWare Gold

9-Volt's microgame grid in WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!

Microgames are simple, short minigames that are the core part of the WarioWare series. They additionally appear in its spiritual predecessor Mario Artist: Polygon Studio. Their name comes from "minigame" and the prefix "micro-."

Microgames are mostly created by the fictional company WarioWare, Inc., and these games have extremely stripped-down gameplay. For the most part microgames have the player perform one action or linked set of actions. A microgame starts with a quick one or two word instruction (such as "Eat!" or "Rub!") to prompt the player. For example, The Legend of Zelda is a microgame where all the player has to do is move Link to a cave entrance using the directional buttons. Its prompt is "Enter!". Another example is Crazy Cars, which requires the player to make Wario jump over a single car. Its prompt is "Dodge!". Microgames often have a random element; The Legend of Zelda's random element is the position of the cave. Compared to minigames from other series, such as those of the Mario Party series, a microgame is very simple. Starting with WarioWare: Get It Together!, the command for each microgame is voiced by an announcer.

Microgames usually have time limits, which are generally less than five seconds long. However, because microgames can be played at variable speeds, the true measure of that time limit is in beats. A standard microgame is 8 beats long, or 4 seconds at normal speed. The average length of a microgame has been suggested by Nintendo to be five seconds, when in reality it is only four. The timer is depicted as a "bomb". It appears in the lower left of the screen when time is low, with its fuse extending to the right. The fuse runs down on the game's final beats, and the bomb explodes to conclude the microgame. Once time is up, the player has either succeeded at or failed the microgame.

Microgames are associated with the catchphrase "instant action". It been used to describe WarioWare series games in WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!, WarioWare Gold, and WarioWare: Get It Together!

Games of the WarioWare series are divided into stages. The goal of a stage is to play (not necessarily complete) a specific number of microgames of a particular grouping, with the number of microgames that are played being the score. The standard grouping used is all of the microgames that a fictional character created, with that character being the stage's host. Microgames are chosen at random, with some rules regarding their order. Each time the player fails a microgame, they lose a life. Losing all lives results in a Game Over, forcing the player to start over. After beating a stage for the first time, the stage can be replayed with the goal of playing as many microgames as possible before running out of lives.

Microgames come in three main types, classified by the condition required to clear them. Some games require the player to accomplish a task within a limited amount of time. If they do the action presented, a sound bite plays to signify the game's completion; this is usually heard just before the timer runs out and may continue through the return to the score screen. Other games require the player to instead survive so that something does not happen before the timer runs out, with the sound bite playing after the score screen returns. Finally, there are boss microgames (referred to as Boss Games in WarioWare Gold), which always occur at set points in a stage. Boss microgames are more complex than normal microgames, sometimes featuring multiple phases with different actions, and they lack a time limit. All stages have at least one boss microgame, and that boss microgame must be won to finish a stage for the first time. The boss microgame appears as the final microgame of the initial playthrough, and failing to complete it causes it to reappear without incrementing the score. On later playthroughs of a stage the microgame does not reappear if failed, and if the player wins they regain a life they previously lost.

Additionally, the WarioWare series features several deviations from the normal classifications of microgames. Some microgames last twice as long, either because their actions require more thought to perform or because they are more difficult than other games. Standard microgames of this group last sixteen beats, or eight seconds at normal speed. Some microgames are instead extremely short, lasting just four beats or two seconds at normal speed and generally prioritizing the player's reaction speed. Multiplayer microgames are used to determine who goes first in a multiplayer game or to settle a tie. Several microgames are failed if the player does anything, meaning the only way to win is to not act at all.

As the player plays more microgames in a stage, the microgames get more difficult in one of two ways. A "Speed Up!" message means all following microgames will run faster, increasing their BPM. This makes it harder to perform the relevant action(s), or even recognize what action has to be performed. In all WarioWare games except for WarioWare: D.I.Y. and WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase, a "Level Up" message indicates the microgames will increase in complexity. All microgames have three levels, with the first level being the most basic and the following second and third levels being more difficult through methods such as adding extra obstacles, adding decoy items which cannot be used to complete the microgame, increasing the variance, or reducing the size of a key item. Level Ups usually appear after playing a boss microgame, and as such usually do not appear during the initial playthrough of a stage. A Level Up resets the speed of the microgames to normal. Once the third level of microgames is reached, subsequent Level Ups are usually replaced by Speed Up!s.

WarioWare series games usually also include a mode where the player can replay any microgame they have encountered in normal gameplay. Playing every microgame, and thus unlocking every microgame for this mode, is often one of the game's goals. The microgames are by default sorted in alphabetical order, though boss microgames are always listed last and usually are distinguished from normal microgames visually. In this mode, the player plays.a "pseudo-stage" with the usual rules on lives but only using a chosen microgame. Boss microgames do not grant lives in this mode. The three levels of the microgame are played on loop, and every third microgame played increases the speed of all successive microgames. Speed Up!s and Level Ups messages do not appear even though both values are changing. WarioWare games excluding WarioWare: Smooth Moves, WarioWare: D.I.Y., WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase, Game & Wario and WarioWare: Move It! give each microgame a specific score, and the player can earn some kind of credit for reaching or exceeding that score in this mode. Doing so for every microgame is often another one of the game's goals. The longer and more difficult the microgame, the lower this minimum score usually is, with boss microgames usually having rather low minimums. Similarly, easier and shorter microgames usually have higher minimum scores. The exclusive multiplayer microgames from Mega Party Game$! do not have these minimum scores.

In Game & Wario, 22 microgames appear in 9-Volt's "Gamer" minigame, two of which (Gold Digger and Sole Man) return from Mega Microgame$!

WarioWare: Get It Together! introduces the mechanic of controlling various characters in the WarioWare series within the microgames and using their unique abilities to beat them. Some microgames will also be changed depending on the character. It also introduces a woman's voice that announces the command before every microgame.

Outside of the WarioWare series, microgames are used in the WarioWare, Inc. stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. If a player wins the microgame, they are rewarded with item effects, including growing (Super Mushrooms) and becoming invincible (Super Stars).

In Mario Party Advance, the term "microgame" can be applied to any small challenge given in that game's quests. As such, the microgames there may vary widely in style, purpose, and simplicity; completing a microgame typically rewards the player with a Gaddget.

Microgame themes

Microgames in the WarioWare series are typically assigned to stages based on a specific theme. WarioWare Inc.'s employees will usually create microgames around themes that they find interesting, and nearly all of them have signature themes that they follow in multiple titles.

Most stages in Twisted!, Touched!, Smooth Moves, and Snapped! are themed around variations of the title's main control scheme. Most of these titles were released early into the lifespan of their respective hardware, and were intended to show the new gimmicks off. Despite this, these titles retain themes listed in italics below, with multiple control variations.

Officially named microgame themes include:

• Intro Games: These microgames are generally simple, meant to introduce the game's mechanics. This is one of Wario's two signature themes, and typically involve him in some way.
• Sports: Microgames themed around various activities recognized as sports in the real world. It is the signature theme for Jimmy T, though it is also used by Dr. Crygor and Young Cricket & Master Mantis in WarioWare Gold.
• Fantasy (Sci-Fi prior to WarioWare Gold): Microgames with fantastical elements such as magic, space, and monsters, or are generally unrealistic. Some microgames in this theme also involve concepts based in feudal Japan, such as ninjas and samurai. It is the signature theme for Dribble & Spitz, though it is also used by Ashley & Red and Orbulon in WarioWare Gold.
• That's Life (Strange prior to WarioWare Gold): These microgames commonly depict normal everyday things, sometimes in a strange manner, or otherwise involve concepts that do not fit under any other theme. It is the signature theme for Mona, though it is also used by Penny and Kat & Ana in WarioWare Gold.
• Nintendo Classics (Spintendo Classics in WarioWare: Twisted!; Retro Action in WarioWare: Touched!; The Multiplayer Test in WarioWare: Smooth Moves; Nintendo in WarioWare: D.I.Y.): Microgames based on games and products developed or published by Nintendo. It is the signature theme for 9-Volt, 18-Volt, and 5-Volt. With the exception of Snapped!, every title has at least one game based on the Super Mario franchise.
• IQ: Microgames with extended timers. Microgames of this nature typically involve making the player think (hence the name) or objectives that take longer to complete. It is the signature theme for Orbulon. Starting in Touched!, this theme has dissipated and microgames of this nature can be found in nearly every set. Despite this, a dedicated set still appears in D.I.Y., with some games now lasting the standard amount of time.
• Reality: Microgames containing photorealistic graphics. Despite the name, these microgames are not necessarily more realistic than others. This theme only appears in Mega Microgame$! and Mega Party Game$!, where it is hosted by Dr. Crygor.
• Nature: Microgames themed around animals and plants. In D.I.Y. Showcase, only animal-themed games are present. It is the signature theme for Kat & Ana.
• Pop-Up: These microgames only appear in Twisted! and Gold, and have particularly short time limits. It is the signature theme for Fronk. Similar to Intro Games and Anything Goes, these games always include Fronk or the Fronks.
• Mic: Exclusive to Touched! and Gold, these microgames involve blowing into the microphone on the Nintendo DS/3DS. It is the signature theme for Mike.
• Food: Microgames themed around various food items and related things. It is the signature theme for Ashley.
• High Tech: Microgames themed around modern and futuristic technology. It is Dr. Crygor's theme in Get It Together!, replacing the Reality theme.
• Culture: These microgames are themed around landmarks, cultural items and traditions from around the real world. It is Orbulon's theme in Get It Together!, replacing the IQ theme.
• Anything Goes (All Good in WarioWare: Smooth Moves): Wario's second signature theme also involves him in every microgame; otherwise, they have nothing in common. These microgames usually insert Wario into one of the other themes, and are meant to be the most challenging of all. In later games, this set is listed under an alternate form or copy of Wario, though the original is the one who developed them.

Lists of microgames

• WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! and Mega Party Game$! - 213 microgames
• WarioWare: Twisted! - 223 microgames
• WarioWare: Touched! - 192 microgames (One returning, one Japanese-only, one international-only)
• WarioWare: Smooth Moves - 205 microgames
• WarioWare: Snapped! - 20 microgames
• WarioWare: D.I.Y. - 116 microgames (Two returning, two Japanese-only, two international-only)
• WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase - 78 microgames (Two Japanese-only, two international-only)
• WarioWare: D.I.Y./D.I.Y. Showcase downloadable microgames - 153 microgames (101 Weekly Games, 52 Big Name Games)
• Game & Wario - 22 microgames (Two returning)
• WarioWare Gold - 316 microgames (262 returning)
• WarioWare: Get It Together! - 222 microgames (Four returning)
• WarioWare: Move It! - 223 microgames (Two returning)

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	プチゲーム[?] Puchi Gēmu	Petit Game
French	Micro-jeu[?]	Microgame
German	Mikrospiel[?]	Microgame
Italian	Minigioco[?]	Minigame
Korean	미니게임[?] Mini Game	Mini Game
Spanish	Microjuego[?]	Microgame