Wario: Master of Disguise

Template:Infobox Wario: Master of Disguise is a platform game developed by Suzak for the Nintendo DS. It is the first Wario platform title since Wario World, and the seventh Wario platform game overall. This game returns to the franchise's traditional 2D style, as Wario World was designed in 3D. It is also the franchise's first and only Wario platform title launched for the Nintendo DS. The game sees Wario getting sucked into a television show, where he seeks to overtake a famous phantom thief, Count Cannoli, as the world's greatest thief. He receives the ability to transform into eight different disguises, each one serving a unique purpose for specific levels. The Japanese title refers to Wario's transformations, with the exception of the first one: Thief Wario, as this disguise is his standard form.

The game was later released for the Wii U's Virtual Console.

Storyline

While channel surfing for treasure leads on a listless day, Wario accidentally stumbles upon a television show starring future rival Count Cannoli, a.k.a. The Silver Zephyr. Although he is quick to insult the show's premise, Wario is secretly extremely jealous of this master thief and his wand Goodstyle and the riches he has accumulated. Not to be outdone, Wario dashes off to his secret headquarters (his back room) and constructs the Telmet. With this new device in tow, and an insatiable lust for treasure, Wario enters the television and makes his big screen debut.

Upon entering this new world, Wario inadvertently crash lands on Count Cannoli himself. The impact forces Cannoli to drop his wand. Wario, quick to snatch his first piece of treasure, immediately recovers the wand. Upon seeing this, Cannoli demands that Wario return his wand, as it is the source of his power. Wario is quick to inform Cannoli that he will never be getting his wand back, as Wario is having far too much fun waving it about in the air. However upon doing this, the wand begins to speak, revealing that the wand is a being of its own, known as Goodstyle. Goodstyle, with no harsh feelings towards Wario, informs him of the many capabilities that he possesses and how Wario, who Goodstyle refers to as "master", much to Wario's pleasure, can use these capabilities to his advantage. After a quick lesson about how to use him, Goodstyle transforms Wario into a master thief, the silent, but deadly Purple Wind.

Through this new persona, Wario begins a race around the world, along with rival Count Cannoli to collect all the pieces of the infamous Wishstone, believed to grant the wishes of the one who possesses it in its entirety. Throughout their adventures, Wario and Cannoli also run into master thief Carpaccio, who is also in search of the Wishstone fragments. Wario, whose wish is to own all the treasures and riches of the world, stops at nothing and manages to gather all five pieces of the Wishstone through the help of Count Cannoli (who recognizes Wario as the superior criminal) and the mysterious masked maiden known only as Tiaramisu. Wario, Cannoli, and Tiaramisu manage to assemble the Wishstone in its entirety, only to have Tiaramisu reveal to them a secret. It is revealed that Tiaramisu is actually a demon known as Terrormisu who was trapped within the Wishstone, and through its reassembling was now free to reign over this world. This doesn't settle well with Wario, who is furious about the Wishstone not granting his wish for treasure. In a fit of rage, Wario and Goodstyle take Terrormisu on and after a heated battle, emerge victorious.

Terrormisu is then banished into an alternate dimension where she can threaten the world no longer. It is then revealed that Goodstyle is actually the first member of the Cannoli clan who enlisted Wario to tackle the foreboding threat of Terrormisu. Wario, feeling used and cheated, expresses his rage and discontent to Goodstyle. Goodstyle quickly informs Wario that through his accomplishments, he has earned the vast amount of treasure and riches that the Cannoli clan has accumulated throughout the generations. Wario agrees to this arrangement and the player is then treated to a clip of Wario being showered with treasure. Wario, content with the events that transpired, resolves to head back to the real world with his treasure.

However, upon returning to the real world, it is revealed that the Telmet only teleported Wario to the real world, not his treasure. Upon seeing Cannoli coming across his treasure on the television, Wario slips into a fit of disbelief and resolves to re-enter the television to collect his earnings.

Gameplay

The overall gameplay uses all of the features of the Nintendo DS. The handheld's is the primary source of gameplay, as it is used to change Wario's current disguise into a new one. Each disguise has its own command that must be drawn in order to transform Wario. All disguises have special abilities that use different enhancements of the Nintendo DS. The standard controls of the game can be played entirely with either the or the system's face buttons. Wario's gameplay is seen on the bottom screen, while the Telmet displays the HUD on the top screen. The Telmet shows the map of the location Wario is in. The location's map is divided into different rooms. Glowing blue dots on the map marks where doors are. Rooms completely filled yellow signal a special chest (purple or green) is located there. Red-filled rooms mark where the boss battle of that episode will take place. Above the map is a timer that tracks how much time Wario takes in the episode. The Telmet also displays eight icons with the symbol for each of Wario's disguises. The number next to these icons symbolize what level each disguise is on in terms of upgrading. In the middle of the top screen below the map is Wario's money total from that episode. Below the money total is another icon, which displays the symbol of Wario's current disguise. Lastly, the Telmet displays Wario's health in the form of hearts. The amount of hearts Wario has can be upgraded in Vita Mighty mini-games. Along with platforming, there are also minigames (much like WarioWare) that must be beaten to win treasures that are added to Wario's loot. These include a sliding puzzle, connect the dots, matching, exterminating cockroaches, and several others.

Standard controls

• / right: Move right
• left: Move left
• : Move left or right (depending on which direction Wario is facing)
• / down: Crouch
• / up: Jump
• : Enter in desired command to change Wario's disguise

Special controls

Thief Wario:

• Draw a check mark on Wario with : Transform into Thief Wario
• Tap the Touch Screen with : Tackle

Cosmic Wario:

• Draw a circle around Wario's head with : Transform into Cosmic Wario
• Tap the Touch Screen with : Fire laser beams

Arty Wario:

• Draw a "canvas symbol" (square with a line going from the bottom left corner to the top right corner) around Wario with : Transform into Arty Wario
• Draw a square with : Build a block
• Draw a heart shape with : Create a heart to replenish health
• Draw a square with a diagonal going from the top left corner to the bottom right corner with : Creates a warp door (links to hat switches)
• Draw anything but the two mentioned commands: Creates a walking piece of feces

Genius Wario:

• Draw a magnifying lens (circle with a line through the middle) on Wario's body: Transform into Genius Wario
• Tap the Touch Screen with : Activate Genius Wario's punching glove

Sparky Wario:

• Draw a lightning bolt over Wario with : Transform into Sparky Wario
• Tap the Touch Screen with : Create light in a dark room, destroy enemies, or activate broken machinery

Captain Wario:

• Draw a prow (backwards C) shape on Wario's stomach with : Transform into Captain Wario
• Draw a line to the left or right with : Speed up Captain Wario's paddling
• Tap the Touch Screen with : Shoot torpedoes

Dragon Wario:

• Draw a tail from Wario's backside with : Transform into Dragon Wario
• Tap the Touch Screen with : Breathe fire

Wicked Wario

• Draw a wing on Wario's back with : Transform into Wicked Wario
• Blow into : Fly straight up

Minigames

• Lotsa Dots
• Zappy Path
• Traced Memories
• Trash It
• Roach Smash
• Trick Slider
• Wario's Ladder
• Color Me Happy

Characters

Wario's Disguises

Image	Disguise	Description
	Wario	An undisguised Wario is briefly played as in the game's first level. He is used for the tutorial that transforms him into Thief Wario.
	Thief Wario	Thief Wario is the first disguise Wario earns in the game. This disguise is activated when a check mark is drawn on Wario's back. Thief Wario is able to jump higher and run faster than all other disguises. Additionally, he has a tackle attack that can be used to bash enemies.
	Cosmic Wario	Cosmic Wario is activated when a circle is drawn around Wario's head. He is able to shoot lasers at enemies and at blocks to reveal new doors and pathways. Cosmic Wario's jump is the slowest out of all disguises.
	Arty Wario	The third disguise obtained is Arty Wario and is activated when a square, divided diagonally into two, is drawn over Wario. As Arty Wario, Wario is able to draw up to three boxes that he can stack to reach higher areas and hearts to replenish health. He is also able to create doors that bring him back to the last save point. The boxes he draws can also activate switches to open doors. Arty Wario, however, is unable to move.
	Genius Wario	Genius Wario is activated when a magnifying lens is drawn over Wario's face. He can see invisible (otherwise inaccessible) doors, platforms, passages and switches. Additionally, Genius Wario has an extended punching glove that can destroy enemies and breakable blocks. This glove can also activate switches on the wall.
	Sparky Wario	Sparky Wario is activated when a lightning bolt is drawn over Wario's body. He can create light in dark rooms, reactivate broken machinery, and destroy enemies with his shock ability.
	Captain Wario	When a ship's prow is drawn on Wario's stomach, he becomes Captain Wario. He has the ability to row across surfaces of water and become a submarine when submerged under the surface. While submerged, Captain Wario can shoot torpedoes to destroy enemies or blocks.
	Dragon Wario	Wario's dragon disguise is activated when a triangular tail is drawn from Wario's backside. He can breathe fire to destroy enemies or blocks with a flame symbol. Additionally, he is able to safely swim in lava. Dragon Wario, however, breaks through thin surfaces on the floor due to his weight.
	Wicked Wario	The final disguise of the game is Wicked Wario, who is activated upon drawing a wing from Wario's back. Wicked Wario has the ability to fly. When approaching the ground after flight, he slowly descends until he lands on his feet.

Enemies

Normal enemies

Image	Name	Description	Episode(s)
	Amphibigun	Amphibiguns grow from the walls and shoot slow-moving bullets from their mouths.	Episode 10
	Battle Salmon	Battle Salmon are underwater creatures that aim themselves at Wario, causing him damage and themselves to self-destruct.	Episodes 3 and 7
	Blamses	Blamseses are golden cannons that shoot projectiles at Wario.	Episode 5
	Blow Globe	Blow Globes are spherical, floating creatures that reveal their mouths when Wario approaches. They shoot at snowflakes. When defeated, their residue can help grow Sipping Stalks.	Episode 4
	Bombat	Bombats are bat creatures that ignore Wario until he harms then. Upon being attacked, they blow up, damaging Wario.	Episodes 5, 7, and 8
	Buffy the Dolphin	Buffy the Dolphins are muscular dolphins that release yellow orbs of harmful energy by flexing.	Episode 8
	Cyborca	Cyborcas are whale-like robots that attack Wario by shooting orange balls at him.	Episode 7
	DaVincheese	DaVincheeses are mice-like enemies that attempt to bite Wario.	Episode 2 and Special Episode 1
	Dave	Daves are invincible police dogs. They fight Wario in a boxer-like style. Wario's attacks only temporarily stun them.	Episode 3
	Fluffy the Dolphin	Fluffy the Dolphins are dolphin enemies that aide Stuffy the 64th in his battle against Wario. They jump out of the water and shoot yellow orbs at Wario.	Episode 8
	Galley Cat	Galley Cats are waiter-themed felines. Their method of attack is throwing plates of food at Wario.	Episode 1 and Special Episode 1
	Gooey	Gooeys are ghost enemies whose heads separates from its bodies. They send smaller versions of themselves to attack Wario.	Episode 8
	Horkus Porkus	Horkus Porkuses are ancient Egyptian-like statues that slowly rise up into the air to attack Wario.	Episode 3
	Jack the Knife	Jack the Knives are animated knives. They are about as big as Wario and shoot out from tables to attack him.	Episode 2
	K9 Cannon	K9 Cannons are ancient Egyptian-like dogs that rest on the floor. They act as cannons by shooting small orange orbs in the direction of Wario.	Episode 5
	Lurchin	Lurchins are underwater creatures that resemble sea urchins. They swim in slow patterns and cause Wario harm if contact is made.	Episode 3 6
	Mellow Kitty	Mellow Kitties are feline creatures encompassed in a teal ball. Their attack on Wario is consuming him. Wario can escape their grasp if the player taps on them with the stylus.	Episode 9
	Mr. Cheeky	Mr. Cheekies are denture-wearing apes. Their attack on Wario is rather unconventional, as they pass gas in his direction, causing him damage.	Episode 4
	Munchelangelo	Munchelangelos are gray mice that attack Wario with a biting lunge. They are defeated after just one hit.	Episodes 1 and 2
	Nigel B. Whistlebottom	Nigel B. Whistlebottoms are museum watchmen. They have shields to protect themselves from Wario's frontal attacks. They also blow whistles when they spot Wario, summoning other security guard enemies.	Episode 3
	Noobis	Noobises are Egyptian statues with a head of a jackal. They slowly rise up towards Wario as an attempt to cause him damage. They are defeated by multiple jumps on the head.	Episode 3
	Officer Kicksworth	Officer Kicksworths are lanky museum watchmen who appear when a Nigel B. Whistlebottom blows his whistle. They fight Wario with a powerful kick that sends him flying backwards.	Episode 3
	Puffy the Dolphin	Puffy the Dolphins are a deceased dolphin species that wear an afro with sunglasses. They send hairballs from their afro, harming Wario if hit.	Episode 8
	Pushy Cat	Pushy Cats are feline bellhops that push carts with cardboard boxes. To attack Wario, they forcefully push their carts towards his direction.	Episodes 1, 2, and Special Episode 1
	Ramenses II	Ramenses II's are other Egyptian statues that represent a human. They levitate into the air and stomp below as a method of attack.	Episode 3
	Ratfael	Ratfaels are variants of Munchelangelos. They are orange and slightly stronger than Munchelangelos.	Episodes 2, 10, and Special Episode 1
	RoboUrchin	RoboUrchins are robotic variants of Lurchins that appear in groups of either two or three. They have no attack, but still cause Wario damage if he makes contact with them.	Episode 7
	Rolltergeist	Rolltergeists are rolls of bread that attack in groups. They attack by slowly rolling towards Wario.	Episode 8
	Sarcopha Guy	Sarcopha Guys are mummies encased in sarcophagi. They lunge out of their sarcophagus if Wario approaches them.	Episode 5
	Scare-Oh!	Scare-Oh!'s are ancient Egyptian lion statues. They prevent attacks from above by deploying spikes on their heads and they shoot purple orbs at Wario.	Episodes 3, 5, and 10
	Seed Weed	Seed Weeds are walking plants with a yellow head. They shoot seeds from their mouths, which quickly grow into more Seed Weeds.	Episode 6
	Sergeant Houndstooth	Sergeant Houndstooths are other variants of security guards. They are also summoned by Nigel B. Whistlebottom's call. They oversee Daves and command them to attack Wario.	Episode 3
	Sir Flap-A-Lot	Sir Flap-A-Lots are red robotic birds that breathe blue flames towards Wario.	Episode 8
	Sir Hop-A-Lot	Sir Hop-A-Lots are variants of Sir-Lance-A-Lots. They are green and bounce on pogo-sticks. If attacked, they will lose their pogo-sticks and act as standard Sir Lance-A-Lots.	Episodes 9 and 10
	Sir Lance-A-Lot	Sir Lance-A-Lots are lance-wielding robots that charge at Wario with their weapon. Their lances prevent frontal attacks.	Episode 3 4 7 9
	Sir Steal-A-Lot	Sir Steal-A-Lots are variants of Sir Worth-A-Lots that carry a sack over their shoulder. If Wario is spotted, they run away. If damaged, gems fall out of their bag until completely defeated.	Episodes 9 and 10
	Sir Worth-A-Lot	Sir Worth-A-Lots are golden variants of Sir Lance-A-Lots. They are the same as Sir Lance-A-Lots, except they can retain more damage.	Episodes 9 and 10
	Slaughterfork	Slaughterforks are giant forks that launch themselves from tables in an effort to damage Wario.	Episode 2
	Slithervine	Slithervines are aggressive plants. Their stem is a series of green spikes and their purple heads attack Wario.	Episode 4 6
	Snackeral	Snackerals are pink robotic fish. They appear in lava and, if they swim into Wario, they steal his Sweatmore Hotpants, causing him to take damage in the lava. If Wario loses these pants, nearby red chests become purple chests and reward him with a new pair.	Episode 7
	Snow Globe	Snow Globes are blue orbs that follow Wario if he is not looking in their direction. They grow larger by absorbing Wario's attacks.	Episode 4
	Sphinx Jr.	Sphinx Jr.'s are the little brothers of the Sphinx. They attack Wario by shooting cannons at him.	Episode 4
	Spoonatic	Spoonatics are spoon enemies that attack Wario by lunging from tables, similar to the other utensil-themed enemies of the game.	Episode 2
	Squabble	Squabbles are sea gulls that slowly fly towards Wario and bite him if close enough. They are sometimes found in groups.	Episode 1 and Special Episode 1
	Stankulus	Stankuluses are naked bronze statues with blonde hair. Their hair is their source of attack, as they shoot fire from it.	Episode 3
	Stuffy the 5th	Stuffy the 5th is a dolphin statue enemy. It shoots lasers from its mouth to attack Wario.	Episode 8
	Thorn Weed	Thorn Weeds are sub-species of Seed Weeds with spiky heads. These spikes are fired towards Wario in an attempt to harm him.	Episode 6
	Tooty Kamen	Tooty Kamens are another Egyptian statue enemy. Like the other ones, they slowly rise up in the air and attempt to crush Wario below.	Episode 3
	Treasure Pest	Treasure Pests appear as red treasure chests, but reveal their eye and attack when Wario approaches. They randomly replace a red treasure chest in each one of the episodes in which they appear. The treasures from the chests they replace cannot be obtained in the first playthrough, forcing the players to replay the episode if they wish to earn the rewards.	Episodes 3-6, and 8-10

Bosses

• Episode 1 - Mad Hat Mk. I
• Episode 2 - Mad Hat Mk. II
• Episode 3 - Sphinx (Riddle Challenge)
• Episode 4 - Head Honcho Carpaccio
• Episode 5 - Poobah the Pharaoh
• Episode 6 - Ka-Bloom!
• Episode 7 - Barfatronic Lavachomper
• Episode 8 - Stuffy the 64th
• Episode 9 - Mad Hat Mk. III (Mini-Boss) Carpaccio (Race)
• Episode 10 - Terrormisu

List of treasures

Main article: List of treasures in Wario: Master of Disguise

Records

The coffee-table book in Wario's TV room can be tapped on to access records of collected treasures, defeated enemies and minigames.

Treasures tab

This tab contains a record of all treasures collected throughout the game. It is divided into four unspecified categories. When the player taps on a treasure, its value and description are displayed. Depending on their value, the treasures can be represented with a tin, bronze or silver medal. Wishstone pieces also appear as treasures and are represented with gold medals.

Collecting all the treasure turns the book's pages into pink instead of yellow, and a medal with a stretched W on it appears in the bottom left corner of each page.

Enemies tab

This tab features a collection of enemies that have been defeated at least once. The player can tap on an enemy to read a description on it and see how many times they have defeated it. The list spreads on twenty pages; each boss is dedicated their own page, except for Stuffy the 64th who is shown alongside Fluffy the Dolphin.

Minigames tab

In this tab, the player can play the minigames found in treasure chests. To unlock a minigame or a variation of it (for example, a different model in Traced Memories), the player has to have encountered it at least once in the main game. Each minigame or individual variation features five difficulty levels; the first level is available at the start for all minigames, while the rest are unlocked by beating the previous level's score requirement. The player can obtain a bronze, silver or gold medal on each difficulty level based on their score, with the bronze medal being awarded for meeting the requirement needed to beat the level. However, the scores for the two other medals are not specified.

Catalog tab

Here, the player can view their records for each episode, such as their fastest time and top scores. There is also a crown in the bottom right corner which can be tapped on show the player's current amount of money and title.

Titles

As Wario acquires more treasure in episodes, he gains a different title, or rank, every time the total amount of money exceeds a certain amount.

• Over $50,000="Dabbler of Disguise"
• Over $100,000="Student of Disguise"
• Over $200,000="Champion of Disguise"
• Over $400,000="Paragon of Disguise"
• Over $700,000="Master of Disguise"
• Over $850,000="Mighty Master of Disguise"

There will also be a Wario statue that appears in the TV room for every title acquired.

Episodes

• Episode 1 - Whose Show Is This Anyway?!!
• Episode 2 - The Purple Wind Stinks Up the Ship!
• Episode 3 - The Sphinx Sits on a Secret!
• Episode 4 - A Third Thief Brings Grief!
• Episode 5 - Picking the Pharaoh's Brains!
• Episode 6 - A Flower That's Drunk Up Power!
• Episode 7 - Fouling Up the Whole Works!
• Episode 8 - When Dolphins Ruled the Earth!
• Episode 9 - More Shocking Than the Next Episode?
• Episode 10 - The Final Face-Off!
• Special Episode Part 1
• Special Episode Part 2
• Special Episode Part 3
• Special Episode Part 4
• Special Episode Part 5

Reception

Wario: Master of Disguise received generally mixed reception. Critics were generally complimentary of the creativity of the disguise mechanics, but criticized the unnecessary and imprecise implementation of the touch screen controls and the tedious and repetitive nature of the minigames.

Reviews
Release	Reviewer, Publication	Score	Verdict
Nintendo DS	Frank Provo, GameSpot	6.1/10	"When you weigh all the pros and cons, Wario: Master of Disguise is a passable puzzler that might tickle your fancy if you've felt deeply passionate about spatial puzzlers, such as The Lost Vikings or Exit, in the past. However, keep in mind that the game recycles the same puzzle situations and minigames frequently, and the touch-screen controls don't do much to elevate the experience. For those reasons and the overall lack of polish, most people will probably be better off avoiding Wario: Master of Disguise."
Nintendo DS	Mathew Kumar, Eurogamer	4/10	"But perhaps the most disappointing thing about Wario: Master of Disguise of all is the included mini-games. With Wario's name roughly synonymous with short bursts of pure joy thanks to the Wario Ware series, that every time you open a treasure chest (which is all the bloody time) you have to play some of the most offensively dull mini-games possible is almost too grand an insult. Offering a limited selection of games such as slide puzzles and colouring in (yes, really) there's no challenge, as you can try as often as you like, and they begin to repeat themselves before you've even finished the first level. It got to the point where I was avoiding treasure just to not have to play them. I don't doubt that Suzak tried to make yet another innovative instalment in the Wario franchise, with their stressful demands for constant touch screen use - but the sad fact is that there isn't a single spark of imagination or joy in this entire game. Despite some obvious effort, Wario: Master of Disguise is just utterly tedious in every respect and an absolute chore to play."
Nintendo DS	Craig Harris, IGN	6/10	"Wario: Master of Disguise is not a bad game. I've played far worse, and for all its flaws this one can sit comfortably on the positive side of the scoring scale. It's just that Master of Disguise is not particularly a very good Nintendo release. Its design might attempt a DS-specific presentation, but the implementation of the touch screen elements is so amateurish with concepts that wouldn't have flown in the early part of the Nintendo DS system's life cycle. Nintendo-published games are supposed to be the cream of the handheld crop. This one's a bit of the lumpy sludge instead."
Aggregators
Compiler		Template:Nowrap
Metacritic		60
GameRankings		62.41%

Staff

Main article: List of Wario: Master of Disguise staff

References in later games

• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Count Cannoli appears as a spirit. He is classified as being from the "Wario Land Series", although Wario: Master of Disguise is not a part of the series.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Wario: Master of Disguise.

• 

  Thief Wario

• 

  Cosmic Wario

• 

  Arty Wario

• Cannoli.png

  Count Cannoli

• 

  Goodstyle

Media

Wario: Master of Disguise - Count Cannoli's theme music. It plays during cutscenes whenever Count Cannoli appears.

File infoMedia:WMODCountCannoliThemeMusic.oga 2:06

Wario: Master of Disguise - Count Cannoli's boss battle theme music

File infoMedia:WMODCountCannoliBattleThemeMusic.oga 2:16

Wario: Master of Disguise - Tiaramisu's theme music.

File infoMedia:WMOD Terrormisu Character Theme.oga 1:09

Wario: Master of Disguise - Terrormisu's battle theme music.

File infoMedia:WMOD Terrormisu Battle Theme.oga 5:15

Wario: Master of Disguise - Thief Wario's theme song from the Japanese website for Wario: Master of Disguise

File infoMedia:WMOD Thief Wario Theme Song.oga 0:30

Help:Media • Having trouble playing?

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	怪盗ワリオ・ザ・セブン[?] Kaitou Wario the Seven	Phantom Thief Wario the Seven

External links

• Official Site
• IGN: Kaitou Wario
• GameFAQs
• JeuxFrance.com