Wario Land 4
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Template:Infobox Template:Articleabout Wario Land 4, known in Japan as Wario Land Advance: Yōki no Otakara (ワリオランドアドバンス ヨーキのお宝, meaning Wario Land Advance: The Treasure of the Golden Diva)[1], is a platform game released for the Game Boy Advance in 2001. It was later re-released for the Nintendo 3DS system on December 16, 2011 via the Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors program, just after its ten year anniversary. It is the fifth game overall in the Wario Land series, which is a spin-off of the Super Mario Land series. In the game, Wario travels to the Golden Pyramid after reading a newspaper article about a rumor of a Legendary Treasure hidden inside. His intention is to rob the Pyramid, but he accidentally goes on a quest to save the legendary Princess Shokora from the money-crazed Golden Diva, evil ruler of the Golden Pyramid. The game features 2-D graphics with linear transformations (similar to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island). Wario Land 4 has received very positive reviews from websites and game critics alike, enjoying praise for its soundtrack, collectibles throughout the game, and level design.
Story
The story begins in the ruins of the Golden Pyramid, where Princess Shokora, who once ruled the area, had been put into a cursed sleep by the selfish, money-crazed Golden Diva. Princess Shokora was transformed into a Black Cat, and banished from the Pyramid. The Black Cat soon came across a city inhabited by modern humans. There she lived on the streets with a group of stray animals. The Pyramid was later discovered by a group of archaeologists. Many undisclosed accidents hindered the findings of any treasure. Dr. Arewo Stein, a robotic engineer, heard the rumors of the Golden Pyramid and set off on his own expedition. However, he is believed to have gone missing.
One morning, Wario was reading the morning paper, when an article caught his eye. The headline of the article says that a legendary pyramid had been discovered. With his mind on the treasure, he leaves early in the morning in his prized Wario Car and speeds through the city. The Black Cat is seen crossing a road, but Wario makes no attempt to slow down and he gains speed. Frightened, she covers her eyes with her paws, and the car's wheels narrowly miss her. A newspaper flies into the Cat's face. It reads "Pyramid discovered deep in jungle. Legendary Treasure nearly found, but accidents hindered findings." She seems to take an interest in the article.
Meanwhile, Wario speeds out of the city and enters the desert. With his mind on the ancient treasure, he speeds full throttle toward the Golden Pyramid mentioned in the newspaper article. After some time, Wario's vehicle runs out of gas, and he is forced to push the car to the nearest gas station. He soon comes across a jungle, where he leaves his car. After much trekking through the jungle, he finally reaches the Pyramid. Unable to contain his excitement, he climbs it without hesitation and soon finds an entrance. Inside the pyramid, he descends down a set of stairs and comes across the enigmatic Black Cat, who leads Wario into the next room. Wario and the Black Cat come across a precipice in the ground. The Black Cat jumps in and Wario jumps in after her.
He lands in a room somewhere near the center of the Pyramid. Here, Wario must clear the Pyramid's five Passages. A boss challenges Wario to a battle at the end of each Passage. When Wario clears all five Passages, the Inner Pyramid is revealed. Inside lurks the Golden Diva, the final Boss and the evil ruler of the Pyramid.
At the beginning of the battle, the Black Cat attacks the Golden Diva by scratching her face. The Golden Diva appears unscathed, and she swallows the cat. Wario then battles the Golden Diva himself. When defeated, the Black Cat is set free and the treasure is recovered. Wario flexes his muscles, and after this, the Pyramid begins to shake and crumble. Scared, Wario gathers as much treasure as he can and escapes the Pyramid with the Black Cat leading the way out. Climbing up the ladder on the way out, Dr. Arewo Stein, who is also frantic to escape, pushes past Wario and exits the pyramid, and Wario and the Black Cat follow.
On the edge of the forest, Wario and the Black Cat watch the Pyramid crumble to the ground. They both laugh. The Golden Diva's Jewelry suddenly flies out of the treasure sack, and the Black Cat takes possession of them. Suddenly, she undergoes a transformation and turns into Princess Shokora, true ruler of the Pyramid. The Princess gives Wario a kiss and says, "Thank you, Wario...♥" Wario cannot believe his eyes, and he doesn't say a word as she is surrounded by four angels and flies up into heaven. Wario sits there for a while trying to making sense of it all. He soon dismisses it, grabs the remaining treasure and gets back into his car. With the treasure in the boot, he drives through the desert back the way he came, while the staff credits roll.
A few days later... the ending cut scene shows Wario speeding through the city once again. Like the beginning, Wario narrowly misses another cat, a white one this time. After Wario drives off, a newspaper flies into the White Cat's face. It reads; "STEAKS! EAT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!" The game ends with gold bars forming the words THE END.
Gameplay
Upon creating a new save file, the player can select a game mode to play as. There are Normal, Hard and S-Hard. The most difficult mode, S-Hard, is unlocked upon completing Hard mode. Gameplay begins in the Entry Passage which includes one level and a boss, Spoiled Rotten. On completion, the next four areas of the game are revealed. This consists of four more Passages, each with four levels relating to a different theme with a boss at the end. The four Passages are the Emerald Passage, Ruby Passage, Topaz Passage and Sapphire Passage. These can be completed in any order. Once each boss of the five Passages have been cleared, an inner pyramid, (the Golden Pyramid) is revealed on the main map. This includes one last level, (the Golden Passage) and the final boss; the Golden Diva.
Unlike previous installments in the series, Wario is given a Heart Meter, which contains a total of eight hearts. Wario can collect hearts throughout the stages. Collecting one will replenish one heart to the meter. Wario will lose a heart by touching a threatening part of an enemy, spikes, etc. He can also fully replenish his meter by opening a Heart Box. Below the Heart Meter is the Heart Gauge. Most enemies drop a Little Heart when defeated. Each Little Heart collected will fill the gauge by an eighth. Filling it will give Wario an extra heart, and the gauge will then be emptied.
Each of the eighteen levels contains four Jewel Pieces, found within boxes, that need to be collected. When four Jewel Pieces are joined, they form a Pyramid Jewel. The color of the Jewels varies on the Passage they are collected in. The player must collect all Jewel Pieces in a Passage to gain access to the boss. A Keyzer must be collected to unlock the next level. Without the Keyzer, the four Jewel Pieces in that level can still be collected, but the door to the next level will remain locked.
When Wario enters a level, he enters through a Vortex, which will close behind him. The only way to open it again is to find the Frog Switch somewhere in the level. This will re-open the Vortex and will allow Wario to return to the map screen. A time limit is given to return to the Vortex. The player should focus on finding the four Jewel Pieces and the Keyzer before hitting the Frog Switch. However, there are some areas that can only be accessed by hitting the switch. This is achieved through the Frog Switch Blocks. The Frog Switch Blocks can be found either solid or transparent. When the Frog Switch is hit, all transparent blocks will become solid, while all solid blocks will become transparent. This opens up new areas that can only be accessed when the Frog Switch is hit, so there may be some other Jewel Pieces or maybe even the Keyzer to find in that new area. As soon as the Frog Switch is hit, a timer will appear on screen. The amount of time given to reach the Vortex varies on the level and game mode. If the time runs out, the player's score will quickly decrease and the level will become black and white. When the score reaches zero, Wario is sent back to the main map and must start the level again. In some levels like Golden Passage, the Frog Switch is placed at the beginning of the level directly under the Vortex, so Wario lands on it upon entering a level. This can make the level more difficult, as he must recover all four Jewel Pieces and the Keyzer within a time limit.
There are two Puzzle Rooms in each level (excluding the Entry Passage and Golden Passage). Each one is found in a Purple Pipe, and will contain either a Diamond worth 1000pts., or an amount of coins that are worth roughly 1000 points when combined. Wario must solve some sort of puzzle to obtain these points, usually using Dr. Arewo Stein as an object to throw. Completing these rooms is optional and is not necessary to complete the game, but rather if the player wants to earn a few extra points. Likewise, the player will never see a Jewel Piece or a Keyzer is a Puzzle Room, but a Heart Box can be seen in some rooms.
There is also an additional bonus challenge to complete. In every level except for the Entry Passage and the Golden Pyramid, there is a hidden CD that can be collected and played in the Sound Room, each containing a different soundtrack. There is a total of sixteen CDs to collect. A Karaoke can also be unlocked, a full song with Japanese vocals. It can be unlocked by getting 10,000 or more points in each of the eighteen levels.
The game records the player's best score (points collected) in each level. The amount of points obtained in a level will affect what icon will appear on the map screen when standing at the entrance of that level, next to the best score. A score of above 10,000 will show a Gold Crown. 8000 to 9990 will show a Silver crown, and a score of 6000 to 7990 will show a Bronze Crown. A score of below 6000 will show no crown.
There are a total of twelve Treasure Chests in Wario Land 4. Three of them found in each of the four main boss rooms, embedded into the wall in the background. They cannot be touched by Wario at this point. During the boss battle when the time starts to run low (usually under a minute), the Treasure Chests in the background will begin to disappear, one by one. Once Wario defeats the boss, the Treasure Chests that are left over are collected and stored in the Golden Pyramid for the final boss against the Golden Diva. The amount of Treasure Chests collected does not affect the main game, but the ending. The more Treasure Chests Wario has on the game's completion, the more beautiful Princess Shokora will appear in the game's ending cut-scene.
Mini-Game Shop
Prior to the boss, there is a Mini-Game Shop where Wario can play one of three mini-games. If Wario receives a certain amount of points in each of the mini-games, he can earn Frog Medals which can be spent at the Item Shop for items to assist him to defeat the boss of that Passage. The three Game Bots run the shop, each hosting a different mini-game. Each mini-game costs 5000 points to play (not including the Entry Passage, which is discounted to 2000.) Points can be earned during normal gameplay.
There are three three mini-games, and they are;
There are three different colored Game Bots, each hosting a different mini-game.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:WL4-Blue Game Bot.PNG | Blue Game Bot | The Blue Game Bot runs the mini-game Wario's Homerun Derby. When selected, it will bring out a pair of baseball bats and will skillfully begin to juggle two baseballs up in the air. The symbol on the Bot’s screen is the shape of a baseball pitch, similar to the one found in the mini-game. |
| File:WL4-Red Game Bot.PNG | Red Game Bot | The Red Game Bot is in charge of The Wario Hop. When the cursor selects this Bot, it will immediately begin jumping up and down excitedly. Speakers will appear on its sides and white musical notes will appear above the speakers. The symbol on the Bot’s screen is also a musical note. The music theme reflects the funky tunes and sound effects heard in The Wario Hop. |
| File:WL4-Yellow Game Bot.PNG | Yellow Game Bot | The Yellow Game Bot owns the mini-game Wario's Roulette. When selected, the Bot’s screen will divide into three different colored sections. With the scrolling movement similar to a slot machine, the pictures will change while showing a different set of eyes, noses and mouths. |
Item Shop
The Item Shop in Wario Land 4 is a place where Wario can spend his Frog Medals in exchange for items. These items assist him in defeating a boss by dealing pre-damage at the battle's start. The shopkeeper is Princess Game & Watch, a form of the Black Cat. This character is very similar to the later-occuring Mr. Game & Watch. However, a major difference between the two characters is Princess Game & Watch has eyes in Wario Land 4.
A table of the nine items and their descriptions is shown below.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Apple Bomb | The Apple Bomb is an apple with colored stripes across the bottom half. It disguises a bomb that is concealed inside. When purchased, Princess Game & Watch will drag the apple to the boss room. She then raises the apple, which will then break open to reveal a ticking bomb. She throws the bomb at the boss to inflict a small amount of damage. |
| File:WL4-Blast Cannon.PNG | Blast Cannon | The Blast Cannon is a grey cannon with multicolored stripes along the barrel. When purchased, it is wheeled to the boss room by Princess Game & Watch. She will then snap her fingers, causing a bomb to be blasted as a projectile out of the cannon. It will hit the boss to inflict a small amount of damage. |
|
Vizorman | The Vizorman is a seemingly inanimate being that wears a vizor with a white suit with a cape. There is a letter "V" on its chest, with legs bearing multicolored stripes. Princess Game & Watch will drag the Vizorman to the boss room. She will then start charging a laser which is projected from the vizor and hits the boss, dealing a small amount of damage. |
| File:WL4-Bugle.PNG | Bugle | The Bugle is a golden bugle with multicolored stripes across the lower half of the tube. It is carried to the boss room by Princess Game & Watch. She will then start playing a tune on the Bugle, releasing many music notes which will fly around the room, eventually hitting the boss and inflicting an average amount of damage. |
| File:Black Dog.PNG | Black Dog | The Black Dog is a dog with a huge jaw and bright yellow eyes. It is one of the four items where Princess Game & Watch will transform into the actual item. When purchased, she will follow Wario to the boss room, where she will transform into the Black Dog. The dog will bite the boss several times, inflicting a large amount of damage. |
| File:WL4-LargeLipsSprite.PNG | Large Lips | The Large Lips is a being with oversized lips, which replace the whole head. Princess Game & Watch will follow Wario to the boss room. She will then transform into the Large Lips, which will violently kiss the boss and deal a large amount of damage. |
| File:WL4-BigFistSprite.PNG | Big Fist | The Big Fist is a large fist that wears a white glove. It resembles the Master Hand and Crazy Hand from the Super Smash Bros. series. Princess Game & Watch will transform into the Big Fist which throws a powerful punch at the boss and deals a large amount of damage. |
| File:WL4-BlackDragon.PNG | Black Dragon | The Black Dragon is a large dragon with a huge jaw and bright yellow eyes, with wings on its back that allows it to fly. When purchased, Princess Game & Watch will follow Wario to the boss room. There, she will transform into the fearsome Black Dragon, which breathes fire on the boss to deal a large amount of damage. |
| File:WL4-Smile.PNG | Smile | The Smile is the only item in the Item Shop that is free. However, it is a joke item. Selecting it will only cause Princess Game & Watch to smile and make a sound effect towards the player. |
The more effective the item has on damaging a boss, the more Frog Medals it is likely to cost. The price of the items also varies on the game mode, e.g. an item in hard mode would be more expensive than the same item in normal mode. All items and prices are as follows:
| Item | Price in Frog Medals | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Hard | S-Hard | |
| Apple Bomb | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Blast Cannon | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Vizorman | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| Bugle | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Black Dog | 10 | 15 | 20 |
| Large Lips | 10 | 15 | 20 |
| Big Fist | 10 | 15 | 20 |
| Black Dragon | 10 | 15 | 20 |
| Smile | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Each item deals a fixed amount of damage to each boss. All damage totals are shown below. The last four items are not available for purchase against the first boss of the game, Spoiled Rotten.
| Item | Boss / Damage taken by Item | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spoiled Rotten | Cractus | Cuckoo Condor | Aerodent | Catbat | Golden Diva | |
| Apple Bomb | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Blast Cannon | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Vizorman | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Bugle | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Black Dog | N/A | 7 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
| Large Lips | N/A | 9 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 5 |
| Big Fist | N/A | 8 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 6 |
| Black Dragon | N/A | 10 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
Sound Room
The Sound Room is a place where the player can listen to collected CDs obtained in levels. Each of the sixteen CDs have a unique track recorded on it. A bonus Karaoke can be unlocked by getting 10,000 or more points in each of the eighteen levels.
| Image | Name | Sound Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:Sound Room-About That Shepherd.PNG | About That Shepherd | The wind is blowing and several dogs are barking. The baas of sheep are are also heard. As the CD plays for longer, the barking gets faster and faster, and then begins to slow down. The track ends with the dogs whimpering. |
| File:Sound Room-Things That Never Change.PNG | Things That Never Change | Raindrops and frog croaks can be heard at the beginning. Crickets, birds and owls come in later. The "Things That Never Change" tells the story of how many things on our planet change, but the beauty of nature stays the same. |
| File:Sound Room-Tomorrow's Blood Pressure.PNG | Tomorrow's Blood Pressure | Several mechanical sounds introduce this CD. Wheels are turning and electricity is flowing. It is a very stress-filled CD. A lot of the sound effects heard are from the level The Curious Factory. |
| File:Sound Room-Beyond the Headrush.PNG | Beyond the Headrush | Loud, confusing sound effects gives the listener the impression that a lot is happening at once, very quickly. Mysterious Castle-like themes follow. The wind can be heard in the background. |
| File:Sound Room-Driftwood and the Island Dog.PNG | Driftwood & the Island Dog | A beach feel introduces this CD. Waves are crashing as seagulls caw and a dog barks. An instrument can be heard playing very short notes in a loop, repeating until the end of the track. |
| File:Sound Room-The Judge's Feet.PNG | The Judge's Feet | A glass ball is bouncing on a hard surface, making a ping sound every time it hits the ground. The gap between bounces becomes smaller. More and more balls start bouncing, hitting the ground at different times. They each make a different pitched sound. Drums come into play later on. |
| File:Sound Room-The Moon's Lamppost.PNG | The Moon's Lamppost | A distorted version of the Karaoke consists of this whole CD. The female vocals can be heard as with the normal Karaoke, but the voice is stop-started on rapid intervals, and even played backwards in places. |
| File:Sound Room-Soft Shell.PNG | Soft Shell | This CD is a remix of the Puzzle Room theme. Extra sound effects fill the gaps in the theme, such as animal sounds from The Wario Hop, a creature that sounds like Pikachu, and a train. |
| File:Sound Room-So Sleepy.PNG | So Sleepy | A person is snoring loudly. Doors creak open and shut with a slam, but he sleeps through it. A clock strikes, and he stirs, but quickly drifts off again. Springs bounce, cats meow and frogs croak. A cuckoo clock sings and the clock chimes again, but he does not stir a second time. |
| File:Sound Room-The Short Futon.PNG | The Short Futon | Two people are whispering to each other in a long corridor, with many doors on either side. They start opening doors. They peek into the many rooms, finding a rainforest, a snoring man, the female voice from Karaoke, a music box and Pikachu. Eventually, they come to the end of the corridor, where they find a room of royalty. |
| File:Sound Room-Avocado Song.PNG | Avocado Song | Drums begin to play a funky tune, with spoons tapping in an upbeat rhythm. Everything goes silent. An alarm rings, which cues the music back. The tune is very cheerful all the way to the end, where the music fades out. |
| File:Sound Room-Mr. Fly.PNG | Mr. Fly | A fly is buzzing around a room, stopping to land every few seconds. Someone tries to squash it, but they miss and the fly buzzes away. They keep trying to squash it again and again, but always missing. With all the noise going on, a dog begins to bark. It's victory for Mr. Fly as he survives. |
| File:Sound Room-Yesterday's Words.PNG | Yesterday's Words | A clock is ticking, getting louder and louder. Suddenly, many noises come in at once, like doors opening and closing, a cuckoo clock and the sounds of a Frog Switch being hit. Soon, the only sound left heard is the clock. That soon fades out and a tune similar to the Mystic Lake theme plays to the end. |
| File:Sound Room-The Errand.PNG | The Errand | A person is walking, with the noises of a highway is heard in the background. The highway fades, and the sounds of waves are heard crashing and seagulls are cawing. He then comes across a forest. Crickets chirp and birds. He reaches his destination, and he sighs with relief. He goes inside and takes a well deserved nap. |
| File:Sound Room-You and Your Shoes.PNG | You and Your Shoes | A girl is tap-dancing. Her steps start off simple, and then start to get more and more complicated. She clicks her fingers and suddenly, many instruments play a loud and upbeat tune in time to her steps. She bows when the show is over. |
| File:Sound Room-Mr. Ether & Planaria.PNG | Mr. Ether & Planaria | This track begins with a mysterious tune full of suspense played by Mr. Ether. Drums tap in a sharp beat. Twenty seconds into the track, Planaria starts whistling over Mr. Ether in a high-pitched, catchy tune. The whistle fades out towards the end as machines start beeping. A few more loud notes end the CD. |
|
Karaoke (Medamayaki) | The Karaoke is different from all other CDs. It is not found in any level. The player must unlock it by obtaining 10,000 or more points in each of the eighteen levels. The song is an extended version of the Palm Tree Paradise theme. A female sings the song in Japanese. |
Game modes
Upon creating a file, the game will ask which game mode the player prefers to play as. The game modes are as follows:
- File:WL4-Normal Mode Sprite.PNG
- File:WL4-Hard Mode Sprite.PNG
- File:WL4-S-Hard Mode Sprite.PNG (unlockable, by completing Hard mode)
The game mode affects the location of the Jewel Pieces, how many enemies are seen in the levels, the health the player begins with upon entering the level and the time given to get back to the Vortex after the player hits the Frog Switch (see table in section below). In a few levels on some difficulties, the Frog Switch even changes its location. Purchasing items from the Item Shop will cost more Frog Medals. The difficulty of Mini-Games are generally unchanged across difficulty levels. However, on S-Hard, the baseball mini-game has pitches thrown by a cheerleader who throws more hard pitches and has a different style from than normal.
List of Frog Switch times
This table is a list of Frog Switch times given to complete levels in different game modes. It also includes the times to defeat the in-game bosses.
| Level | Frog Switch times given in different game modes to complete the levels | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Hard | S-Hard | |
| Entry Passage | |||
| Hall of Hieroglyphs | 1:00 | 0:15 | 2:30* |
| Spoiled Rotten (boss) | 1:00 | 0:30 | 0:15 |
| Emerald Passage | |||
| Palm Tree Paradise | 1:30 | 0:45 | 4:30* |
| Wildflower Fields | 2:30 | 1:29 | 0:50 |
| Mystic Lake | 3:00 | 2:00 | 1:30 |
| Monsoon Jungle | 4:00 | 2:45 | 2:00 |
| Cractus (boss) | 4:00 | 3:00 | 2:00 |
| Ruby Passage | |||
| The Curious Factory | 3:30 | 2:50 | 2:30 |
| The Toxic Landfill | 5:00 | 3:30 | 2:30 |
| 40 Below Fridge | 4:00 | 3:30 | 2:00 |
| Pinball Zone | 6:00 | 5:15 | 3:30 |
| Cuckoo Condor (boss) | 4:00 | 3:00 | 2:00 |
| Topaz Passage | |||
| Toy Block Tower | 4:00 | 2:30 | 2:00 |
| The Big Board | 3:00 | 2:30 | 2:00 |
| Doodle Woods | 6:00 | 5:15 | 4:00 |
| Domino Row | 4:00 | 3:00 | 2:00 |
| Aerodent (boss) | 4:00 | 3:00 | 2:00 |
| Sapphire Passage | |||
| Crescent Moon Village | 3:30 | 2:45 | 2:00 |
| Arabian Night | 4:00 | 3:00 | 1:30 |
| Fiery Cavern | 5:00 | 4:00 | 2:45 |
| Hotel Horror | 4:00 | 3:15 | 2:00 |
| Catbat (boss) | 4:00 | 3:00 | 2:00 |
| Golden Pyramid | |||
| Golden Passage | 9:30 | 6:00 | 3:00 |
| Golden Diva (boss) | 6:00 | 5:00 | 4:00 |
| *Frog Switch position changes | |||
Wario's transformations
Wario has a total of ten different transformations in the game, all having a different purpose to assist Wario in progressing through the level. This can include turning into a Bat to reach a high place, or catching fire to break certain blocks. All of the transformations have been re-used from previous games in the series, but they are put to more use in Wario Land 4. In all forms Wario is invincible. But touching an enemy will not destroy it, it will merely knock it aside.
The following is a table showing each form and explains its effect in detail.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Wario | Wario in his standard form. In this state, he can perform a ground-pound, ram enemies or blocks, crawl to get through tight spaces and throw small objects such as enemies or rocks. |
|
Puffy Wario | Wario after getting stung by a Beezley, or getting struck by the arrow of a Bow Balloon. His cheeks puff up in a supposedly allergic reaction, and he is able to float continually upwards. The effect ceases once Wario hits a ceiling. |
|
Flaming Wario | Wario catches fire from a Kaentsubo. He will run without stopping while the fire spreads, however, the player can still make Wario jump by pressing  . He will run in the opposite direction when he hits a wall, and any Bonfire Blocks he touches will turn into ash. Falling into water will return Wario to his normal form.
|
|
Flat Wario | When Wario gets crushed by a Compressor, he will transform into Flat Wario. His body will become flat and as light as a feather. If he leaves the ground, he will fall back to Earth slowly, swaying side to side, like a feather. He can get into small spaces. Wario can transform back into normal form by entering a Decompressor. |
|
Fat Wario | Wario, fatter than usual. It can be achieved by eating the Apples that is thrown by a Ringosukī. Wario is invulnerable to enemy attacks, and just by touching an enemy will defeat it. However, Wario's weight has doubled, so he cannot jump very high and he walks very slowly. The effect will wear off once Wario walks a certain distance. |
|
Bubble Wario | When Wario touches a large Bubble underwater, he will enter that bubble and float upwards until he reaches the surface. This effect is useless unless there is a water current. The bubble is unaffected by these currents, so Wario can access areas that are otherwise inaccessible. |
|
Snowman Wario | When a mound of snow falls from the ceiling, Wario will collapse and re-emerge as Snowman Wario. Snow will stick to Wario around his belly area and he will be greatly weighed down. When Wario sets foot on a slope, he will turn into a huge snowball and start rolling, breaking any Snowman Blocks that get in his way. |
|
Frozen Wario | When a Yukiotoko sneezes, it will exhale a blast of cold air. It's so cold, that it will freeze Wario instantly. He will become immobile and start sliding backwards. The ice will break once Wario hits a wall or object. |
|
Bouncy Wario | When a Menhammer strikes Wario with his hammer, Wario will curl up into a spring and transform into Bouncy Wario. The player is able to make Wario bounce to incredible heights by pressing . If left alone, the bounce will gain power. After jumping Wario will transform back into his normal form by hitting solid ground.
|
|
Zombie Wario | When a Skeleton Bird throws goo at Wario, he will become contaminated and turn into a fearsome Zombie. Zombie Wario is slow moving, and jumping above a thin platform will cause him to fall through the floor, reaching otherwise inaccessible places. Wario can transform back by either touching water, or being exposed to bright light. |
|
Vampire Wario | Contact with a Minicula will transform Wario into Vampire Wario. In this form, Wario takes on the appearance of a Bat, and is able to fly by repeatedly pressing in order to reach high places. Like Zombie Wario, returning to normal form can be achieved by touching water or being exposed to bright light.
|
Controls
| Controls | Purpose |
|---|---|
|
Opens pause menu/confirm |
|
|
Jump/swim/confirm |
|
Ram (attack), throw (hold to build power) |
|
Left/right to move. Up to look up |
 +
|
Throw upwards |
|
Ground pound (break blocks below or defeat enemies, ends when player releases the d-pad), roll on 45 degree slope, S-ground pound (break stronger blocks, hold d-pad down for more than a second while falling. Does not end if the player releases the d-pad) |
| +
|
Slide down ladder |
+ 
|
Crawl |
 or 
|
S-ram (ram with more power) |
Wario's moves
Wario has several different moves in Wario Land 4. Mastering each one of them is essential for progressing in the game.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:WL4-ram.PNG | Ram | Can also be known as a Dash Attack. Wario can shift his body weight to ram into objects. He can hit the weak spot of enemies to destroy them, or break blocks to make a path. He also runs a tad faster than normal. |
| File:WL4-S-ram.PNG | S-Ram | Just like a ram, but with more power. Wario must run for a short distance to build up momentum. Once he does, he runs at terrific speed and is able to break stronger, more solid blocks. |
| File:WL4-GroundPound.PNG | Ground Pound | The classic move that is mainly used in the Mario series can be used in Wario Land 4. Wario can use it to break blocks below, or defeat enemies. |
| File:WL4-S-GroundPound.PNG | S-Ground Pound | Similar to the normal Ground Pound but with more strength. Triggered by continuously ground pounding for a certain amount of time without hitting the ground. Wario can break the more solid blue blocks by performing this move. The move won't cancel until he hits the ground. |
| File:WL4-Roll.PNG | Roll | On a 45º degree slope in the floor, Wario can begin to roll. He can jump while moving, destroy blocks and defeat enemies by using this move. He will stop rolling if he either hits something solid or fall into water. |
| File:WL4-Swim.PNG | Swim | Wario is able to swim when he is in a body of water. He can move forward, as well as upward and downward. However, he is unable to swim against water currents. |
| File:WL4-Crawl.PNG | Crawl | When Wario has a small space to squeeze through, he can crawl to pass through. He can also jump while crawling. |
| File:WL4-Throw.PNG | Throw | If Wario picks up an enemy, rock or Pinball, he is able throw it upwards or sidewards. He can also break blocks from a long distance away. |
Passages
Entry Passage
This passage only has one level; the Hall of Hieroglyphs, which true to its name, uses hieroglyphics on the walls to teach Wario his basic moves. The boss of this passage is Spoiled Rotten.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:WL4-Icon01.png | Hall of Hieroglyphs | The very first level in the game. It consists of a very simple layout, with hieroglyphs of Princess Game & Watch on the walls that teach Wario his basic moves. Weak enemies such as Marumen and Spear-Masks appear in this level. In the Normal and Hard game modes, the Frog Switch is right at the end of the level (thus making it far easier to reach the Vortex in time). However, in S-Hard mode, the Switch is found near the beginning. |
| File:WL4-Icon02.png | Spoiled Rotten (boss) | The boss of the Entry Passage is a purple, eggplant-like creature called Spoiled Rotten. It seems to be quite young, as it carries a blanket and toy doll. Accompanying it are two Eggplant Warriors that act as body guards. They behave exactly like Totsumen and they can be defeated in the same way. Spoiled Rotten is at first defenseless on its own. But after Wario rams it a few times, it will reach a point where its health is quite low. Spoiled Rotten will then throw a tantrum, bearing teeth that harm Wario on contact. He will then need to attack from behind. Defeating Spoiled Rotten will grant access to the four main Passages. |
Emerald Passage
A nature-themed passage of low difficulty. The boss is a possessed pot-plant called Cractus.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:WL4-Icon03.png | Palm Tree Paradise | The first level of the Emerald Passage is very straightforward and of extremely low difficulty. It takes place on a tropical setting with lots of palm trees. Marumen and Spear-Masks in low numbers patrol the grounds of this level. The level's path has no alternate routes for the player to take. The Frog Switch is at the end, and the player must go back the way they came to reach the Vortex. The level's theme is a shortened version of the Karaoke soundtrack. |
| File:WL4-Icon04.png | Wildflower Fields | The level Wildflower Fields takes place in a sunny field blossoming with wild flora. Throughout the stage, there are many Money Flowers that are pollinated by Beezleys, which will swell and release coins. The Beezleys can also sting Wario and transform him into Puffy Wario, which will enable him to reach greater heights in the level. A lot of the level's structure is made up of giant sunflowers, which are hollow so Wario is able to pass through them. |
| File:WL4-Icon05.png | Mystic Lake | The Mystic Lake is a location of great beauty, with lush grasses and cool lakes. A large part of the level is underwater, where Wario must swim most of the way. The waters are abundant in Goggley-Blades and Utsuboankō, which are enemies that harm Wario. In the mid-way point of the level, a Togenobi guards the Keyzer, which is essential for progressing to the next level. After hitting the Frog Switch, the upper part of the level is unlocked, which mainly consists of blocks and falling boulders. |
| File:WL4-Icon06.png | Monsoon Jungle | The Monsoon Jungle takes place in a swampy setting with lots of water. The water is vastly infested with Tobawani, which will snap at Wario if he swims nearby. Swinging Platforms are in abundance above the water, which are used to allow Wario to safely cross without harm from the Tobawani. However, the swing is often difficult to time and the player may often find themselves falling in the water. After hitting the Frog Switch, Wario will gain access to the underground area of the level, where he will make his final progress before exiting. |
| File:WL4-Icon07.png | Cractus (boss) | The boss of the Emerald Passage is Cractus, a possessed venus flytrap with a huge head that can skewer Wario with its claws and drool a poisonous liquid on him, turning Wario into Zombie Wario. Wario can deal damage by ground pounding it's head. After taking a certain amount of damage, Cractus will stand upright which will make it harder for Wario to inflict damage on the creature. He will then have to climb a vine above the plant. Defeating Cractus restores the Crown to the Golden Pyramid. |
Ruby Passage
This passage is mechanical-themed. The boss is a giant cuckoo clock called Cuckoo Condor.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:WL4-Icon08.png | The Curious Factory | The Curious Factory is a level full of machinery; such as conveyor belts, Compressors and Decompressors (which will transform Wario into Flat Wario and back again). Flat Wario can be used to enter tiny places. Togerobos make their unique appearance in this level, being a strange creature that has a spiked ball for a head. Kaentsubos also make their first appearance here. Hitting the Frog Switch will open up the underground area of this level, which is much more challenging than the overworld because of the abundance of rotating platforms that Wario will have to cross. |
| File:WL4-Icon09.png | The Toxic Landfill | The Toxic Landfill is a filthy, polluted level that is mainly made up of toxic water and garbage that take the shape of blocks, which Wario must ram to destroy and make a path. Bow Balloons and Ringosukī are the main enemies that appear in this level. The arrows of the Bow Balloon will transform Wario into Puffy Wario, and the Apples of the Ringosukī will transform him into Fat Wario. Both transformations are crucial for progressing in the level. After hitting the Frog Switch, Wario must make his way through the underground part of the level to reach the Vortex. |
| File:WL4-Icon10.png | 40 Below Fridge | The level 40 Below Fridge, as the name suggests, takes place in a very cold fridge. The level is mainly made up of ice. The snow creature Yukiotoko are in abundance in this level. They have the ability to transform Wario into Frozen Wario by sneezing on him. Falling Snow from the ceiling transforms him into Snowman Wario if they land on him. In this form, if Wario walks on a 45° platform, he will start rolling into a snowball and he will be able to break Snowman Blocks. |
| File:WL4-Icon11.png | Pinball Zone | The Pinball Zone is a funky, colorful and noisy level with many things going on at once. It takes place inside a pinball machine, where the main focus is throwing Pinballs into slots to break the Pinball Block, which will allow access to the next room. This is the only level to feature the Spike Cannons, which is an undefeatable enemy that shoots spikes at Wario. The level's background displays a new theme in every room. The themes vary from forests, robots, dragons, ect. |
| File:WL4-Icon12.png | Cuckoo Condor (boss) | The boss of the Ruby Passage is Cuckoo Condor, which is what appears to be a giant cuckoo clock. It can grab Wario and shoot gears and electricity at him. After taking a fair amount of damage, the cuckoo clock will fall apart, revealing a giant bird (presumably a condor) within. In this form, Cuckoo Condor can lay eggs that hatch into self-destructing chicks to damage Wario. Wario can counter this attack by catching and throwing the eggs at the Condor's head. Defeating Cuckoo Condor restores the Earrings to the Golden Pyramid. |
Topaz Passage
A toy-themed passage, the boss being a giant inflatable teddy-bear called Aerodent.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:WL4-Icon13.png | Toy Block Tower | The first level of the Topaz Passage takes place in a toy castle, with lots of toy blocks found throughout the level. Several unique items appear in this level. There is the Triangle Toy Block (which Wario must throw into the slot on a Toy Block Door to open the door), and the Rolling Toy Block; which Wario can ram to move along the ground and use as an object to stand on. The Pig Head Statue is also unique to this level. It is a pig head that is fixed to a wall in the background. It spits out fire which flares up on the ground below, transforming Wario into Flaming Wario if he come into contact with it. |
| File:WL4-Icon14.png | The Big Board | The Big Board is the only level to feature the Event Block, which is an object with a rotating number counter that Wario can stop by hitting the blue button below the block. When it stops on a certain number, it will have numerous effects such as producing Giant Diamonds, Dice Men and transforming Wario into many of his transformations. The very last Event Block is blue instead of green. It will not disappear after the first hit, but will allow Wario to keep hitting it. This will eventually release the Keyzer. The level has a general relaxed feel to it. It contains many Toy Cars, being the main enemy found here. |
| File:WL4-Icon15.png | Doodle Woods | The Doodle Woods is a level with a very up-beat feel to it. It is the only level to feature Hoggus, an untouchable enemy that loves to draw. It has a sketchbook, where it will produce drawings of Butatabis and Dendens which come to life and try to harm Wario. There are also many prominent features of the level related to drawing such as pencils and erasers that act as platforms. Later in the level after the Frog Switch has been hit, Wario will come across an area that he must keep climbing upwards. There are several pictures of Deburinas on the walls that may have been drawn by Hoggus. The pictures will come to life once Wario comes near them. |
| File:WL4-Icon16.png | Domino Row | Domino Row is the only level in the game to feature the use of Dominoes, which are found in increasingly long rows throughout the level. If Wario is to brush past a beginning of a row, they will begin to fall, bringing the ones in front down with it. At the end of the row is a switch. If the dominoes are to reach the switch first, a blue flag with a D will be raised. However, if Wario is to beat the dominoes to the switch and he hits it first, then a yellow and purple flag will be raised with a W on it. In result, this will open up a path that would be more convenient for Wario to take, such as shortcuts or paths with more coins. |
| File:WL4-Icon17.png | Aerodent (boss) | The boss of the Topaz Passage is Aerodent, a rat that hides in a giant inflatable teddy bear. It throws down Tack Soldiers, which Wario can throw to deflate the teddy bear. This will cause it to flip upside down and expose the rodent, its weak spot. Wario can then ram the rodent to inflict damage. When Aerodent has taken a considerable amount of damage, the Teddy will drop flames which do not harm Wario, but instead transforms him into Flaming Wario. He will catch fire and run around the screen for a while, wasting valuable time. Defeating Aerodent restores the Necklace to the Golden Pyramid. |
Sapphire Passage
This passage is horror-themed, with many ghosts and zombies appearing in the levels. The boss is Catbat, a giant Cat with a Bat as an alliance.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:WL4-Icon18.png | Crescent Moon Village | Crescent Moon Village takes place in a haunted, moonlit village. The first level of the Sapphire Passage introduces the many ghostly enemies that are native to the horror-themed levels, such as the Skeleton Bird and Men'ono. Most of the level takes a straight path, with many blocks and posts as obstacles. A notable enemy appearance in such areas is Yūrei, who, similar to Hoggus, appears in the level's background and cannot be touched. Unlike Hoggus, Yūrei does not harm Wario. Instead, he watches from afar as Wario makes his progress. Whenever Wario defeats an enemy or breaks a block, coins will be produced, which will scatter across the ground. Yūrei's obsession is money, and he will dive and gather up as much money as he can if they are left unattended. Also, once Wario obtains the Keyzer, Yūrei will try and steal it. If he succeeds, Wario will have to chase him to retrieve it, thus wasting valuable time. |
| File:WL4-Icon19.png | Arabian Night | The Arabian Night is set in an abandoned Arabian village, with Indian-style buildings and unique Magic Carpets. Most of the level requires Wario to ride one of these Magic Carpets by jumping, causing the carpet to rise below his feet. Mayu Birds are in abundance in the sky's, where they will harm Wario if he is to make contact with their fangs. The level consists of two parts, the indoor and outdoor areas which link to each other via building entrances. While the inside areas are situated in the buildings that Wario can enter, the outside is quite literally everywhere else. Wario can also turn into his bat form in this level. |
| File:WL4-Icon20.png | Fiery Cavern | The Fiery Cavern takes place is an underground cavern with many pools of lava. Wario is able to swim in this lava in the same way as he swims in water, but he will take a great deal of damage. An enemy that is unique to this level is Iwao, a primate that hurls giant boulders that damage Wario if he happens to be in it's path. Wario can only defeat these creature by performing a ground pound to the head. Wario will come across these creatures in great numbers throughout the first half of the level. In the second half when Wario hits the unavoidable Frog Switch, everything in the level will freeze over, including the lava and even the Iwao. In result, Wario is now able to safely travel over the cooled lava (which is now solid ice). The Iwao, when frozen over, quickly thaws and evolves into Yukiotoko. These creatures have a white coat and always appear to be sneezing, casting icicles that will transform Wario into Frozen Wario. |
| File:WL4-Icon21.png | Hotel Horror | This level takes place in an old, run down hotel that has multiple floors and many rooms (some are initially locked). Wario enters the level on the first floor, at room 101. Every room in the hotel is accessible, but not always straight through the front door. All rooms link to each other some way or other. Most rooms consists of two floors, so there are two entrances. To the far left of the hotel is a giant bird cage, where a Skeleton Bird hangs around the area. Wario can access each floor's left side by climbing the steps in the bird cage, but the Skeleton Bird should generally be avoided as it releases a green goo that transforms Wario into Zombie Wario, sending him falling through the floor. Enemies that populate the level's corridors are ghostly creatures such as Men'ono and Minicula. When the Frog Switch is hit, all doors with a frog sign on the front will be unlocked. |
| File:WL4-Icon22.png | Catbat (boss) | The boss of the Sapphire Passage is Catbat. It is essentially a large, ghostly-like cat with a statue of a bat on his head, which is his weak spot. Catbat has ears that act as bat wings, and likewise it is able to fly during the battle. There is a pool of water below the unstable flooring where a Mechanical Fish patrols by swimming back and forth. The drill on the creature's head will harm Wario if he is to make contact. Catbat creates waves which must be jumped over. Wario can also balance on top of these moving waves to jump and ram the bat's weak spot. Once he does so, Catbat will take damage. In retaliation, it will spit out orange and purple spikes, which either damage Wario or turn him into Puffy Wario, respectively. The latter's purpose is to waste time. Defeating Catbat restores the Bracelets to the Golden Pyramid. |
Golden Pyramid
The final area in the game. It only has one level, the Golden Passage. Its boss is the Golden Diva, the final boss of the game.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:WL4-Icon23.png | Golden Passage | The very last level is very different in terms of gameplay. For starters, the Frog Switch appears at the beginning of the level directly above the Vortex, regardless of the game mode. This forces Wario to complete the whole level within a time limit. The whole underground area of this level consists of a river with a strong current that pulls Wario back towards the beginning of the level. In some of the overworld areas, there are places that Wario can fall, thus causing him to travel back to a certain location due to the water's current. The enemies that appear here all first seen in the Sapphire Passage. If the player is to use an Action Replay or some other similar hacking device, they can avoid hitting the Frog Switch and a hidden theme will play as the level's true theme, instead of the normal Frog Switch music. |
| File:WL4-Icon24.png | Golden Diva (boss) | The game's final boss. She wears all four pieces of the Legendary Treasure collected from previous bosses. At the beginning of the battle, the Black Cat is brave enough to confront the Diva. The Golden Diva swallows the feline whole and Wario is left to battle by himsellf. The Golden Diva has several different attacks, much more than previous bosses. She begins by hiding her face behind her fan. Wario will have to throw ghostly heads at her. Then she will cast several different enemies, one at a time, in an attempt to harm Wario. They are the Green Enemy (which Wario can throw), the Big Ball (he must ram), the Black Duck (also throw), and the Tonkachi, which he must throw up in the air so it lands back on top of him, transforming him into Bouncy Wario. He must then throw himself upward to strike the Diva, and thus damaging her. A few sequences of these enemies will bring the Golden Diva to a low point in her HP. She then unleashes her final phase, where her head grows to a fearsome size and she starts destroying the ground. Wario must ram the side of her head to bring her to the last few points of HP. On the very last point, simply none but her Lips will remain. A simple attack to these Lips will free the swallowed Black Cat. The ending cut-scene follows. |
Allies
Within the Golden Pyramid, there are a few characters who are willing to help Wario. They all have different purposes and their personalities and traits may differ, but they all have the same goal; to rid the Pyramid of the money crazed Golden Diva and to restore it to it's former glory.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
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Wario | The game's main character and protagonist. Wario found out about the Pyramid while reading a newspaper article. In the dead of night, he hops into his Wario Car and drives off across the desert and through a jungle to reach the Pyramid. He soon falls down a precipice and gets trapped inside. |
| File:WL4-Cat.PNG | Black Cat | While Wario is speeding through the city in his Car, he almost runs over a Black Cat. A copy of the newspaper that Wario read about the Pyramid flies into her face. The Cat takes a curious interest in the article, and she decides to take a trip to the Pyramid herself. The cat seems to already know her way around the Pyramid, because she leads Wario to the main room. |
| File:WL4-Keyzer2.PNG | Keyzer | Keyzers seem neither alive or dead. They always seem quite jaded, as they love to sleep. Eighteen Keyzers are found in the game, one for every level. They unlock the door to the next level in a Passage and will disappear as soon as they do so. Yūrei tries to steal Keyzer off Wario in the level Crescent Moon Village. |
|
Dr. Arewo Stein | Dr. Arewo Stein is the detective that was exploring the Pyramid before Wario came and raided it. He also appears in the newspaper in the opening cut-scene. While always minding his own business, Wario is polite enough to usually use him as an object to throw in a Puzzle Room. |
| File:WL4-MGW.PNG | Princess Game & Watch | Princess Game & Watch is the shopkeeper of the Item Shop in the corridor before the boss. She sells Wario items that assist in defeating the boss of that Passage. Frog Medals are used as currency, which are earned by achieving a good score in the Mini-Game Shop. Princess Game & Watch is actually a form of the Black Cat, as she transforms in the final battle against the Golden Diva. |
| File:WL4-Shokora Angels.PNG | Princess Shokora | After the Golden Diva is defeated, Wario and the Black Cat escape the Pyramid before it crumbles on top of them. Outside, Wario and the cat laugh. But then something unexpected happens. The treasures that Wario stole of the Diva are taken in by the Black Cat, and she undergoes a transformation and turns into Princess Shokora, rightful ruler of the Pyramid. She kisses Wario thank you, and gets lifted into heaven by four angels. |
Bosses
Each of the six bosses guards a different Passage in the Pyramid. Items can be purchased with Frog Medals to weaken bosses at the battle's beginning. Defeating Spoiled Rotten will unlock the four main Passages, and clearing a main Passage boss will store it's Legendary Treasure and collected Treasure Chests into the Golden Pyramid.
| Image | Name | Treasure | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spoiled Rotten | None | The boss of the Entry Passage is a purple, eggplant-like creature called Spoiled Rotten. It seems quite young, as it carries a blanket and toy. Accompanying it are two Eggplant Warriors that act as body guards. They behave exactly like Totsumen and they can be defeated the same way. Spoiled Rotten is, at first, defenseless on its own. But after Wario damages it a few times, it will reach a point where its health is quite low. Spoiled Rotten will then throw a temper-tantrum, bearing teeth that harm Wario on contact. He will then need to attack its behind. Defeating Spoiled Rotten will grant access to the four main Passages. |
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Cractus | 
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The boss of the Emerald Passage is Cractus, a possessed venus flytrap with a huge head and claws that can skewer Wario and drool a poisonous liquid, turning him into Zombie Wario. After taking a certain amount of damage, Cractus will stand upright, making it more difficult for Wario to inflict damage on the creature. He will then have to climb a vine above the plant. Defeating Cractus restores the Crown to the Golden Pyramid. |
| File:Cuckoocondor.gif | Cuckoo Condor | 
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The boss of the Ruby Passage is Cuckoo Condor. It is what appears to be a giant cuckoo clock. He can grab Wario and shoot cogs and electricity at him. After taking a fair amount of damage, the cuckoo clock's structure falls apart, revealing a giant bird (presumably a condor), underneath. In this form, Cuckoo Condor can lay eggs that hatch into self-destructing chicks which Wario can counter by throwing the eggs back at the Condor's head. Defeating Cuckoo Condor restores the Earrings to the Golden Pyramid. |
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Aerodent | 
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The boss of the Topaz Passage is Aerodent, a rat that hides in a giant inflatable teddy bear. It throws down Tack Soldiers, which Wario can throw to counter-attack and deflate the teddy bear. This will cause it to flip upside down and expose the rodent, it's weak spot. Once Aerodent has taken a considerable amount to damage, the Teddy will drop flames. These flames not harm Wario, but instead turns him into Flaming Wario. He will catch fire and run around the screen for a while, wasting valuable time. Defeating Aerodent restores the Necklace to the Golden Pyramid. |
|
Catbat | 
|
The boss of the Sapphire Passage is Catbat. It is essentially a large, ghostly-like cat with a statue of a bat on his head, which is his weak spot. Catbat has ears that act as bat wings, and likewise he is able to fly during the battle. There is a pool of water below the unstable flooring where a Mechanical Fish patrols by swimming back and forth. The drill on the creature's head will harm Wario if he is to make contact. Catbat creates waves which must be jumped over. In retaliation to any damage, Catbat spits out orange and purple spikes, which either damage Wario or turn him into Puffy Wario, respectively. The latter's purpose is to waste time. Defeating Catbat restores the Bracelets to the Golden Pyramid. |
|
Golden Diva | All | The game's final boss and the ruler of the Golden Pyramid. She wears all four pieces of the Legendary Treasure collected from previous bosses. At the beginning of the battle, the Black Cat is brave enough to confront the Diva, but she swallows the feline whole and Wario is left to battle by herself. The Golden Diva cats several different enemies into the battle, at one after the other but later on, several at once. Wario can counter attack these enemies to inflict damage on the Golden Diva. They are the Green Enemy, the Big Ball, the Black Duck and the Tonkachi. A few sequences of these enemies will bring the Golden Diva to a low point in her HP. She then unleashes her final phase, where her head grows to a fearsome size and she starts destroying the ground. On the last point, simply none but her Lips will remain. A simple attack to these Lips will free the swallowed Black Cat. The ending cut-scene follows. |
Enemies
During his adventure, Wario encounters more than three dozen kinds of enemies. While a few of them can be found in more than one Passage, most enemies are only unique to a certain Passage. The enemy's characteristics usually go by the Passage theme.
Common enemies
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:Bouncers.png | Marumen | A weak walking enemy which can be found in most Passages. They are unable to hurt Wario in any way. Marumen change from purple to red whenever Wario ground pounds near one. |
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Spear-Mask (yellow) | A common enemy wielding a spear as a weapon. The weakest of the Spear-Mask family, they turn blue when Wario ground pounds near it. |
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Tornado Spear-Mask (blue) | A slightly stronger Spear-Mask, it spins the spear it holds before it starts to walk or when it changes direction. A ground pound nearby causes the Tornado Spear-Mask to turn red. |
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Angry Spear-Mask (red) | The strongest and most aggressive form of a Spear-Mask. They charge at Wario whenever they catch sight of him. It becomes yellow again by performing a ground pound. |
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Totsumen | An aggressive creature wearing a mask with a knife attached to it. It charges at Wario at high speed when he comes near it. If it's attack misses and it hits a wall or object, it will flip over. They can then be safely ground pounded. Totsumen behave in a similar way to Eggplant Warriors. |
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Harimen | An enemy that is protected by a pink spiked shell. A ground pound will cause it to flip over, exposing it's vulnerable underside. |
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Harimenzetto | A stronger version of a Harimen with a black shell. An S-ground pound is required to flip it over. |
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Goggley-Blade | The most common aquatic enemy found in the game. It charges at Wario when it catches sight of him. Goggley-Blade's belly is its weak spot. |
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Spiked Head | An immobile spiked creature that is immune to all of Wario's attacks. However, some of Wario's forms can defeat them. |
| File:Shieragutchi WL4.png | Shieragutchi | A spiked clam found in bodies of water. It quickly moves upwards when Wario comes near. Shieragutchi can be defeated with a hit from below. |
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Ringosukī | A Monkey that throws Apples which transforms Wario into Fat Wario upon contact. If defeated, they don't produce any Coins. |
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Beezley | A Bee which flies down and stings Wario, causing his head to swell to a ridiculous size and transform him into Puffy Wario. They also pollinate Money Flowers. |
| File:Archer.PNG | Bow Balloon | An archer that shoots arrows at Wario, which have the same effect as a Beezley's sting. They don't produce any coins when defeated. |
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Menhammer | A hammer-wielding creature that tries to flatten Wario. A hit won't harm Wario, but will turn him into Bouncy Wario. |
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Yukiotoko | A yeti that tries to freeze Wario with its icy sneeze, turning him into Frozen Wario. |
Entry Passage enemies
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Eggplant Warrior | An eggplant-like creature wearing a headband with a knife. It assists the boss Spoiled Rotten. Eggplant Warriors tend to act in the same way as Totsumen. |
Emerald Passage Enemies
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Imomushi | A harmless, slow moving caterpillar. They mostly appear in Wildflower Fields, eating the many large leaves in the level. |
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Moguramen | A mole-like creature wearing a mask with a drill that harms Wario. Some of them dig through the ground. |
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Utsuboankō | A giant sea monster that hides in a hole in the background. When Wario comes near, they will emerge in surprise, damaging Wario if they make contact. They cannot be defeated. |
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Togenobi | A large octopus with four rotating tentacles that hold maces. Wario is not able to defeat them. |
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Tobawani | A crocodile enemy that swims near the water's surface. It jumps up and tries to bite Wario once he is above it. They only appear in the level Monsoon Jungle. |
| File:WL4-Firefly Sprite.PNG | Hotaru | An enemy that accompanies the boss Cractus. If Wario is to touch the toxic drool of Cractus, he will transform into Zombie Wario, which would waste valuable time. Hotaru will then appear on the screen, which will reverse the effects if touched. |
Ruby Passage enemies
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Togerobo | A heavy robot with spikes it's back. It has a spiked head that it drops when they catch sight of Wario. The head rolls along the ground, damaging Wario if it hits him. Togerobo will grow back a new head if the other one is lost. A ram from behind will defeat it. |
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Kaentsubo | A walking jar whose flames turn Wario into Flaming Wario. It flips and creates a flame on the ground when Wario is nearby. No coins are produced when it is defeated. |
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PET Bottom | A bottle walking on four legs. It is armed with a spear on its front, which retracts if it is disturbed. It can be defeated by a ground pound or a ram from behind. |
| File:Drill Bat.PNG | Robo Bird | A robotic bird that attacks by flying in a straight line as soon as soon as it spots Wario. It will inflict damage if it makes contact with Wario. It only appears in the Hard and S-Hard game modes. It can be defeated by a standard ground pound or ram. |
| File:WL4-PearlBird.PNG | Pearl Bird | A bird-like creature that is found in a Puzzle Room in the level 40 Below Fridge. It spits out glass orbs on regular intervals, and they smash when they hit the ground. Wario can catch and throw it at colored ! Switches to clear a path to a Giant Diamond. |
| File:WL4-Spike Cannon.gif | Spike Cannon | An enemy that only appears in the level Pinball Zone, mostly around wire mesh that Wario must climb. They shoot out spikes out of the top of their heads at regular intervals, harming Wario if they make contact. The top of its head acts as a platform, where Wario can stand. However, he can only do this while no spikes are being released, otherwise they will harm him. The Spike Cannon cannot be defeated. |
| File:WL4-Yellow Duck.PNG | Hiyoko | An enemy that is produced by the condor form of the boss Cuckoo Condor. The boss lays eggs which will hatch Hiyoko as soon as they hit the ground. They will start to flash bright orange and blow up, harming Wario if he is nearby. Wario can catch the eggs before they break and throw them as a projectile. |
Topaz Passage enemies
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Toy Car | A tiny Wario driving a mini Wario Car with a spike on the front. They slowly drive along the ground, harming Wario if the spike touches him. |
| File:Spear Bot.PNG | Dice Men | A walking dice wielding a spear. They emerge from an Event Block when the appropriate space on the ribbon is struck. |
| File:Doodle.PNG | Hoggus | A floating pig-like artist that doesn't harm Wario. He draws Dendens and Butatabis, which come to life shortly after he draws them. |
|
Denden | A pig in a spiked shell created by Hoggus. It rolls along the ground when Wario comes near (similar to a Togerobo). |
| File:Butatabi WL4.png | Butatabi | A pig with a spike on its head created by Hoggus. It glides from right to left. |
|
Deburina | A drawing of a dancing pig that has come to life. She has a hula-hoop around her body that rotates while Deburina dances. The edge of the hoop harms Wario. |
| File:WL4-PigHead.PNG | Pig Head Statue | A Pig Head Statue which only appears in the level Toy Block Tower. It drops flames out of it's mouth, which transforms Wario into Flaming Wario, allowing him to break Bonfire Blocks. |
| File:Tack Soldier1.PNG | Pin Enemy | A hopping creature with a spike on the bottom assisting the boss Aerodent. They have to be thrown by Wario at the bear balloon to defeat the boss. |
Sapphire Passage enemies
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Skeleton Bird | A skeletal, ghost-like bird that drops green goo that turn Wario into Zombie Wario. He can then harm the Skeleton Bird by touching it in his zombie form. |
|
Men'ono | A hooded creature armed with an axe. It charges at Wario when it sees him and swings its weapon with the intention to harm him. It can be defeated by a ground pound or aram from behind. |
|
Yūrei | A pirate-like ghost that doesn't harm Wario, but follows him and tries to pick every coin before Wario can do so. He also tries to steal the Keyzer off Wario. He cannot be touched by Wario and likewise, he cannot be defeated. |
| File:Vampire Bat.PNG | Minicula | An invincible bat flying in circles that transforms Wario into Vampire Wario upon contact. |
|
Mayu Bird | A strange bat-like creature that only flies within a small area, but can be found in large groups. They have fangs on their underside which harm Wario. They can be defeated by a ground pound or a ram. If they are tapped on the side, they will mysteriously fly away. |
|
Onomī | A mummified enemy wielding an axe. It uses the same attack as Men'onos, and can be defeated in the same way. |
|
Iwao | A burly creature that throws rolling rocks at Wario. They turn into Yukiotokos when the Frog Switch is hit in the level Fiery Cavern. It can only be defeated with a ground pound on the head. |
|
Mechanical Fish | A mechanical fish with a drill patrolling the pool of the boss Catbat. An S-ground pound is the only way to defeat it. |
| File:WL4-Cough Virus.PNG | Toge | An enemy that accompanies the boss Catbat. Whenever Catbat takes damage, he coughs out small spiked balls as projectiles which will float in the air. If Wario is to make contact with the purple ones, he will transform into Puffy Wario, wasting valuable time. The red Toge appear later in the battle. They will harm Wario instead of transforming him. |
Golden Pyramid enemies
The last part of the game doesn't introduce new enemies, aside from the creatures created by the Golden Diva. Some enemies that are otherwise exclusive to the Sapphire Passage reappear in the Golden Passage, the last level before the final boss. This includes Skeleton Birds, Men'ono and Miniculas.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:WL4-SpikeRock.PNG | Green Enemy | A creature produced by the Golden Diva. It flies down from the sky, the movement similar to a Butatabi. When it hits the ground, it loses the spikes and Wario can throw it at the Diva to inflict damage. |
| File:WL4-BearBomb.PNG | Big Ball | The Big Ball is dropped by the Golden Diva. It is a blue ball with a bear that looks like Aerodent on it. Wario can ram it to send it flying, bouncing off the walls and possibly hitting the Diva, causing her damage. The ball will explode by itself if left alone. |
| File:WL4-DuckEgg.PNG | Black Duck | The Golden Diva can throw black eggs at Wario, which crack open on impact on the ground to reveal a time-bombed duck. They walk back and forth across the stage, flashing faster and faster, until they explode. Wario can catch the eggs before they hit the ground, and then throw it at the Golden Diva to inflict damage. |
| File:WL4-SpikeHammer.PNG | Tonkachi | A spiky Hammer which is thrown by the Golden Diva. Shortly after hitting the ground, it will lose its spikes. Wario can then throw it up in the air with the intention of it landing on him, transforming him into Bouncy Wario. He can then use this transformation to damage the Diva. |
| File:WL4-Lips.PNG | Diva's Lips | When the Golden Diva has been defeated, her Lips will remain wiggling helpless across the stage. Wario must merely ground pound or ram to destroy them. Once done so, the Black Cat is freed (since the Diva swallowed her), and the game ends. |
Reception
The game received generally positive reviews. The "portable masterpiece" received praise and excellent review scores on it's soundtrack, collectibles throughout the game and its general thrill of satisfaction. One gaming website commented about even on it's ten year anniversary, it "still remains the best portable Mario game to date".[2] IGN gave Wario Land 4 a nine out of ten, or "Outstanding", citing its well thought out level design and replayability, and how the game "puts a lot more emphasis on action" compared to it's predecessors.[3] Praise was also given to how much attention the developers paid to the sounds and music. It was not given a full ten because the game does not necessarily push the performance power of the Game Boy Advance in regards to animation design. The website quoted that "it's a little disappointing to see that Wario isn't much of a step beyond his GBC adventure in terms of art and animation...other than the sprite effects, it could have been done on the 8-bit handheld". Global sales exceeded two million copies.[4]
Media
Audio
Video
References in other games
- Wario makes a cameo appearance in Densetsu no Stafy 3, where Wario helps Starfy throughout the Undersea Ruins by using some of his transformations from Wario Land 4. Wario and Starfy arrive at a Vortex, where they must enter to locate the Frog Switch and four Jewel Pieces in order to unlock the boss door. Wario can transform into Bubble Wario, Flaming Wario and Puffy Wario respectively.
- The theme of Princess Game & Watch's Item Shop is used as Mona's theme melody in WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!. The music can also be heard in WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! in a less modified form when the Gelateria is seen from the inside during Mona's story. A slightly sped up version of Palm Tree Paradise's theme can also be heard in the microgame Balancing Act. Additionally, part of Crescent Moon Village's theme can be heard during the epilogue of Wario's second set of microgames in Mega Microgame$!.
- The Golden Diva has almost the same laugh as Princess Lipid, and she covers her real, grotesque face with magic masks, just like Tiaramisu from Wario: Master of Disguise does. Both are also the final bosses of their respective games.
Gallery
Beta elements
- Main article: List of Wario Land 4 beta elements
Wario Land 4 was first announced at E3 2001. The first released screenshots were very different from the final game. Wario had a darker, more orange skin tone. A lot of the enemies were also shown to have a different color scheme. A notable difference from the final game is how Wario originally had a Garlic meter, which would have replaced the heart gauge below the heart meter. The Mini-Game Shop was going to be called the Game Corner, and Wario originally needed a Key to unlock a Jewel Piece Box.
Staff
- Main article: List of Wario Land 4 staff
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development developed Wario Land 4, with the executive producer being Hiroshi Yamauchi. Wario is voiced by Charles Martinet, and the music composition is credited to Ryoji Yoshitomi.
Glitches
- Main article: List of glitches in Wario Land 4
There are currently three known glitches in Wario Land 4. The player is able to fly vertically, hold an invisible object and walk through walls. All of these can be encountered during normal gameplay.
Quotes
- Main article: List of quotes in Wario Land 4
In Wario Land 4, there is not a large amount of quotes within the game itself. But there are many notable quotes within the game's instruction manual, where Wario describes to the reader many aspects of gameplay and a few enemy descriptions. A few of the most memorable are shown below.
Quotes found in the game;
- "Legendary Pyramid discovered deep in Jungle!! Legendary Treasure nearly found, but accidents hindered findings." – Newspaper article seen in the game's opening cut-scene.
- "Welcome to the Item Shop." – Princess Game & Watch welcoming Wario to the Item Shop.
- "Oh no, no! Hurry up!" – Wario, when he hits the Frog Switch in a level.
Quotes found in the game's manual;
- "I ain’t normal! And I don’t mean that I’m stupid! I can do aaalllll kinds o’ stuff that normal humans can’t, you know what I mean? How ‘bout that? Amazing, huh?" – Wario informs the reader of his skills.
- "Rumour has it that no one who’s entered the Golden Passage have ever come out alive! Scary!"– Wario warning the player of the dangers found in the Golden Passage.
- "Yeahhhhh, that’s ME!!! More gorgeous than any Hollywood star! Get a good look at me while you can!!" – Wario describing himself.
- "I don’t always speak so crudely, you know. I’m just worried about you because you play so badly!! Why do I care? Because I’m the one that feels it when you screw up, that’s why!!! So just try to get better at this game, OK?! I’m begging you!" – Wario, worried that the player will lead Wario into some danger.
- "Haven’t you kids ever done something that made you look stupid? Oh, is that right? Well, FINE then! But even the powerful Wario gets into some embarrassing situations in this game! I eat too much and get all chubby, a bee stings my face and makes it swell like a balloon, my body catches fire, and all kinds of other bad things happen to me!! But I’m a tough guy, so I keep coming back for more! You wimps could learn something from me!" – Wario gives examples of his tough times.
