WarioWare: Get it Together! (Nintendo Switch) Review

When this revamp was first announced, many fans were understandably afraid that it would lead to less variety than before. In previous WarioWare titles, each challenge was completely different, so you’d never know what was coming next. If it could be done with a controller, it could be done in a microgame, so the potential was practically endless. On top of this, most of the past releases utilized a system's gimmick, such as the DS’s stylus in Touched and the Wii’s motion in Smooth Moves. Unlike those, Get it Together sticks to a conservative button-only setup, so to an extent, there is less variety than in the past. All microgames have been designed with a streamlined platformer-esque control scheme in mind. You're not going to swap between picking noses and picking flowers, as you'll always be doing something that a chibi Wario avatar could reasonably pull off.

Fortunately, the transformation does not destroy the series' appeal at all—in fact, it is honestly the game's largest boon. The old style, while classic, was definitely at risk of growing stale. The previous two entries, 2013's Game & Wario and 2018's WarioWare Gold, each came with a slight hitch. The former was an oddball spin-off that ditched the microgame format to middling results, and the latter was a best-hits compilation of the previous few games. Looking back even further, the last fully original WarioWare title was on Nintendo Wii, which was the last time that the company invented a truly new control scheme. It was clear that the developers were ready for something new, and luck will have it, Get it Together isn't just new, it's fun!

Manic, unexpected action is absolutely the draw of the WarioWare franchise, but one inherent drawback to this formula is the inevitable repetition. Sure, scrubbing a toilet in a Nintendo game is funny the first time, but the joke wears thin after a couple attempts, and with this, so does the microgame. The latest release subverts this by featuring a variety of distinct playable characters. The series' wide supporting cast are no longer mere hosts for each set of microgames; they're instead active participants that each play completely differently.

Wario, the basic all-arounder, can zoom around on a jetpack and use his iconic shoulder bash. Mona, Wario's number one fan, can literally not stop moving, unless she is using her trusty, versatile boomerang. 9-Volt, the resident gamer of the group, can only interact with objects by smacking them with a yoyo as he slides back and forth on a skateboard. His buddy, 18-Volt, cannot move at all, instead relying on a lengthy projectile to modify the environment. If past WarioWare titles transported you into different games entirely with each encounter, then this one achieves that same effect through one's chosen playable character.

The replayability that this addition brings cannot be understated. There are 19 total options, each getting more and more unique as the game goes on. Not all of them are created equally, but that isn't necessarily a problem. All-around picks like Mike and Cricket will rarely face much trouble, but they will rarely excel in any given microgame, either. Niche characters like Dr. Crygor or 5-Volt will struggle with certain conventional tasks, but can still use their specialty to excel in other, trickier ones. 3-5 characters can be brought into a level at any given time, so finding a balanced team composition is key to reaching those sweet, sweet high scores.

In terms of how the content is distributed, most of it is experienced through an approximately three hour long story mode. When Wario and his crew of ragtag developers are sucked into their own video game, they must work together to fight off some pesky glitches and find their way out. As far as 'story modes in a party game' go, it's perfectly adequate. The writing is funny, the themes are varied, and the voice acting, while somewhat limited, is full of character. Charles Martinet in particular chews so much scenery with his iconic Wario voice, and the rest of the cast also excels in their respective roles. Without spoiling too much, the series debuts its first new vocal track since Smooth Moves, and it is an absolute treat. All of this is tied together by a crisp, cartoon-y art style that pops wonderfully on a Switch's portable screen. From a presentation perspective, the developers did not miss in the slightest.

Moreover, Get it Together also introduces local co-op play! The series has featured competitive multiplayer modes in the past, but now you and a friend can team up to take on any given microgame at the same time. Once again, this simple change adds so much replayability to what seemed like a tried-and-true concept. Not only is each microgame slightly different for each character, but they're also slightly different when approached with two players. A simple task may become trickier and a solo task may now require some off-the-cuff teamwork. Time is limited, so communication needs to be fast, loud, and direct. All of this is to say that playing WarioWare with a friend is hectic, stressful, and positively joyous… if you can find someone to play with, that is.

Unlike this year's Super Mario 3D World remaster or the upcoming Mario Party Superstars, WarioWare has absolutely no online options for its multiplayer modes. The aforementioned co-op play? Local only. Progression through the story mode? Local only. All of the competitive minigames featured on the side? Local only. If you don't have a friend to play with, most of these features are flat-out inaccessible. This omission is certainly a shame, especially as Cubed3 was unable to try any of the optional competitive minigames for this review. Nintendo is known for their 'one step forward, two steps back' tendencies, and the lack of online play here is another clear example of that.

The only fully online feature in the package is the Wario Cup, a weekly, rotating set of single-player challenges where players compete for high scores on an online leaderboard. While it is still disappointing that this is the only online inclusion, it at least partially makes up for it by being an incredibly fun distraction in its own right. Simply competing against your own high score in the preset challenges would quickly get stale, so a consistently changing ruleset with an indirect competitive element is a wonderful change of pace. Upon unlocking the mode, it's hard to not be sucked in for hours on end, just trying to beat your friends' high scores. The story mode may not be super long, but WarioWare still has plenty of longevity.