Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
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| Wario Land | |
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| Developer(s) | Nintendo R&D1 |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Designer(s) | Gunpei Yokoi |
| Series | Wario |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy |
| Release date |  21 January 1994 1993 13 May 1994 |
| Genre(s) | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | None |
| Media | 4-megabit cartridge |
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo on the Game Boy in 1994. It is the first video game to feature Wario as both a playable character and the main character, as well as the first appearance of Captain Syrup and her Brown Sugar Pirates, a common villain of Wario's. Despite the Super Mario Land 3 subtitle, Mario has very little to do with this installment in the series.
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[edit] Game overview
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 starts at the end of Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. Wario Land features a theme of greed remarkably different from almost all of Nintendo's other franchises: It is the first game Nintendo has made where the main character's cause is decidedly selfish. There are no princesses to save, no world in peril. There is only one goal: for Wario to earn as much money as possible, in an effort to buy his own massive castle and make Mario jealous. The larger the cash total Wario has collected at the end of the game, the better house (and ending) that Wario will receive.
The Super Mario Land 3 subtitle links the game with the popular Super Mario Land 2. The game also increases its replay value by including a large hidden treasure chest in some levels. The chests (which can only be accessed by finding a special key placed elsewhere in the level) contain special one-of-a-kind treasures, which would each add a considerable amount to Wario's coin total at the end of the game.
[edit] Gameplay
Despite being billed as Super Mario Land 3, Wario Land bears little resemblance to its predecessors. Wario Land borrows the system of themed Worlds from Super Mario Land 2 (though this time, the game does not restrict secret levels to be re-entered via secret entrances nor disables any cleared level), but arranges them in a linear route; this allows the game to feature a difficulty curve absent from its non-linear predecessor.
Wario's basic movements in this game reflect the considerable difference that he has from Mario. The most notable difference in gameplay is that Wario (being much tougher than any of the characters on Kitchen Island) doesn't take damage from merely touching an enemy; if he bumps against a foe he instead will knock it over and be able to carry it. Most enemies wield a weapon; if Wario wants to knock these enemies over, he will have to bump into them from a safe side, not touching their weapon.
Movement is also noticeably different from prior Super Mario Land installments. Whereas Mario's jumps are light and precise, Wario's moves are more brutal and blunt. For example, Wario carries over his shoulder-charging body slam move from the prior game, wherein he smashes any nearby enemy clear off the playing field. Wario is also able to crouch, and slowly crawl in a crouching position. He can also jump while crouching, to reach small gaps above the ground. If Wario has at least 10 coins in his possession, he can pull a large coin from his pocket, and use it as a thrown weapon. Doing this costs 10 coins, but Wario can pick up the coin after throwing it.
In addition to his basic move list, the game features a variety of caps that act as powerups for Wario, giving him new abilities. In his "normal" form, he wears a pith helmet. The Jet Cap makes Wario almost twice as fast as usual and allows him to fly for short distances. The Dragon Cap shoots flames from its nose (and shoots a limited beam underwater). Finally, there is a Bull Cap that gives Wario even greater strength, a longer shoulder charge distance, the ability to hang on to the ceiling with the horns, and the ability to do a "butt stomp," which can smash blocks with his weight and shake buried objects out of the ground. Also, Wario can collect a Starman that makes Wario immune to damage from enemies. When Wario takes damage, he shrinks in size, does not wear a hat, and can't do his body slam move. If Wario takes damage while he is small, he'll lose a life.
[edit] Areas
Rice Beach - The game's first area, a large beach, as its name would suggest. Most of the area is strewn with various pirate property, such as crates and barrels with a skull stamped on them. After defeating the first boss and leaving this area, Wario will discover that high tide has come in if he returns, flooding and changing certain levels so that he can find new things in them. The boss is a Spiked Koopa Troopa.
Mt. Teapot - A giant, teapot-shaped mountain. Its insides are filled with lava, suggesting that it is a volcano. Its "lid" actually floats above it, apparently being a creation of the Syrup Gang and not a natural part of the mountain. The lid slams down into the top of the mountain when it is time to fight the boss, crushing the level that was there before. The old level can not be played again, but the new 'lid' level is similar to the old one, with the addition of big rocks shoved into the landscape all around, and a new roof (the previous level has open skies). The game's only secret area, Sherbet Land, is accessible through this area. The boss is The Big Bull Loomer.
Sherbet Land - An ice world, only accessible from a secret exit in Mt. Teapot. From the map screen, it appears as if this area is shaped like a monster's face. This area is notable for the enemy characters that have been permanently frozen into its walls and floors. The boss is a boxing penguin, though unlike other bosses, it is not actually required to defeat him.
Stove Canyon - The game's lava area. Nearly all of the stages are filled with lava, making travel in these areas somewhat tricky. The boss is Big Head, who cracks the rocky floor with his tongue and snorts lava rocks out of his nose.
SS Tea Cup - This area consists of not only the pirate's ship, the SS Tea Cup, but also the surrounding beaches and waters. As such, a good deal of it bears some similarity to the Rice Beach area. The boss is Bobo, a giant bird.
Parsley Woods - Misspelled "Parsely Woods" in-game. A large forest, with several train tracks running through it. Many of the stages take place in or around the area's very large trees. Others take place on moving trains. The boss is a big ghost. The first two stages are in a lake at first, but after the second stage is completed, the lake drains out and the first stage is changed from being a water level, to being a much larger 'bottom of the lake' level.
Syrup Castle - The game's final area, and the headquarters of the Syrup Gang. Shaped more like a tower with a skull at the top than the more traditional castles seen elsewhere in the Mario universe. Beating each stage in this area will demolish a bit more of the castle, until the entire thing has been torn down, revealing the Princess' statue inside. The final boss is Captain Syrup and her genie Nat.
[edit] Ending
After beating the final boss, Syrup vows her revenge and flees leaving a giant bomb that destroys the last remains of the castle. Wario narrowly escapes the collapsing castle with the boss' magic lamp and finally discovers the statue of Princess Peach. Wario is excited that he finally got the statue, but Mario (in a cameo appearance) flies in on a helicopter and, thanking Wario in the process, retrieves the statue and flies away, leaving Wario behind. However, Wario still has the lamp, and uses it to conjure up the genie that he just defeated. The genie offers to give Wario one wish. After a moment of thinking, Wario wishes for a castle. The genie then gives Wario a house based on how many coins and treasures the player has collected overall. In ascending order of how much treasure is required, the six houses that can be obtained are as follows:
- Birdhouse (300+ coins) (Note: Wario receives 300 coins upon beating Captain Syrup, thus this is the least amount of coins possible)
- Hollow tree trunk (10,072+ coins)
- Log cabin (40,008+ coins)
- Pagoda (70,008+ coins)
- Castle (90,008+ coins)
- Planet (99,999+ coins)
[edit] Success and sequels
Wario Land was an attempt to expand the appearance of Wario in Super Mario Land 2 to a starring role and was successful. Wario Land spawned five popular sequels: Wario Land II, Wario Land 3, Wario Land 4, Wario: Master of Disguise, and Wario Land Shake. Wario Land and Wario Land 4 also received side games of their own, VB Wario Land and Wario World.
[edit] External links
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