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Wario Land II

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Wario Land II
North American Game Boy Color box art
Developer(s)Nintendo R&D1
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Takehiko Hosokawa
Producer(s)Takehiro Izushi
Designer(s)Masani Ueda
Programmer(s)Masaru Yamanaka
Katsuya Yamano
Nobuhiro Ozaki
Artist(s)Hiroji Kiyotake
Composer(s)Kozue Ishikawa
SeriesWario
Platform(s)Game Boy, Game Boy Color
ReleaseGame Boy
  • NA: March 9, 1998
  • EU: March 26, 1998
  • AU: May 15, 1998
Game Boy Color
  • JP: October 21, 1998
  • AU: December 23, 1998[1]
  • NA: February 10, 1999
  • EU: February 25, 1999
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Wario Land II, known in Japan as Wario Land 2: The Stolen Treasure,[a] is a 1998 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy.[2] A sequel to Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, the game follows Wario as he sets out to recover his stolen treasure from Captain Syrup. The gameplay retains the side-scrolling platforming elements of its predecessor, with the player guiding Wario through various levels with the goal of getting to the end of the game with as many coins as possible. Wario Land II introduces an immortality game mechanic in which enemies cannot inflict damage, but instead cause Wario to lose coins or transform into forms with abilities that allow players to access previously unreachable areas.

The original monochrome version was released for the Game Boy in North America and Europe in March 1998. A colorized version, sometimes called Wario Land II DX, was released in Japan in October 1998 as a launch title for the Game Boy Color, and later in other regions. The Game Boy Color version was re-released as a Virtual Console game for the Nintendo 3DS in 2012.[3][4]

Gameplay

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Wario dashes through a thin wall to find a secret room full of coins.

Wario Land II differs from many platformers of its era by emphasizing exploration and puzzle-solving over traditional mechanics like timers, health points, or limited lives. The game's challenge lies in navigating obstacles, solving environmental puzzles, and unlocking paths blocked by coins or treasure locks. Some levels feature hidden exits that can alter the storyline, unlock additional stages, and lead to different endings. A total of five alternate endings can be unlocked by collecting all treasures, in addition to the "Really Final Chapter".

Unlike most platformers, Wario is invincible, he cannot die. Instead, enemy attacks cause him to lose coins or undergo transformations. Certain transformations grant him new abilities that allow access to previously unreachable areas. For example, touching fire turns him into Hot Wario, enabling him to defeat enemies on contact and burn through obstacles.[5]

The game also features a minigame based on the Game & Watch title Flagman, which becomes available after collecting all picture tiles. Unlike its predecessor, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Wario Land II imposes no time limits, allowing players to explore levels at their own pace, a feature retained in later entries of the series.

Plot

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Following the events of the second-best ending in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Captain Syrup and her minions, the Pirate Gooms, infiltrate Wario's castle early one morning. They steal his treasure, set off his giant alarm clock, and leave the tap running, flooding parts of the castle. After waking up and discovering the chaos, Wario sets off in pursuit across the surrounding lands to reclaim his hoard.[6][7]

Depending on the player's progress and choices, the game can conclude with one of several endings. In the final chapter, Captain Syrup is defeated and Wario recovers his treasure, the amount of which varies based on the player's performance.

Reception

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Wario Land II received critical acclaim upon release. Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded it "Game of the Month," with reviewers praising its large scope, hidden secrets, and inventive gameplay. Dan Hsu highlighted the unconventional mechanic in which the player cannot die, noting that it leads to humorous outcomes that sometimes unlock new areas. He remarked, "Wario Land II reminds me of so many old-school platformers, yet it's like nothing I've seen before."[11]

The Game Boy Color version holds an aggregate score of 88% on GameRankings, based on 14 reviews.[9] Writing for IGN, Alec Matias called it "the perfect game to accompany you on a long road trip because of its lastability and replayability."[12]

AllGame criticized the Game Boy Color version for lacking significant improvements beyond the addition of color, but praised its strong puzzle design and consistently solid platforming.[10] Reviewing the Virtual Console re-release, Nintendo Life acknowledged the shift in gameplay from earlier entries but concluded that "it's actually quite good" once players adapt.[13]

In 2019, PC Magazine included Wario Land II on its list of "The 10 Best Game Boy Games".[14]

Notes

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  1. ^ Japanese: ワリオランド2 盗まれた財宝, Hepburn: Wario Rando Tsū: Nusumareta Zaihō

References

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  1. ^ "Australian Releases". Game Boy Station. December 23, 1998. Archived from the original on June 5, 2002. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  2. ^ Wario Land II for GBC – Wario Land II Game Boy Color – Wario Land
  3. ^ "Nintendo Virtual Console eShop: Wario Land II". nintendo.co.uk. Nintendo of Europe. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  4. ^ "Nintendo Games – Wario Land II". nintendo.com.au. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  5. ^ Wario Land II (Manual) (Game Boy Color ed.). Nintendo. 1999.
  6. ^ "Wario Land II". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  7. ^ Nintendo Co., Ltd. Wario Land 2 Game Boy Color Manual.
  8. ^ a b "Wario Land II (Game Boy)". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Wario Land II (Game Boy Color)". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  10. ^ a b Williamson, Colin. "Wario Land II". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  11. ^ a b c "Review Crew: Wario Land II". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 106. Ziff Davis. May 1998. p. 103.
  12. ^ a b Matias, Alec (February 15, 2000). "Wario Land 2". IGN. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  13. ^ a b van Duyn, Marcel (July 20, 2012). "Wario Land II Review". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  14. ^ a b Edwards, Benji (October 17, 2022). "The 10 Best Game Boy Games". PCMag. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
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