WarioWare: DIY
Rating: E
Score: 8.0/10
What can be said about Wario? Really, what can be said? The guy's life has revolved around jealousy and hatred towards a fat, Italian plumber who keeps out-ranking him despite his inhuman strength. So, after giving up on that goal, he makes his own business being an inventor and pitchman to try to amass large quantities of money. This time, as opposed to making or selling something he found, he's hired YOU to make and sell his games! Well, the person with the best taste is you, right? This game is a Nintendo DS exclusive.
What little story there is has already been summarized: Wario hired you to make his games. The Warioware series is probably the worst series for stories, but this is the worst yet. Not that it matters too much, the real fun is in the gameplay.
The gameplay remains unchanged, which is more or less for the better. Every couple of seconds, a "microgame" is shot at you with instructions/hint (usually only consisting of one word). Why are they called "microgames"? Because they're only about two seconds in length, that's why! Not only do you need a quick mind to comprehend the instructions, you must perform the task as well, and do it in a very short amount of time. It's not as impossible as it initially sounds: the instructions are always demanding quick and easy tasks and the performance is just as easy as reading about it.
The big gimmick in this game is the ability to make your own minigames, not just play preset ones, right? Correct, and after a text-heavy very-detailed-for-beginners tutorial on the basics of making games, you can go about making one. It's simple enough for anyone who does any computer programming/video game programming/works at all in computers, so much so that you can jump right in and be disappointed in the lack of options. Any new fans will much appreciate the detailed tutorial (that the former groups need to sit through) and the lack of options harms them none, it's simpler in the end.
First, you make the background, then create any and all objects on scene in your game. Once that's completed, you move to music, which is quite a robust music creating studio. Finally, give everyone a "script". The script tells the object what to do, when, and what needs to happen when the criteria is met (i.e. sound effects, winning the level, other objects doing stuff, etc...). The script is lacking quite a bit of movement options, among other options too. In the game designer’s defence, so many movements on a touch screen would be impossible to program; however they’ve already showed they can program it in this game's preset minigames and "WarioWare Touched!" game, the earlier WarioWare game on the DS.
The game continues its peculiar, childish humor, as it always has and always will. It's almost reminiscent of the early childhood years where every weird/gross/stupid thing was funny. Some people never out grow that humor either. Because it takes itself as what is it: A silly game about silly games with silly people doing silly things, it's hard not to chuckle.
Lack of support in this game's biggest selling feature is this game's worst idea. It's still a great, albeit an immature guilty, pleasure to play. It won't be the best fun you'll have on a portable system; it's probably the strangest fun.