Wario Land 4

If any game on the Game Boy Advance can show what „controlled madness“ means, it is Wario Land 4. A bizarre soundtrack, grotesque design and a pace that never lets go — this is the peak of Wario's solo adventures and one of the most distinctive platformers on the entire console.

Wario is no heroic savior; he is a greedy, unscrupulous scoundrel out for treasure. And his game is every bit as quirky as he is. Mechanically it works on a brilliant twist: first you calmly explore a level and find a switch, but activating it starts a countdown — and you have to make the sprint back to the exit before time runs out. A leisurely exploration suddenly turns into a frantic dash.

The most fun part is how Wario reacts to being hit. He doesn't die — instead he transforms. He swells up like a balloon, gets drunk and staggers, flattens out after an impact, bursts into flames. Each state has different abilities and opens up different paths, so „damage“ becomes a puzzle-solving tool. It's an idea so bold and funny it has no equal anywhere else.

Add to that audiovisuals that teeter on the edge of a feverish dream. The soundtrack is wild, at times unsettling, at times gripping, and the visual style is grotesquely exaggerated. Wario Land 4 has no interest in being cute — it wants to be memorable, and it succeeds perfectly.

The result is a platformer that combines clever design with unbridled creativity. Pace, style and mechanics all fit together so well that they make Wario Land 4 the peak of the series in handheld form and a little gem in the GBA catalog.

Why play: An insanely stylish and inventive platformer where taking damage becomes a tool and the pace never lets up — the peak of the Wario Land series.