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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

Fighting in the 'Shadow of Rome'

Finally, a game for those with attention spans, which can only be measured in nano-seconds. "WarioWare: Touched!" is a crazy, addictive game, constantly creating wacky scenarios for the player to use the touch screen. Whether splitting logs in half, or helping a statue to put out a fire, the variety of mini-games in this games lives up to its predecessor. For the uninitiated, the first version of "WarioWare" came out on the original Gameboy Advance. It drew a cult following of fans through its quirky humor and countless mini-games. The player, during one moment, would be helping a disco dancer and his cat, and the next, they would be doing something entirely different. The sheer variety and spontaneity found in the game always kept players on their toes.Each round of the game begins with a clue in the form of a one-word phrase to direct the player to the nature of the mini-game. This word could be "divide," "count," "cut" or one of many others. The player then looks at the challenge that they are presented with, and must accomplish the objective within the five-second time limit. Sometimes the time limits are a little longer - sometimes shorter - but a sense of urgency is always placed upon the player.So much attention has been placed on the game's predecessor rather than the game itself because the sequel decided to use the same formula down to the letter. While the story mode has obviously been updated, the essential game play has not. A large number of opportunities to unlock bonuses have been added, giving the game more replay value than before.Keeping the formula intact doesn't hamper the game play at all, and the full employment of the touch screen can be quite addictive. There are certainly worse ways to waste time.