Thanks to Hamada for helping with edits.
Growing up surrounded by Nintendo systems, it was inevitable I’d become acquainted with Mario guru Shigeru Miyamoto’s flagship character. A copy of Mario Kart 64 came with my Nintendo 64, which served as a breezy introduction to its namesake hero and his social circle. Naturally, Wario caught my attention, and since a few of my friends owned Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, I also got to experience his game of origin. That Game Boy platformer—and, therefore, Wario himself—are celebrating their thirtieth anniversary tomorrow, meaning one thing: it’s Wario time!
Wario, seen on Nintendo’s Mario portal (Image: Nintendo)
While Mario was busy rescuing Princess Daisy during Super Mario Land, his opportunistic rival seized his castle. Giving it a major redecorating, Mario’s manor acts as Land 2’s final stage—and it’s a standout even in a game that whisks the plumber through space (fifteen years before Galaxy), a submarine, and giant whale. Today, Nintendo only occasionally references Land 2, which is a pity. The game’s charming, offbeat personality, however, lives on through its breakout star…
Wario’s History
After Super Mario Land was released, Nintendo R&D1 began developing a sequel. When discussing how its villain, Wario, was born, designer Hiroji Kiyotake admits they “kind of came up with the idea of the name first” and thought “to flip the M upside down.” Conceived as “the Bluto to Mario’s Popeye” (a role Donkey Kong initially held but outgrew), Wario’s name is a portmanteau of “Mario” and “warui,” which means “bad.” The sinister Stromboli from Disney‘s Pinocchio was another influence on Wario’s design, and everyone on the team was enamored with their creation. A dubious source alleges this reckless rascal represents R&D1’s distaste in developing titles starring Mario, a character they harbored no attachment to.
According to Kiyotake, crepes are his brainchild’s favorite food. Garlic soon supplanted them. (Image: Nintendo)
Subsequent Super Mario titles are mostly Wario-free zones (Miyamoto once claimed his exclusion in them is due to differing art styles). Surprisingly, Wario cooperates with the Mario Bros. and Yoshi in Super Mario 64 DS, and hosts a handful of minigames. Since New Super Mario Bros. reuses those minigames, Wario also cameos there. Bizarrely, the Wii U re-releases of the Super Mario Advance quartet adjust Mario’s third multiplayer palette to better resemble Wario despite that mode being inaccessible. New Super Mario Bros. U, Maker, and Odyssey feature costumes in his likeness, too.
Regardless, Wario’s a regular in Mario spin-offs. Mario & Wario, Wario’s Woods, and various Picross games highlight him. A Wario guest spot was planned for the first Mario & Luigi, a badge in the second Paper Mario honors him, and a Rabbid’s based on him. Adult and Baby Wario, who debuted in Yoshi’s Island DS, practiced together in the now-defunct Dr. Mario World. Starting with 1996’s Mario Kart 64, however, this gruff goon has reliably participated in his frenemy’s socials, entering far too many to list. Notably, Mario Tennis gave him a partner in crime: Waluigi (developer Camelot also proposed giving them girlfriends). The dysfunctional duo’s camaraderie is a highlight in Camelot’s output, with company president and writer Hiroyuki Takahashi lauding their “detestable heel personalities.”
When asked why Wario wasn’t in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Miyamoto explained they wanted its protagonists to play identically. (Image: Nintendo)
That’s all in addition to Wario’s own franchise, which began with him usurping Mario’s Land line in 1994. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 deals with the embittered brute traveling to Kitchen Island, still seeking a castle. Virtual Boy Wario Land marks his second successful excursion. Wario Land II deals with the aftermath of the first, showing vengeful pirate Captain Syrup reclaim her foil’s ill-gotten gains. In Wario Land 3, Wario stumbles upon—and frees—a cursed town’s residents (surprisingly, Dr. Mario 64 sort of serves as an encore for these weirdos). Land 4 reveals the plump pooper relocated to a city, but is still eager to loot archaeological sites. The latest Land is Shake It!, wherein the treasure hunter works with Syrup to liberate another dimension. Wario World and Master of Disguise are the thief’s other platformers, he appears in some old browser games, and he even nabbed a crossover with Bomberman, Wario Blast.
WarioWare, a series Wario was chosen to headline because “he’s always doing stupid things,“ began in 2003. Set in Diamond City, Ware games concern the oaf coercing his friends to make cheap video games, often ones that take advantage of their respective hardware’s gimmicks. There are ten proper installments: Mega Microgame$!, Mega Party Game$!, Touched!, Twisted!, Smooth Moves, Snapped!, D.I.Y., D.I.Y. Showcase, Gold, and Get It Together!, as well as the Wii U offshoot Game & Wario (two Ware minigames also saw standalone releases, and there’s considerable overlap between it and Rhythm Heaven).
Some Wario-related projects never hit store shelves. One pitch evolved into Donkey Kong Country. Two less fortunate pitches are Wario Pool and a Virtual Boy Wario Land remake. (Image: Nintendo)
Wario’s history with Super Smash Bros. dates back to its genesis. Though the muscleman performed astonishingly well in a poll asking fans who should enter a second Smash, series auteur Masahiro Sakurai decided against including him in Melee, not wanting to overrepresent Mario. However, an in-game trophy honors him, and if there was time to add one or two more unique fighters, Wario could’ve made it (Sakurai adds that he would’ve had to “get rid of both Marth and Roy or Mewtwo” to realize Wario). He finally joined during Brawl, debuting in its announcement trailer. Sakurai designed Wario to be comedic, citing Ware’s silliness. The businessman’s getup from Ware is even his default costume, though he alone scored a second one: his iconic overalls. Wario dutifully returns in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and Ultimate (and in the former two, lacks his iconic shoulder barge).
Otherwise unrelated games, like the Donkey Kongas and Swapdoodle, give Wario nods. He assists the titular star of Densetsu no Stafy 3. Cosmetics based on Wario appear in titles like Minecraft, Yoshi’s Woolly World, and Jump Rope Challenge. A Tetris 99 event celebrated Get It Together!, Wario’s latest release. Supplemental media, including a number of comics, incorporate Wario. A bevy of merchandise, like a soda, flaunts his face. Wario even gets referenced in pop culture, including an excruciating Saturday Night Live skit; he’s emblematic of the medium.
So, what’re my thoughts on Wario?
Charles Martinet traditionally voices Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi, and believes the latter two are unrelated. Listening to Martinet ham it up as Wario during press materials is a treat. (Image: Nintendo)
Wario’s design is phenomenal, swiftly communicating he’s a “bad Mario” without being a clichéd dark doppelgänger. Exaggerations like his fatter stomach and toothy grin show he’s a lighthearted caricature, not a “cooler” counterpoint. Where the mascot’s mustache is round and cute, the wannabe’s is crooked, like him. Wario is physically larger than Mario and has an ego to match, something his cheaper outfit reflects. Both men wear hats displaying their respective M and W icons, but Wario brandishes his more prominently. Plus, his palette is primarily yellow and purple, harsh complementary colors that convey his off-kilter nature and make him pop; Wario demands attention. Extra amenities—the blue bags around his eyes, his green shoes, pink nose—add kicks to his palette. And the punk’s grungy biker garb also fits snuggly, distancing him even further from Nintendo’s otherwise pristine lineup. Some details, like the bodybuilder’s short sleeves, came after his stubbier limbs and lazy eye were phased out (the latter getting a wink in Mario Strikers: Battle League notwithstanding).
Nevertheless, Mario Land 2’s rough Wario harbors his own charm. This fight spans three phases, the first of which is a warmup where both men try stomping each other. Then, a twist: Wario spends the next two rounds using versions of his anathema’s power-ups (twenty-one years before Meowser, too). That Wario shrinks à la Mario after being beaten further accentuates their commonalities. That the sore loser then exits gracelessly humorously individualizes him. Altogether, Wario’s early years are kinda fascinating; using magic and acting so menacing in those American commercials shows Nintendo was experimenting with him.
Wario commentates his games’ manuals (well, until he gets bored—then Mona might take over), giving insight into his life. Did you know he pals around with a cockroach? (Image: Nintendo)
The Wario Land series stabilized and matured its title character. It’s where Wario starts doing good deeds (albeit inadvertently), living a life independent of Mario (who only factors in to the first Wario Land), and is nevertheless mechanically cemented as the plumber’s antithesis. Jumping atop foes and using finesse is Mario’s forte, an approach his slower foil rejects. Though Wario can jump on most enemies, doing so only stuns them. Compensating for this is the muscleman’s sturdier body. Touching enemies harms Mario, but not this thug, who can casually bump into most of his. Wario’s means of retaliation, correspondingly, champion raw power—he just rashly dashes into things (among other techniques; World and Shake It! are flashy, highlighting his superhuman strength). Heck, depending on the Land, the ruffian can’t die solely because he doesn’t want to; tanking hits merely slows him down. These qualities even landed the rogue his Blast gig, since explosives fit his destructive, resilient style.
Oh, and Wario’s power-ups? From Land II onward, they aren’t power-ups—they’re humiliating transformations becoming of his and Mario’s roots in Western cartoons (something a Land 3 commercial also channels). Which is funny and felicitous, since the stubborn Wario still isn’t a good guy, so he can suffer through some Looney Tunes-esque slapstick, right? That the globetrotter takes advantage of these spontaneous changes to vanquish foes and clear puzzles shows how crafty and resourceful he is, too.
Shake It! designer Tadanori Tsukawaki and composer Tomoya Tomita favor Wario’s manlier aspects. Personally, his gross habits are more comical when they’re slightly less emphasized; Wario nonchalantly picking his nose is funnier than attacking with a fart. (Image: Nintendo)
Martinet accurately claims jealously is Wario’s “cornerstone emotion.” That’s always been his driving force, one that keeps the character flexible. Wario’s occupied a wide array of roles, from villainous to heroic. Gold exemplifies the former nicely, showing the gleefully greedy glutton is happy to scam people but isn’t actively malicious; he even returns a toilet he stole (side note: Wario mostly being sinister for the sake of it in “The Subspace Emissary” always felt off. That Brawl aggravates his crass tendencies into a nuclear fart, one Smash keeps promoting as his signature move, also causes an odd juxtaposition). Wario’s materialism even informs most of his villains; Syrup, Rudy, the Golden Diva, Black Jewel, Terrormisu, and Shake King exploit or share his insatiable lust for valuables. Plus, it’s yet another contrast to Mario, who only inadvertently collects coins on his quests.
WarioWare complements Land wonderfully. Where the latter only reliably keeps him as a constant, Ware gives the broke boor stability through a recurring home and buddies. We see other sides of the man, learning he’s actually a decent friend… as long as some get-rich-quick scheme isn’t clouding his judgment. Some argue Ware’s lethargic Wario clashes with his adventurous Land characterization, but both present him as a lazy lump during downtime (furthermore, Ware doesn’t ignore its platforming predecessor). And their debts to an obscure Mario spin-off aside, the minigame compilations grant the anti-Mario a frantic, scurrilous style distant from his parent franchise. Wario wearing his denim jacket in Smash was initially startling, but it’s rightfully his default one, representing he’s how far the gannet’s grown.
Wario can be contemplative and considerate. He sincerely loves his pet, and acts respectful towards Princesses Peach and Shokora. If he’s disinterested, though, watch out—he’ll subvert a tired Mario trope. (Image: Nintendo)
Mario’s “coco crazy” compeer is a hilarious, one-of-a-kind antihero—and one of my all-time favorite characters. It’s fun to vicariously live through his vices, crushing morally worse foes while pilfering treasure (the comparably covetous Bender was once my favorite Futurama character). It’s also fun watching the expressive egotist suffer through demeaning afflictions or defeats. And this delightfully crude, rude dude is a testament to innovation, a rebellion against Mario’s sanitized standards. So long as Nintendo avoids bankruptcy, this gem will enjoy his throne as one of their richest stars.
Congratulations, Wario! You’re number one!
Unsurprisingly, this guy’s also a role model, inspiring newer adventurers like Tembo, Anton, and Duke Dashington. (Image: Nintendo)
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