WarioWare: Twisted!

Gameplay

Twisted follows a similar format to its predecessor, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!, in which players must play through a series of "microgames"; short minigames that require the player to understand and clear its objective within a few seconds. Twisted! features unique gameplay thanks to its built-in gyro sensor, which detects the rotation of the handheld system. As such, many of the microgames require the player to physically rotate the system in order to clear. For example, players may have to empty a bin's contents, steer a plane, or guide something through a maze. Microgames become more complex as the game progresses, with later microgames sometimes requiring the player to fully rotate their system.

This game changes the scoring from the other WarioWare titles. Previously, the score was the number of games that were played, but Twisted only counts the number of games that the player won. The game features items called "souvenirs", which are unlocked after boss stages in story mode. Records, musical instruments, figurines, games, and many quirky items are possible to unlock.

Gyro sensor

The Twisted cartridge has a built-in gyro sensor and rumble feature (for feedback during rotation). Most of the microgames are played by rotating the entire handheld device. The gyro sensor uses a piezoelectric gyroscope developed by NEC to detect angular movement.

Because the game automatically calibrates the gyro sensor when the game is turned on (and after every "micro-game"), it works with both top-loading slots (like the Game Boy Advance) and bottom-loading slots (like all other models after the original GBA: Game Boy Advance SP, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Micro, and Nintendo DS Lite). The manual states that Twisted! is not compatible with the Game Boy Player; although the game loads as normal, players would have to carry and tilt the connected GameCube console and use its controller for button presses, thus it is simply not practical.

Plot

One day, while Wario was playing with his Game Boy Advance, Wario becomes frustrated with a particularly hard game on it and throws the system at a wall, causing it to bounce back and hit him on the head. After his temporary rage, he notices his GBA is broken. He requests Dr. Crygor's help in mending it. Crygor, however, places it in his new invention, the Gravitator, which spits out dozens of buttonless objects similar in form factor to a Game Boy Advance. It demonstrates that in order to play, the device must be physically moved. Mona and 9-Volt arrive and toy with these new units, enjoying themselves. Wario, taking note of their reaction, decides to take advantage of these motion-sensing abilities as a selling point, and recruits his friends to design microgames based on this concept.

Development

Nintendo programmer Kazuyoshi Osawa took the lead of developing the game engine with several members of the original WarioWare staff. Intelligent Systems provided half of the workforce including several programmers.

European release

This game was originally set to be released in Europe on June 24, 2005. It was later pushed back to February 24, 2006, then to December 8, 2006. Nintendo Europe changed its release date to "TBD" on the company's website. In the January 2008 issue of the Official Nintendo Magazine, in the "Ask Nintendo" section a Nintendo Europe representative stated that the WarioWare: Twisted! delay was because Twisted! was still undergoing the compulsory LGA testing and approval for Europe. Contrary to a popular rumor that the lack of a European release is due to the game's gyroscope using mercury, it uses a piezoelectric gyroscope that does not contain mercury. PAL region copies of the 2008 Wii game Super Smash Bros. Brawl list the title in the included database of Nintendo games as "Not Released".

Reception

WarioWare: Twisted! currently, has an aggregate 87.79% rating on GameRankings. Craig Harris from IGN channel named Twisted! the No. 1 GBA game of all time, and gave it a rating of 9.5/10.