- Release Date: August 27, 1993
- Genre: Puzzle
- Style: Adventure Puzzle
Game Description
Mario & Wario, for the Super Famicom, is a puzzle game based on the popular Super Mario series. It was scheduled for a U.S. release but subsequently cancelled, making Mario & Wario a Japanese-only release. In the game, you control the fairy, doing whatever you can to help Mario or his friends make it past obstacles to get to
Mario & Wario is a one-player game, although you can choose one of three characters to control with the fairy, each representing a different skill level. The princess is the slowest, Yoshi is the fastest, and Mario falls somewhere in between. Mario & Wario is one of the only Super Famicom games to support the mouse that came with Mario Paint, although you can also control the game with a normal controller.
~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide
Review: Overall
Mario & Wario is a fun, strange hybrid of puzzle and action that brings another distinct experience to Nintendo's 16-bit system. The game plays like Lemmings in a way, except you only have to deal with one character instead of a many, meaning the play is much more focused. You can't let Mario wander into any of the traps, because if he dies, the level has to be tried again.You control a fairy which must fly furiously around the screen, bopping Mario on the head and keeping him away from all the dangers that face him. These include a variety of blocks, some that break as Mario walks over them, some that need to be activated by the fairy's wand. The fairy also has to contend with all sorts of familiar enemies, bopping them out of the way before they stop Mario in his tracks.
The gameplay of Mario & Wario is very entertaining, being just fast-paced enough to keep you constantly busy, without resorting to being fast and nearly impossible more than a couple of times. The game does have a frantic pace to it, but there will also be moments where you'll have to carefully consider how to time situations to assure that Mario keeps on climbing up the platforms to reach the top Most of the levels are cleverly designed, and almost all of them are entertaining to play.
Another thing that really helps Mario & Wario is the overall feel and design of Mario world, truly lending it a whimsical and fun backdrop for the bizarre gameplay. Many old friends and enemies from the series pop up here, and you'll be washed with recognition as you play through bright, colorful levels that sport large, eye-pleasing graphics, and happy, boppy tunes in the background.
Mario & Wario is a nice puzzle game, and while you can use the mouse to play, the controller seems to work just as well. It has an interesting theme and looks and sounds great. If you're a Mario fan or you enjoy interesting puzzlers, you would do well to try and find this game, although it might be quite scarce. It's definitely a fun game that should have made it stateside.
~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide
Review: Enjoyment
While more gameplay modes would've been welcome, Mario & Wario is unique and fun enough to stand on its own, showing itself as a definite contender in the world of puzzlers.~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide
Review: Graphics
Mario & Wario looks great, with that familiar Mario theme splashed everywhere. Big, bright, colorful graphics and general whimsy abound in this title.~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide
Review: Sound
Much of the music is completely new, but still has that familiar boppy Mario without being obnoxious.~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide
Review: Replay Value
Although there are only one hundred levels and that's it, there are three difficulty levels, and the game's just such a treat that you won't mind playing through it again in the future.~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide
Review: Documentation
Like all {%Mario} products, {!Nintendo} has done a colorful job with this manual, which is in Japanese.~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide
