Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
Developer	Nintendo R&D1
Publisher	Nintendo
System	Game Boy, 3DS Virtual Console
Release Date	Game Boy JP January 21, 1994 US February 1994 EU April 28, 1994 3DS Virtual Console JP December 14, 2011 EU February 16, 2012 US July 26, 2012 SK May 18, 2016
Gallery	GH Gallery

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 is a platforming adventure that is billed as a sequel to Super Mario Land, but it actually is the beginning of the Wario Land spin-off series. The game stars Wario, who was previously the villain of the preceding Mario Land, in his quest for treasure. It is a Mario game in name and gameplay similarities only, as Mario himself only makes a small cameo appearance.

Story

Captain Syrup and her Black Sugar pirates have stolen a golden statue of Princess Peach. Wario hears about this and decides to attack the pirate stronghold on Kitchen Island. His goal is to steal the Princess Peach statue, which he would hold for ransom, along with any other treasure he could find on the island. Wario hoped to use his money to buy his own castle (as he had previously tried to steal Mario's castle in Super Mario Land 2).

Gameplay

Instead of the Mario games, which focus primarily on jumping, Wario has his own moveset to reflect his different personality. His basic move is a "charge attack" which he could use to tackle his way through obstacles and defeat enemies. Wario could also pick up his enemies (similar to Super Mario Bros. 2) and toss them at other enemies or through special blocks. Wario also had a variety of power-ups that he could use to gain new abilities.

The game had a total of forty levels that were divided into seven worlds. Not all levels had to be beaten for the game's completion. There were a variety of secret exits throughout the game that unlocked new levels and even a whole world. As Wario progressed through the game, the objective is to collect as many coins as well as the island's hidden treasures (fifteen in all) by the end of the game. Depending on the amount of coins Wario has at the game's end, he gets a different prize.

Legacy

Wario Land acted as the genesis of the Wario series and started Wario's transformation from a full-time villain to an anti-hero. Although it was the end of the "Super Mario Land" series, it was also the beginning of the new "Wario Land" series.

Ports and Remakes

• In December 2011 and early 2012, Wario Land was released for download through the 3DS's eShop as part of its Virtual Console.

Sequels

The game was originally followed up by Virtual Boy Wario Land, a game on the short-lived Virtual Boy in 1995. A direct sequel, Wario Land II was released in 1998. Wario Land II brought back moves, music, settings and enemies from the first game, but it also changed the gameplay formula by making Wario invincible.

See Also

• Enemies in Wario Land