[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/wariowaretwisted/cover.jpg[/floatleft]Minigames and microgames are all the rage these days, and a good indicator of this fact is that Nintendo churns out [i]WarioWare[/i] titles like they are pop stars. [i]WarioWare: Twisted[/i] is the newest in the franchise and graces the GBA with a new gyro sensor that is sure to provide a unique gameplay experience.

I hate to refer to myself as a fanboy, but as a general rule, I like most of the Nintendo first-party games. It is my belief that Nintendo makes some of the best games out there. With that being said, I didn’t enjoy [i]WWT[/i] one bit. Let me tell you a little more about the game before I divulge my reasons for not enjoying it.

[i]WWT[/i] has four main options on the menu: Spindex is where you can replay microgames you have already played, Story is the story mode where most of your time will be spent, Souvenirs is where your gifts are stored after completing a level in Story mode, and Options allows you to adjust rumble settings and re-watch the ending movies of levels you have already completed.

[floatright]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/wariowaretwisted/ss03_thumb.jpg[/floatright]Story mode lets you select the level for one of the characters. You get to watch a silly little movie that transitions into the actual gameplay. If you aren’t familiar with the concept of microgames, then you will want to pay close attention as they may sneak up on you. In this particular game, you are given four lives and you have to complete all the microgames without losing all of your lives. Each microgame starts by giving you a vague single word description of what you are supposed to do. You are then thrust into the game with between three and five seconds to accomplish the task at hand. The early levels only make use of the gyro sensor so you will do a lot twisting and shaking your GBA. Later, you will make use of the A button and eventually a combination of the two. In each level, the microgames get harder and faster, and you eventually must complete a boss stage that can last up to 15 or 20 seconds. As you would naturally expect, the Story mode levels get more tough as you go along.

The graphics are standard-fare 2D GBA stuff, and the controls are quite responsive, assuming you calibrated the gyro sensor properly when you started the game. After completing each microgame, make sure you return the GBA to a normal position as it will re-calibrate the gyro between microgames.

[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/wariowaretwisted/ss07_thumb.jpg[/floatleft][i]WWT[/i] sounds like a decent, fast-paced game, doesn’t it? For some people it might be enjoyable, but I just couldn’t get into it. I didn’t like how short the games were. At one point, I think I blinked and missed the whole game. I also felt like the levels were so wacky and completely random that I wasn’t actually playing a Nintendo or [i]WarioWare[/i] game but actually something similar to [i]Feel the Magic[/i] on my DS. Nintendo has a certain style and feel, and this didn’t fit the mold and made me ask myself from time to time why I was actually playing this because I wasn’t having fun.

Now I hate to trash Nintendo products because they have been so good to us in the past, but my first loyalty is to you guys, and I honestly can’t recommend anyone to run out and buy this. I know there are fans of the microgames that will probably think I have a screw loose, but that is the beauty of opinions. So there it isA