WarioWare: Get It Together Review – Only As Strong As Its Weakest Link

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Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Intelligent Systems, Nintendo

Rating: Everyone 10+

Reviewed on: Switch

In an era full of 100+ hour open-world campaigns and games as service titles that can be played in perpetuity, WarioWare's 3-to-5-second microgames almost feel like a commentary on the state of the industry. On the one hand, Get It Together's microgames require split-second thinking, continually offer the unexpected, and feel refreshingly original. On the other hand, this ultimately shallow experience left me wanting more.

For ages, our mustachioed menace and his eclectic crew have designed aggressively short games in the hopes of earning piles of cash. But this time around, the only thing the group gains is a trip into the digital world; Wario and his oddball crew are trapped in their own digital landscapes, and the only exit is on the other side of these half-baked amusements.

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As usual, the minigames in this WarioWare collection are completely bonkers. Get It Together's oddball objectives are also a testament to Nintendo's creativity. In one moment, I was connecting water pipes so someone could wash their hands. In the next, I was tweezing hairs from the armpits of a bodybuilder, dumping ketchup onto a plate of spaghetti, or punching an eggshell to release a trio of frightened squirrels. Completing these objectives is always simple, but tension quickly mounts when you have mere seconds to register and achieve each goal. I was often frantically zigzagging around the screen with a smile on my face, sometimes failing in a hilarious fashion.

This setup isn't new for seasoned WarioWare players, but the big change in Get It Together is that Wario and his companions now take center stage in all the games. Each character has their own controls. For example, Wario comes equipped with a jetpack, so he can fly around the screen and dash punch objects, while 18-Volt fires discs from a stationary position. Each character is easy to control, but some are better suited for specific tasks. For example, dodging objects is easy with a character like Ashley who can freely move around the screen, but harder with Kat who constantly bounces up and down. All characters can complete any game, but you are randomly assigned a new character for each minigame, and it always feels unfair when your character is a poor fit for the task at hand.

Another unexpected outcome of the WarioWare crew's inclusion in these microgames is that the whole experience feels unified. Sadly, this isn't necessarily a good thing. WarioWare's strength has always been in its off-the-wall antics and how quickly it pivots from one wild concept or gameplay mechanic to the next. In the past, you might easily jump from a first-person shooting tower defense game to a racing game to a bizarre sequence where you ripped a Band-Aid off someone's knee. Get It Together's themes and visuals remain charmingly random, but the gameplay mechanics are more conventional because you're always playing as Wario or one of his companions. As a result, while Get It Together's minigames remain amusing diversions, I grew tired of them faster than usual.

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Get It Together's local multiplayer offers a few reasons to come back to these microgames with up to 3 friends. Most of the multiplayer experiences work off a theme. For example, Puck 'er Up is an air hockey game where the player who scores a point each round gets to play one of Get It Together's minigames. However, I liked the simplicity of Duelius Maximus, which has two players racing through a series of microgames to see who can stay alive the longest.

WarioWare: Get It Together's lively visuals are temporarily engaging, but this candy shell has a hollow center; like any sugary snack, the experience doesn't stick with you. As soon as I'd wrapped Get It Together's brief single-player campaign, I was content to move onto something else. These microgames are a nice treat if you're in an eccentric mood, but these miniature experiences only offer short-lived joy.

Score: 7.75

Summary: Help Wario and his companions escape their own game by completing over 200 wacky microgames.

Concept: Help Wario and his companions escape their own game by completing over 200 wacky microgames

Graphics: Cutscene animations are slick yet simple; the art in each game features a range of disjointed but playful styles

Sound: Strange sound effects are used to a humorous degree, but the soundtrack is plain and lacks punch

Playability: Each character has a simple one-button control setup, and the minigames require split-second thinking

Entertainment: As always, WarioWare's randomness is charming, and the minigames are fun, but this is far from a high watermark for the series

Replay: Moderate

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F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch – Packing A Punch

Publisher: bilibili

Developer: TiGames

Rating: Everyone 10+

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5

Also on: PlayStation 4, PC

The Legion, an armada of robotic canines, rule the neon-tinted slums of Torch City with a literal iron fist. Anthropomorphic citizens called Furtizens begrudgingly accept this regime, but war hero Rayton the rabbit has other plans. Armed with a giant robotic fist, he takes the fight to his battery-powered oppressors to thwart a grand takeover while settling a personal score at the heart of the conflict. Knock around a few heads in this side-scrolling action title, and you’ll understand what the iron dogs learned the hard way: Rayton is one heck of a force to be reckoned with.

Throwing hands, or rather “hand,” with Rayton feels appropriately impactful and gets better as you unlock new attacks and combo strings. Executing powerful uppercuts, juggling opponents in mid-air, then landing a charged strike to send foes hurtling across the screen never gets old. Despite the game’s title, you also wield two more weapon types. A gigantic drill grinds enemies into bolts while an electrified whip can bind foes as it unleashes rapid attacks like a one-armed Doctor Octopus. Mixing these three distinct combat styles creates a well of awesome attack combinations that only get deeper as you unlock their individual upgrade trees. Sub-equipment such as a rocket launcher and explosive decoy dummies offer fun compliments to your main arsenal.  

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Oddly, the game has two identical parry mechanics: one that expends energy and one you can freely execute. Unfortunately, the free version requires hitting forward on the stick, which feels unnatural and unreliable. I often walked headfirst into attacks as a result, and successful hits felt like dumb luck. The limited-use parry is mapped to a more appropriate shoulder button for easy execution, but its energy drain sours an important aspect of combat. 

The robotic enemies come in a variety of classes and challenged my mastery of the abilities. Teleporting ninja frogs keep you moving, aerial turrets force the fight into the skies, and metal samurai challenge you to think intentionally, parrying and striking at the right moments. I had a great time taking this rogue’s gallery apart despite the challenge they offer. However, they sometimes crowd doorways and strike as soon as you enter a room which feels cheap. Mini-bosses and their larger-scale brethren test the limits of your skill and take multiple attempts to conquer, but the challenge is rewarding and fair. 

Exploring the expansive map consists of the standard formula of “find the right ability to unlock doors,” but smooth maneuverability makes getting around enjoyable. Rayton’s double jump, wall climb, and air dash are expected fare, but they’re well-tuned and made me confident I could survive the assortment of platforming gauntlets. Avoiding laser beams, rotating spike platforms, and the murderous eye of a giant mechanical squid is satisfying. Torch City’s rundown streets, billboard-laden homes, and quiet shopping district is gorgeous thanks to the attention to detail in every grimy brick. The adventure eventually takes you outside its walls and underneath them for welcomed visual variety, such as snowy outposts and ancient temples. Areas are divided into separate labyrinths that are largely fun to explore, but they could stand to have more fast-travel points. Warping from point A to point B often feels like picking your poison of which lengthy route to retread. 

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That said, F.I.S.T.’s world begs to be explored thanks to its bounty of rewards and collectibles. Smashing iron piggy banks explode into a confetti of coins. Finding posters unlock cosmetic skins for your weapons. Bringing scattered plant seeds to a young botanist rewards cash and unlockables. Rescuing an in-over-his-head thief from his repeated blunders grants skeleton keys used to unlock special chests. While the game lacks proper side quests, smaller narratives, like encountering an enemy paper pusher who routinely offers new reasons why you should spare him, adds flavor to the world. Even after spending two dozen hours with F.I.S.T. I was itching to see what else lay around the corner.

F.I.S.T. offers another fine example of an exploration-focused side-scroller, and fans of the genre will find plenty to love. What it lacks in innovation, it makes up for by executing familiar ideas at a high level and dropping them into an alluring world. Developer Bilibili has pulled a nice surprise out of its hat.

Score: 8.5

Summary: This bionic bunny's adventure packs an impressive wallop.

Concept: Liberate an oppressed city as a butt-kicking rabbit swinging a big robotic fist

Graphics: Backgrounds are packed with detail and give a great sense of depth to the diesel-punk world, though some character animations lack polish

Sound: Solid voice-acting brings the Furitzens to life, and the understated soundtrack of Chinese and jazz-tinged melodies add nice atmosphere

Playability: Combat evolves from simplistic punches to flashy, multi-hit combo strings and boasts fun variety thanks to three distinct combat styles. Fine-tuned platforming makes the lengthy exploration enjoyable

Entertainment: Punching through F.I.S.T. only gets better thanks to its evolving combat. Mapping every inch of the world is an engrossing, good time

Replay: Moderate

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Young Souls Review – Dungeon Brawling With The Best Of Them

Publisher: The Arcade Crew

Developer: 1P2P

Reviewed on: Stadia

Also on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Young Souls stars two orphans who are used to being overlooked, but you shouldn’t ignore their adventure. This RPG brawler sports more depth than your run-of-the-mill beat ‘em up thanks to slick combat, enjoyable customization, and sharp writing. Whether you’re cutting down monsters alone or alongside a buddy, brawler connoisseurs should take notice. 

Orphaned twins Jenn and Tristan feel like they’re up against the world. The foul-mouthed, hot-headed teens are conditioned to fend for themselves, earning a reputation as troublemaking outcasts in their small town. The only person they respect is the Professor, their adoptive father who opened his home to them a year prior. The three enjoy a harmonious though emotionally awkward relationship, but things take a turn for the weird when the twins discover the Professor has been kidnapped. Even stranger, a portal in his laboratory reveals an underground world inhabited by goblins whose leader plans to assault their town. While that’s a problem, Jenn and Tristan’s primary concern is rescuing the Professor, and they are more than eager to pick up swords, shields, and other weapons to cut down goblin after goblin standing in their way.

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Young Souls’ solid writing treats players to a likable cast and a more emotionally charged story than expected. Seeing Jenn and Tristan ponder over their actions and discover that both sides of a conflict can commit atrocities with good intentions brings welcome self-awareness. I also found it refreshing to see a villain genuinely care that invaders are systemically murdering his subjects. The twins feel earnest and relatable instead of one-dimensional edgelords, especially when asking themselves if they’re ready to call the Professor “dad.”

Kicking goblin butt rocks thanks to combat’s fluidity and the impactful feedback from landing blows. It doesn’t matter if you’re using daggers, swords, hammers, or heavy axes, stringing combos and air-juggling baddies feels great. The timing window for blocks and parries feels inconsistent, which is frustrating, but a successful parry triggers a satisfying slow-motion effect. Upgradable sub-weapons add further depth, such as a bow, a screen-hopping teleportation spell, mob-clearing bombs, and, my favorite, a chain that yanks enemies towards you or vice versa. Young Souls might not break the mold, but it’s an absolute blast to play. 

Goblins pose a more significant threat than the average beat ’em up fodder. They often evade, block, and parry, presenting an enjoyable challenge that kept me from mindlessly swinging my weapon. I was pleasantly surprised at how often I had to consider my offense instead of just mashing the attack button, especially against bosses. A few enemy types are annoying to deal with (shield-wielding spearmen block way too often), but Young Souls brings the fight in the best way. I encourage seasoned players to choose the developer’s recommended difficulty.

Playing alongside a buddy is probably ideal, but co-op is local only, unfortunately. Still, I’m impressed with how much fun Young Souls is to play alone. An awesome tag team system allows you to quickly swap between siblings at a button press which you can use to set up cool combo chains. This is great for making dramatic split-second saves since each sibling has their own health bar and a limited number of revives. I like the fighting game strategy behind constantly tagging in/out to allow the other twin recovery time while mixing up your offense. 

Jenn and Tristan initially play identically, but that changes in fun ways since each has their own loadout. Weapons and armor fundamentally alter their playstyles depending on their weight and type. For example, I had Jenn emphasize swift attacks and evasion while Tristan became my death-dealing tank. The game is at its best when you have two distinct twins to cover your bases against all threats, but having them both play similarly is a valid strategy, too. My Jenn’s speedier build fared better against a slow-moving boss, so doubling up on that strategy helped me take it down quicker. 

Young Souls’ structure resembles a condensed run-based dungeon crawler. You’ll battle your way through rooms of enemies to earn treasure, resources, and keys to unlock new zones and chests. Level design is largely straightforward to a fault. The game mixes things up with boss rush challenges and encounters against a legendary warrior who rewards a new weapon type each time she’s defeated. The most imaginative level pits players against ghosts that you can only kill using a particular weapon; however, the weapon renders you vulnerable to a one-hit kill. Young Souls can stand to shake up its exploration like this more often as most levels feel too mundane. On the plus side, backtracking to nab every item is a breeze thanks to a flexible fast-travel system, plentiful checkpoints, and the fact that the map marks locked chests. Young Souls may be the breeziest game to obtain 100 percent completion in some time. 

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In between dungeon runs, you’ll zip around town on your moped to sell items and buy outfits, including buff-granting sneakers. You can even hit the gym to complete simple but enjoyable exercise mini-games to raise the twins’ physical attributes. However, warping home to level up is a tad annoying, as is the fact that you can’t equip battle gear in the human world. 

As the kind-hearted Professor learned, give Jenn and Tristan a chance, and they’ll impress you in more ways than one. Young Souls is an exceptional adventure you shouldn’t miss if you’re searching for the next great game to tackle with a friend, or just want a modern RPG brawler done right.

Score: 8.5

Summary: Young Souls may not shatter the mold for beat 'em ups, but its well-designed combat and impressive presentation make it a stand-out.

Concept: Wage a two-person war against an underground empire of monsters as a pair of rebellious teenagers

Graphics: Young Souls’ colorful art is sharp and oozes personality. It’s like playing a graphic novel for young adults

Sound: While the soundtrack doesn’t stand out as strongly as the art, solid tunes fit the spirit of adventure on and off the battlefield

Playability: The smooth combat has more depth than the average beat ’em up, and a varied loadout provides several entertaining approaches for laying the smackdown

Entertainment: Kicking butt in Young Souls is a blast and one of the rare co-op brawlers that is as enjoyable to play solo

Replay: Moderate

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