A lot of people have been calling the Game Boy Advance the 'Port System' because of a lot of the games that are either direct ports or reasonably close ports, the most glaring ones being the Mario Advance titles which are, for the most part, 'pixel for pixel' ports so to speak. Now, for someone like me who wasn't able to own a SNES when it was first out, they are a nice little present from Nintendo to rope in young gamers who didn't have a shot at the games the first time around, and most gamers like to have the game in the palm of their hand for a little retro-on-the-go action.

Even though the ports are a win-win situation for a gamer like myself, I can understand the complaints. No matter what, gamers want new games. Under the radar it seems that Nintendo snuck in the latest incarnation of the Warioland series, which were some of the best games on the Game Boy Color not too long ago. Even the Warioland 4 was met with good reviews, it just seems that the game was lost in the shuffle of the early Game Boy Advance launch hype.

Warioland 4 takes Nintendo's favorite anti-hero through the familiar-for-the-series theme of treasure hunting. Wario becomes aware of a pyramid overflowing with treasure in one of the best pocket gaming introductions that I have ever seen. The beginning of the game features excellent animation, vibrant with color and even a theme song with actual singing in high quality sound. Sure, it might not impress the typical fan of a Final Fantasy soundtrack, but considering that this is basically a first generation game on a portable cart, I was impressed. It was comical, well done and featured Wario in a bad ass ride that you would expect him to own.

The part about this series that I love is the originality of the gameplay. Warioland 4 is not your typical platform game like the Mario series and has a much great focus on exploration and finding secrets than most other games in this genre. For example, there are plenty of secret areas and shortcuts to find in Mario Advance 2 that aren't needed to complete the game. In Warioland 4, it is almost a necessity to find all of the nooks and crannies where items and shortcuts are hiding. You are required to find four pieces of a 'key crystal' in each level, which, combined with the crystals from three additional levels, allows you to partake in the end boss fight, in addition to a 'key' that unlocks the door to the next sublevel. Without the crystals, it is back to the level to find them. Thankfully, however, the game is set up in a very non-linear fashion, allowing you to play the overall levels in any order you wish in case you get stuck and frustrated in any particular level.

There are a couple additions to the game that might be a shock to those familiar with the series. The most notable one being that Wario is not invulnerable as he was in previous games. Wario can die when his heart meter runs out. This was the biggest thing for people to get over, since you would think it would be a huge fundamental shift in the gameplay. Thankfully, it is, for the most part, a non-issue. You are stocked with a enough hearts to last through most situations and there really isn't a lot of unfair hits that you take in the game for it to be considered a flaw in any way. That was a pleasant surprise. You do still have a host of enemies that will transform Wario, just like in previous games that will both help and hinder you through the levels. These transformations are the key element, in my opinion, of the Warioland series gameplay since it gives you a multitude of interesting play mechanics as well as providing a nice amount of near puzzle-game type gameplay to keep you very busy. The other major addition is a time limit. Before you freak out, the time limit is NOT in play for the whole level. The time limit comes into play when you reach the end of the level. As you reach the end of the level, you set off the time delayed bomb and then you race back to the portal in the beginning of the level. At first I didn't think I would like it, but it adds a tremendous amount of diversity to the style of gameplay you need to employ to beat this game. There is nothing wrong with mixing it up when it works as well as Warioland 4.

The graphics in this title are a really nice surprise to people who were impressed with Mario World's port. The characters feature plenty of color and animation, easily surpassing most Game Boy Advance games that are even out now. The levels are also incredible featuring large and colorful design elements as well as wildly different themes for each level which even add to the gameplay. For instance, in one of my favorite levels, you need to race a falling line of dominoes in order to trigger a button before the last domino, allowing you to access hidden areas for increased points and treasure. I was such a unique twist on the gameplay which wasn't under used or overused. Everything was just right. In another level, the layout is akin to a board game, featuring points where you can trigger a button to roll dice which can lead to secrets and treasure if your timing is good, or a damaging lightning strike if your timing was not so good. Some of the levels even completely change once you set off the end of level time limit race which only adds to the charm and enjoyment of this game.

In addition to all that you do in the normal game, you can also partake in three mini-games after you have completed the level goals and before you face a boss. The mini-games are just that, mini-games. They feature one button gameplay and won't hold your attention for that long, even though I find the Home Run Derby game strangely addictive. Other then that game, you can also play Wario Hop which is a lot alike "B.C.'s Quest for Tires" (if anyone remember that old computer game based on the comic strip that I haven't seen in ages) and a face roulette game which mixes up three facial elements (eyes, nose and mouth) which you have to remember and match up. Each try at a mini-game costs around 5000 points which are earned during your runs through the levels. The lure of playing these mini-games is earning coins which can be used to buy end boss assist items such as a bomb or even a black dragon with knocks down some health on the boss before you even start the fight, giving you a nice little head start in the fight if you need or just want to have it. There is also a sound room which allows you to play the "CDs" that you collect during the levels. It's nothing more than a diversion and not something that you will spend a lot of time with. Another secret is a Karioke room which is a little better than the CD Room, but still nothing that will dominate your time.

Overall, Warioland 4 is an extremely well produced and enjoyable title that should please just about any fan of platform games and especially those who enjoyed previous games in the series. For those who want something new, this is your game and if you haven't picked it up already, shame on you. Take advantage of the generally low price of this title and pick it up. The only real downfall of the game is that fact that it can go pretty quick once you get rolling through the levels and the 10 hours I listed for game length is really only if you replay the levels a bit and unlock everything you can since the basic one time through the game can be a few hours shorter for experienced platform junkies. Either way, it is still a great ride and one worth taking.