It's interesting circling back around to Wario World 20 years later. A game that I at the time didn't think much of, especially graphically, seems almost nostalgic in its simplicity now. Wario's always existed in this bizarro universe adjacent from the Mushroom Kingdom, and the comparison with Mario Sunshine isn't a pretty one for World. Yes, the graphics still look ugly. But in a way that aligns with what Wario games have always stood for. It's a garish platformer that's more focused on exploration and collecting, and as a longtime Wario fan I'm just happy to re-discover a forgotten game in a series where the entries have become increasingly few and far between. Even the fact that it's short has become a selling point for me, admittedly a person who didn't shell out retail price for it in 2003.

Quality of levels varies a bit between worlds and the final battle is a bit meh (in non-Japanese versions) but it's still fun enough to play!