Wario Land 3

Short description: 2000 video game

Wario Land 3

European box art

Developer(s)| Nintendo R&D1
Publisher(s)| Nintendo
Director(s)| Takehiko Hosokawa
Producer(s)| Takehiro Izushi
Designer(s)| Hiroji Kiyotake
Masahiko Mashimo
Masani Ueda
Isao Hirano
Shinya Sano
Programmer(s)| Masaru Yamanaka
Katsuya Yamano
Nobuhiro Ozaki
Yoshinori Katsuki
Composer(s)| Kozue Ishikawa
Series| Wario
Platform(s)| Game Boy Color
Release|

* JP: March 21, 2000
* EU: April 14, 2000
* NA: May 30, 2000[1]

Genre(s)| Platform
Mode(s)| Single-player

Wario Land 3, known in Japan as Script error: The function "nihongo_foot" does not exist. is a 2000 platform game developed by Nintendo R&D1 and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. The game's plot centers around Wario who must free a mysterious figure who is trapped inside a music box. The game was released in Japan on March 21, 2000, Europe on April 14, 2000, and North America on May 30, 2000.

The game was later re-released for the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in 2013,[2] and as part of the Nintendo Classics service on February 8, 2023.[3]

## Contents

* 1 Gameplay
* 2 Plot
* 3 Reception
* 4 Legacy
* 5 Notes
* 6 References
* 7 External links
* 8 Features
* 9 History
* 10 See also
* 11 References
* 12 External links

## Gameplay

The gameplay in Wario Land 3 is very similar to that of its predecessor, Wario Land II. Wario must take advantage of his enemies' attacks to physically change and access new areas. For example, if Wario eats a donut thrown by a certain enemy, he temporarily bulks up to twice his size, giving him extra protection against attacks and the ability to break certain blocks. While Wario will always be affected by his enemies, he must also find new powers and abilities in order to progress through the game.

The world of the music box is divided into four different areas, East, West, North, and South, with a total of 25 individual stages spread between them.[4] Each stage contains four treasures, for a total of 100, each of which is locked in a colored treasure chest that can only be opened with the corresponding key. The colors of the chests are, in the approximate order that they are intended to be opened, Gray, Red, Green, and Blue. This order is not fixed, although the game provides hints as to the next stage to travel to and the next treasure to obtain. Often, when a treasure chest in one stage cannot be reached, Wario must backtrack to retrieve a new item to make it accessible.[5]: 7–9

Finding new treasures usually opens a path to a new stage, or unlocks a new area in a previous stage. Some treasures grant Wario a new ability, allowing him to access previously unreachable areas. Whenever Wario obtains a new treasure, he is transported back to the music box overworld. Time alternates between day or night each time Wario exits a stage. Some stages change depending on the time of day; certain enemies may be replaced or different paths may open up.[5]: 11 Wario cannot control time initially, but gains this ability when he finds a certain treasure.[5]: 21

In some stages, Wario will have to play a golfing minigame to progress.[5]: 17–18 He must knock the enemy into the cup without going over par for that hole, while avoiding hazards such as water, bunkers, lava and rough. Upon collecting certain treasures in the game, this golf minigame is available to be played at any time from the overworld map.[5]: 21

Coins can be found in each stage, and are used primarily to play the golfing minigame described above. Wario can carry a maximum of 999 coins. In addition, eight Music Coins are hidden in each level for Wario to find. If all eight are found in each of the 25 stages, an extra fourth golf hole will be available for play.

As in the previous Wario Land game, Wario has no health points and cannot die; the lone exception is that he can get captured by the game's final boss, Rudy the Clown and get a game over. This simply returns Wario back to the music box overworld.

## Plot

One day, Wario's plane stalls and crashes while he is flying over the woods. Uninjured, he spends the rest of his afternoon wandering amongst the trees and underbrush until he stumbles upon a mysterious cave. Inside the cave, he discovers a magical music box and is suddenly sucked into it. There, a mysterious figure informs Wario that he had once ruled the world inside the music box, until an evil being sealed away his magical powers in five music boxes. In exchange for freeing it, the being promises to send Wario back to his own world and let him keep any treasure he finds. Enticed by the thought of returning to his own world with a cache of treasure, Wario departs on his quest, in search of the music boxes and the many treasures of this mysterious land.

After collecting all the music boxes, Wario returns to the mysterious being's temple. The music boxes play a medley together that frees the being, revealed to be Rudy the Clown. It transpires that Rudy is in fact the villain and had been imprisoned, although not before turning the music box's inhabitants into monsters, who had been attacking Wario simply to try to stop him from freeing the evil clown. After Wario defeats Rudy, he is met by the inhabitants of the music box, now restored to their former selves. They thank Wario and transport him back to his own world, along with the treasure that he has collected, as promised.

## Reception

Reception

| Aggregate score

Aggregator| Score
GameRankings| 90%[13]
Review scores
Publication| Score
AllGame| 4.5/5[6]
Famitsu| 33/40[7]
GameSpot| 9.8/10[8]
IGN| 9/10[9]
Nintendo Life| 9/10[12]
Nintendo Power| 8.2/10[10]
Nintendojo| 10/10[11]

Wario Land 3 received highly positive reviews. It holds an aggregate score of 90% on GameRankings based on 15 reviews, making it the highest-rated game in the Wario series.[13] It was a runner-up for GameSpot's annual "Best Game Boy Color Game" and "Best Platform Game" awards, losing to Dragon Warrior I & II and Banjo-Tooie, respectively.[14]

GameSpot rated the game 9.8 out of 10,[8] while IGN gave it an "outstanding" score of 9 out of 10.[9] Nintendo Power ranked it ninth on its list of the best Game Boy titles, describing it as the pinnacle of Wario's early action-platform adventures.[15] Nintendojo awarded it a perfect 10 out of 10 and called it one of the best platform games available for the Game Boy.[11]

It was the 24th best-selling Game Boy title, with 2.2 million copies sold worldwide.[16] In Japan, it ranked as the tenth best-selling Game Boy Color game, with 255,536 copies sold.[17]

## Legacy

Rudy the Clown and several of Wario Land 3's enemies return as antagonists and playable characters in Dr. Mario 64 (2001).[18][19]

## Notes

## References

1. ↑ "Nintendo – Customer Service / Game List". Nintendo.com. https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/gameslist/gamelist.jsp?revealed=false&dsie=&dc=false&sh=wario&gf=&pf=&wifi=false&ww=&dw=&mic=&pap=&vc=&man=&rf=&nf=&pp=&sf=&ef=.
2. ↑ "Wario Land 3". Nintendo. https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/wario-land-3-3ds/.
3. ↑ Plant, Logan (February 8, 2023). "Nintendo Switch Online Adding Game Boy and Game Boy Advance Games" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-switch-online-game-boy-games.
4. ↑ "Game Strategies: Wario Land 3". Nintendo Power 133: 58. June 2000. https://archive.org/details/NintendoPower1988-2004/Nintendo Power Issue 133 (June 2000)/page/n63/mode/2up. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Wario Land 3 Instruction Booklet. Nintendo of America. 2000. https://www.videogamemanual.com/gbc/Wario Land 3 (USA).pdf.
6. ↑ "Wario Land 3 Review". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=21392&tab=review.
7. ↑ "ゲームボーイ – ワリオランド3 不思議なオルゴール" (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain) (915 Pt.2): 109.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Provo, Frank (June 8, 2000). "Wario Land 3 Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wario-land-3-review/1900-2583810/.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Harris, Craig (May 30, 2000). "Wario Land 3". IGN. http://ca.ign.com/articles/2000/05/31/wario-land-3.
10. ↑ "Now Playing: Wario Land 3". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) 133: 118. June 2000.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Griffiths, Ed (April 14, 2000). "Wario Land 3 Review". Nintendojo. http://www.nintendojo.com/archives/reviews/GBC/view_item.php?1077121382.
12. ↑ van Duyn, Marcel (December 12, 2012). "Review: Wario Land" (in en-GB). https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/eshop/wario_land_3_gbc.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Wario Land 3". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/gbc/256520-wario-land-3/index.html.
14. ↑ "Best and Worst of 2000". GameSpot. January 5, 2001. http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/bestof_2000/.
15. ↑ "The 20th Anniversary Issue!". Nintendo Power. Nintendo Power (San Francisco, California: Future US) 231 (231): 72. August 2008.
16. ↑ 2021CESAゲーム白書 (2021 CESA Games White Papers). Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association. 2021. ISBN 978-4-902346-43-5.
17. ↑ "【GBC20周年企画(2)】いちばん売れたゲームボーイカラー専用ソフトは『遊☆戯☆王DM4』！では2位は？ GBC専用ソフト販売ランキングTOP10！" (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain): 1. October 21, 2018. https://www.famitsu.com/news/201810/21165560.html. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
18. ↑ Gipp, Stuart (November 21, 2021). "Review: Dr. Mario 64 (N64)". https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/n64/dr-mario-64.
19. ↑ "A salute to Wario Land". July 31, 2012. https://gamesbeat.com/a-salute-to-wario-land/.

## External links

* Official website
* Official website (in Japanese)
* Wario Land 3 on IMDb
* MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

## Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

## History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

## See also

* IGDB - game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/.
2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521.
8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned.
10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner.
11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames.
12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/.
14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/.
15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/.
16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628.

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List of games

Wario Land series|

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