Wario Land 3 Platform game

Wario Land 3 is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. In this game, players control Wario as he navigates through various levels to free a mysterious figure trapped inside a music box. The game was released in Japan on March 21, 2000, in Europe on April 14, 2000, and in North America on May 30, 2000. It was later re-released for the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in 2013 and as part of the Nintendo Switch Online service on February 8, 2023.

Gameplay: The gameplay in Wario Land 3 is similar to its predecessor, Wario Land II. Players must utilize Wario's abilities and powers gained from enemies to access new areas and progress through the game. Wario can transform by eating certain items thrown by enemies, giving him new abilities like increased size or strength. The game world is divided into four areas, each containing multiple stages with treasures locked in colored chests. Players must collect treasures to unlock new areas and progress through the game. Time alternates between day and night, affecting certain stages and enemies. Additionally, players can engage in a golfing mini-game in some stages to progress or earn rewards.

Plot: After Wario's plane crashes in the woods, he discovers a magical music box inside a cave and is transported inside it. There, he meets a mysterious figure who explains that his powers were sealed in five music boxes by an evil being. In exchange for freeing him, the figure promises to send Wario back to his world and let him keep any treasure he finds. Wario sets out to find the music boxes and treasures, unaware of the true nature of the mysterious being. After collecting all the music boxes, Wario returns to the being's temple and unwittingly releases Rudy the Clown, the true villain. Rudy had imprisoned the music box's inhabitants and turned them into monsters to stop Wario. After defeating Rudy, Wario is thanked by the now-restored inhabitants and sent back to his world with the treasure he collected.

Reception: Wario Land 3 received highly positive reviews from critics. It holds an aggregate score of 90.00% on GameRankings, making it the highest-rated game in the Wario series. Reviewers praised its gameplay mechanics, level design, and overall enjoyment. The game was also commercially successful, being one of the best-selling Game Boy Color games in Japan.

Overall, Wario Land 3 is regarded as one of the best platforming games for the Game Boy system, earning acclaim for its innovative gameplay and engaging story.