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WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase (Nintendo WiiWare) Review
Review by 
6/10 from one rating
 
The big draw of the WarioWare series for me has always been the initial discovery of each microgame. I never have as much fun “perfecting” a single microgame, or trying to get a new high score in a given set of microgames, as I have seeing a completely new challenge thrown at me for the first time, with its unique artwork and style often completely different from the previous microgame or the next.

So WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase seemed to me like the perfect proposition: I would reap the fruits of other people’s labours, and benefit from a constant and inexhaustible source of new microgames created by strangers who own the DS version of the game. Sadly, reality is quite different.

First, the included, Nintendo-made games, of which there are 72. They are divided in 4 sets of 18 games. That is not a lot when previous games had as many as 150. In addition, the games don’t surprise anymore. It is, after all, the 6th time or so we’re asked to shove a finger in a giant nose. We know what to expect, and fewer surprises means less fun.

This is where the user-made microgames should come to the rescue. Sadly, probably in an effort by Nintendo to avoid exposing kids to tons of penis-themed microgames, your access to user-made content is severely limited. Microgames can only be transferred from DS to Wiiware locally: you have to know personally people who are into creating microgames, and you need them to come to your place to share their creations.

Games can also be sent Wii-to-Wii online, but that means owners of the DS game also have to purchase the 800pts Wiiware version if they want to share their games that way. Then they can send them to you, though they have to actively do so.

You can’t check out random games from random people. There is simply no “store” or database for creators to upload their games to and you to download games from.

There is what is called the Ninsoft store, where you can download each week a new game made by (I assume) Nintendo employees, as well as games from “Big Names” such as Pixel (creator of Cave Story) or Ron Carmel (of World of Goo fame). But only 2 games or so are uploaded each week on the Ninsoft store. If you want to experience them properly (i.e. as part of a complete set of 18 microgames), you might have to wait more than 2 months to have enough games to fill up that set if you just rely on that store.

Other than that, the game does not include longer minigames like the previous games have. It does, however, have an unlockable simultaneous multiplayer mode that I haven’t tried, but should work much like the GameCube version.

Bottom line, Showcase is not very satisfying for someone who loves the WarioWare concept but is tired of the familiar microgames. The series is repeating itself, and access to user-made content is too restricted to change that.

URL to share (right click and copy)
 Ok  6.0 / 10
04/08/10, 05:12   Edited:  07/28/10, 07:35
 
Why not sign up for a (free) account?
 
Hmm, do you have the DS version? Just curious if you are playing/enjoying that. It's true the WiiWare download seems pretty pointless and restrictive.

Posted by 
 on: 04/08/10, 06:15
No, I don't. At least not yet. I think someone who does might find the Wiiware version interesting if simply to see his game played on the big screen, but really the Wiiware version should have been included with the purchase of the DS game. I think it's absurd to charge 8 bucks more to people who bought the DS game for an app that simply makes it easier to share their games with others.

Posted by 
 on: 04/08/10, 06:29
Well, the microgames are completely different, right? That sucks about the limited sharing functionality. I wonder if someone will set up a 'best of the best' WiiWare DIY account for sharing purposes.

Posted by 
 on: 04/08/10, 19:04
I think the main draw of Showcase is to upload your created microgames and play them on the big screen. Sure, they threw in some novel microgames, but that isn't really the point of the software. I knew right off the bat that this would only be a purchase if I had the DS game. I think it would be really fun to upload my games and play them in the multiplayer mode, and it's a better means for showing off your game. I agree that the DS game should come with a download ticket for Showcase.
All in all, I don't think you should have reviewed this without having the DS game in hand so you could explore all of its functionality.

Posted by 
 on: 04/08/10, 19:14
I disagree. I specifically wanted to review it from the perspective of someone uninterested in creating his own microgames, only in playing other people's creations. I think a sizable portion of the people considering getting this are coming from that angle.

I think the perspective of someone interested in creating microgames would be more relevant in a review of the DS game. There, you could also mention something about the Wiiware companion.

Posted by 
 on: 04/08/10, 19:31
Ok, if that was what you were going for...

Personally, I'd review it from the opposite angle. Maybe you could edit in some comments if/when you get the DS game.

Posted by 
 on: 04/08/10, 19:39
Just a heads-up: if you get the game now, you can easily fill up you 4 boxes of 18 user-made games. Just the weekly games (from Nintendo) and the "big name games" can fill up 3 of them. You'd have to clear them to make room for all the themed (made by regular users) games, and even then, I don't know if you'd have enough space.

So yeah, plenty of content. Too bad it's SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS TO GET IT. You have to

1. Log into the Ninsoft Store
2. Choose between Weekly games, Big Name games and Themed games
3. Pick the game you want to download
4. Click on Receive
5. Click on Put On Shelf
6. Hold B+A and drag the game to an empty space in one of your boxes
7. When your first box is full, you have to select another one, every time. It doesn't save the last box you opened.
8. Click on Save.

Do that for every single frickin microgame. Filling up 3 boxes took me 15 minutes easily.

I boggles the mind how bad Nintendo, usually so good at making the user experience simple and seemless, screws up when they do screw up. These games should have been downloadable in a package, in 1 or 2 easy steps.

Ugh.

Posted by 
 on: 07/28/10, 07:01
ah. I forgot about those. I guess I should go schedule some 15 min so that I can change my router back to WEP and repeat 1-8 over and over and over....

I can't remember how Picross was, but I do remember having to choose between user or download pack. Haven't even connected Picross 3D yet.

Posted by 
 on: 07/28/10, 09:54
Having to change my router to WEP (which involves having to sit on the floor with my laptop wired to the router, because it's not WEP compatible) every time I want to connect to the DQVC (which updates every day) is making me want to invest in that Wi-Fi dongle. But it's $40...

Posted by 
 on: 07/28/10, 15:16
@Pandareus
Isn't this what WiiConnect24 was supposed to do? It should automatically download any new micro games while the Wii is in standby mode so that you don't have to spend 15 minutes doing it yourself. Silly Nintendo.

At least Picross 3D makes it painless to get new content since it downloads a puzzle pack in just a couple of seconds.

Posted by 
 on: 07/28/10, 16:40
So, I made a little game while waiting for the plane last Saturday. I made that, like, literally three hours after popping the game in the DS for the first time, and I'm pretty proud of it... anyone wants to try? Getting off work in an hour, then we'll trade codes?

Anyone else been making anything, other than Kris?

Posted by 
 on: 06/15/11, 01:54   Edited:  06/15/11, 01:54
@Guillaume This connects to DIY on DS, right? Shirley and I made a few comics... heh. And I made a really, really crappy mini-game.

Posted by 
 on: 06/15/11, 02:07
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