WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase Review - Screenshot 1 of 3

We've just recently seen the release of WarioWare D.I.Y. for the DS system which lets players design, play, and share their own unique microgame creations. But for those who feel like enjoying even more of the same, not to mention the ability to play and share their creations on their television screens, Nintendo has just released their newest WiiWare offering WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase. Now fans of the series can enjoy this unique release as a standalone title or in conjunction with their DS WarioWare D.I.Y. game for even more flexibility.

The main gameplay section of WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase is quite similar to that of the retail release. There are quite a few built-in microgames, musical tracks, and comics to play and enjoy, but you can also upload any of your DS-based creations directly into this WiiWare release to play on your television screen or share with other Wii-owning friends, although it should be noted that transferring large numbers of games will take a little time. You can even transfer any of the 72 new microgames from Showcase to your DS system to play in the retail version of the game.

WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase Review - Screenshot 2 of 3

If you're looking for some multiplayer competition, you can unlock the Mix All: Versus mode where you and up to three other players can select a position on the screen and when your position is highlighted, you have to solve the microgame within the given time limit. Once you garner four losses, you're out. Of course if you want to stir up some hurt feelings and anger, you can even control the game on another player's section if you're looking for a little sabotage action -- it really all depends on the mood your in. Either way, the last player left standing wins. While this mode feels a little tacked on, it's going to appeal to those who prefer to play their games with other players locally.

As with the DS edition, all of the microgames are once again tap-based, or "point and click" in the case of this WiiWare version, so don't expect a huge amount of variety between the various games. The developers certainly did a nice job of mixing things up as best they could given the single gameplay mechanic, but fans of previous releases in the series might find the whole experience a little one-dimensional at times. It's something to keep in mind if you're one of the gamers who are downloading this WiiWare release as a stand-alone release just to play the new set of microgames.

WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase Review - Screenshot 3 of 3

Visually WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase is a nice step up from the DS release and you won't believe how great your microgame creations look on your television screen. Even the cut-scenes are extremely impressive from a visual standpoint and show a solid amount of polish, especially for a WiiWare release. The only downside is that it does tend to make the transition back to the DS a bit of a graphical letdown.

Much like the visuals, the music in Showcase really shines, especially if you have a decent surround sound system. There's plenty of variety in the various musical tracks, and the sound effects are perfectly done and definitely do the WarioWare series proud.

Conclusion

If you've enjoyed WarioWare D.I.Y. and are looking to further the experience, WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase is the perfect compliment to the already outstanding DS title. Not only are there 72 new microgames to enjoy, but the ability to upload your DS creations to your Wii and enjoy the games on your television makes this a nice alternative, especially if you're planning on sharing your microgames with other players. While you should definitely find more than enough to keep you busy in the DS retail release, it's difficult to argue against picking up this added bonus release, especially with the promise of new microgames being made available for download periodically.