The "WarioWare" franchise is one that I've been playing for a very long time. It may not be one of Nintendo's biggest or flashiest franchises, but it's definitely an extremely clever and hilarious one, with fun "microgames" that feel like Nintendo just going balls to the wall and getting as weird as they possibly can. There's a beautiful charm to the series; it's accessible enough to simply pick up and play, but challenging enough that mastering it will put you to the test. The original entry "WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!," though dated in a few respects, still serves as a humorous and inviting journey into the madness that is the "WarioWare" series.
"WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!" is, in a word, crazy. The microgames are wild, the pacing is extremely fast, and the aesthetics are just plain weird. Why is a disembodied hand floating in the air catching a piece of toast that just flung out of a toaster? Why am I making someone pick their nose? Does Wario's mouth really stretch open that far when he's eating a sandwich? These are just some of the questions you'll be asking as you play this game, but there's one great catch I forgot to mention: you'll be having fun as you ask these questions. These scenarios are hilarious, and when you see them in the game, you'll find yourself wanting to see more and more of them. The microgames themselves are simple but exciting, the graphics and sound work are very solid, and the crude look of the game works well to emphasize its strangeness.
However, there is one thing I will say about the game, and this is a critique you'll hear about several games in the "WarioWare" series...I just wish it was a bit longer. I do appreciate the extras the game has to offer, and I do think there's a fair bit of replayability here, but I still wish the main game had just a bit more to do. Also, I do think some of the microgames in this one focus a bit too much on trial-and-error, and unfortunately don't stick out or have the same level of memorability as some of the ones in the later games.
Overall, though, "WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!" is a good adventure on the Game Boy Advance, and it's the type of game that I feel anyone can have fun with. Sure, it is outdone a fair bit by its sequels, and it might feel a bit dated going back to it with what we have now, but if you can find it, it's definitely worth a try.
Final rating: 7 out of 10 "Good"