A weird question I know. But think about it. If you've never played a video game before in your life, which one would be the introduction to the medium?
Well, I'd say a really simple one with easy to understand mechanics and a low level of difficulty. And Wario Land 4 is pretty much that in a nutshell.
Think about it. You've got the intro passage, which is designed specifically so the path forward is as obvious as possible. It's then got extra help on the wall behind that, complete with animated pictures showing Mr Game & Watch doing the correct action for the room with the very buttons you use animated alongside it.
And as far as the level design goes, Wario Land 4 is perhaps the nicest, most merciful platformer you can imagine. There are no bottomless pits. You can never get stuck and forced to exit the level. Nothing ever kills you in one hit. Your health bar is so massive that actually dying to the normal monsters is virtually impossible. Basically, this is a 2D platformer even a 3 year old could probably complete without too much trouble.
As a result, I think it's pretty much the perfect introduction to games for someone who's never played them before. But what do you think? Is this game a really good intro to video games for people without much experience in the medium?
Well, I'd say a really simple one with easy to understand mechanics and a low level of difficulty. And Wario Land 4 is pretty much that in a nutshell.
Think about it. You've got the intro passage, which is designed specifically so the path forward is as obvious as possible. It's then got extra help on the wall behind that, complete with animated pictures showing Mr Game & Watch doing the correct action for the room with the very buttons you use animated alongside it.
And as far as the level design goes, Wario Land 4 is perhaps the nicest, most merciful platformer you can imagine. There are no bottomless pits. You can never get stuck and forced to exit the level. Nothing ever kills you in one hit. Your health bar is so massive that actually dying to the normal monsters is virtually impossible. Basically, this is a 2D platformer even a 3 year old could probably complete without too much trouble.
As a result, I think it's pretty much the perfect introduction to games for someone who's never played them before. But what do you think? Is this game a really good intro to video games for people without much experience in the medium?
