What direction would you want the next Wario Land to go?

[Hotel Horror]

Would you want the game to be more focused on speed like 4 and VB? Or lean closer to puzzle solving and exploration like 2 and 3?

Honestly, I could go either way. As long as they're fun and not too slow or easy.

 

[Really Ilini]

I would prefer they go back to the II/3 level of slower-paced puzzle solving for a new Wario platformer, because to me a greater emphasis on speed makes them feel more similar to Mario games. Though I would prefer a speed-focused Wario Land to one that tries to hybrid the two styles, because they are such clashing modes of play. Shake It tried this to very middling, occasionally frustrating results imo.

 

[Hotel Horror]

I would prefer they go back to the II/3 level of slower-paced puzzle solving for a new Wario platformer, because to me a greater emphasis on speed makes them feel more similar to Mario games. Though I would prefer a speed-focused Wario Land to one that tries to hybrid the two styles, because they are such clashing modes of play. Shake It tried this to very middling, occasionally frustrating results imo.

I like your thinking. I was playing a lot of Metroid Dread a while ago and was thinking the team behind it would make a killer WL3 style game.
Would be pretty cool to see how that could look today.

 

[Cirta]

Though I would prefer a speed-focused Wario Land to one that tries to hybrid the two styles

That's what I would prefer too. I feel like it's totally doable to have a fast paced game while focusing on puzzles, they just need to do extra effort on the level design.