GameTimeline

Release & story order

WarioWare timeline

WarioWare from Mega Microgame$! (2003) through Move It! (2023)—US release dates for each main microgame anthology, light Wario framing-story order, and FAQ for Gold, Twisted!, and party spin-offs.

Updated July 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When Nintendo shipped each main microgame anthology—Mega Microgame$! through Move It!. Mega Party Game$!, DSiWare minis, and WarioWare Gold compilation are FAQ-only—not extra Release rows.

  • Full anthology arc → all seven Release rows
  • Newcomers → Get It Together! or Move It! on Switch—FAQ
  • Gold compiles classics—FAQ, not a new story chapter
  • Twisted! never released in the US—FAQ
Story order tips

Loose Wario anthology continuity in Release order—each game is mostly standalone microgames with brief framing cutscenes. No heavy serial plot; Story rows mirror Release for the core seven.

  • Core order: same seven rows as Release
  • Each entry is self-contained microgames—order is optional for gameplay
  • Chronological Wario gags stack if you play in Release order
  • On Story order, Move It! may be hidden—reveal when ready

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!

    WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!

    GBAPartyMainline

    WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! invents the five-second microgame anthology on GBA—Wario's greedy startup, dozens of staffers, and escalating speed. Nintendo party design never recovered (in a good way).

    Overview
    Intelligent Systems' microgame conveyor: learn a rule in a blink, then survive tempo ramps. Character stages teach control twists without menus.
    In-game setting
    Story row one. Cousin DNA with Rhythm Heaven—timing anthologies, separate canon. Wario ties to Mario loosely.
    Should you play it?
    Franchise must-start. Touched!, Smooth Moves, and Switch entries remix the formula on new hardware gimmicks.
    Release date
    US Game Boy Advance launch May 26, 2003.
  2. WarioWare: Touched!

    WarioWare: Touched!

    DSPartyMainline

    WarioWare: Touched! rebuilds microgames around DS stylus and mic gags with taxi framing. Ashley, 9-Volt, and crew return for touch-first chaos. Stylus and mic gags keep every crew stage feeling brand new.

    Overview
    Touch/mic verbs replace pure buttons—each crew member stage is a control thesis. Dual-screen jokes sell the DS launch era. Stylus/mic stages make each crew member a control thesis.
    In-game setting
    Sets the hardware-gimmick sequel pattern later games follow.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Mega Microgame$! on Story. Still one of the best DS party showcases. After Mega Microgame$!—peak DS party showcase.
    Release date
    US Nintendo DS launch March 28, 2005. DS touch/mic required for full jokes.
  3. WarioWare: Smooth Moves

    WarioWare: Smooth Moves

    WiiPartyMainline

    WarioWare: Smooth Moves turns Wii Remote Forms into living-room slapstick—pose, twist, and panic together. Form Baton stages define early Wii party energy.

    Overview
    Catalog of Remote holds (The Humble Remote, The Discard…) makes motion literacy the joke. Couch co-op shines. Form catalog turns Remote holds into living-room slapstick.
    In-game setting
    Japan title differs; same game. Bridges to Game & Wario's asymmetric ideas. Bridges toward Game & Wario asymmetry.
    Should you play it?
    Release/Story row three after Touched!. Ideal if you want motion before Switch Move It!. Motion chapter before Switch Move It!.
    Release date
    US Wii launch January 15, 2007. Wii Remote Forms; couch space helps.
  4. WarioWare: D.I.Y.

    WarioWare: D.I.Y.

    DSPartyMainline

    WarioWare: D.I.Y. hands you microgame, music, and comic makers on DS—then lets friends swap creations. It is the series' user-generation experiment. Creation tools matter more than clearing a fixed joke list.

    Overview
    Creation tools over consumption: draw sprites, sequence timing windows, and publish oddities. Showcase DSiWare companion is FAQ-only.
    In-game setting
    Before Game & Wario. Least 'pick up and mash' entry by design. Least pick-up-and-mash entry by design.
    Should you play it?
    Story row four. Play for maker fantasy; skip if you only want curated microgames. Skip if you only want curated jokes.
    Release date
    US Nintendo DS launch March 28, 2010. DS makers + Showcase FAQ companion.
  5. Game & Wario

    Game & Wario

    Wii UPartyMainline

    Game & Wario rebuilds the anthology as longer Wii U minigames with GamePad asymmetry and Diamond City TV framing. Closer to Game & Watch remixes than five-second spam.

    Overview
    Fewer, deeper minigames exploiting GamePad spy screens and TV splits. Variety pack energy over pure microgame speed. Longer GamePad minigames remix Game & Watch energy.
    In-game setting
    Transitional Release before Get It Together! and Move It!. Transitional before Get It Together!.
    Should you play it?
    Story row five before Switch era. Play if you own Wii U; otherwise jump to Get It Together!. Wii U owners only practical; else jump to Switch entries.
    Release date
    US Wii U launch June 23, 2013. Wii U GamePad asymmetry required for pitch.
  6. WarioWare: Get It Together!

    WarioWare: Get It Together!

    SwitchPartyMainline

    WarioWare: Get It Together! brings microgames to Switch with playable crew assists inside each gag. Co-op body-blocking is the new joke layer. Co-op body-blocking turns familiar templates into fresh chaos.

    Overview
    Character-action microgames—control Wario crew avatars that alter how stages play. Online/local co-op remixes classic templates. Crew avatars inside microgames add co-op body-blocking jokes.
    In-game setting
    Story row six before Move It!. First Switch mainline anthology.
    Should you play it?
    Modern restart point. WarioWare Gold (3DS) compiles older stages—FAQ, not a row here. Modern restart; Gold FAQ for 3DS nostalgia pack.
    Release date
    US Nintendo Switch launch September 10, 2021. Switch local/online co-op friendly.
  7. WarioWare: Move It!

    WarioWare: Move It!

    SwitchPartyMainline

    WarioWare: Move It! revives Form Baton spirit with Joy-Con poses, island vacation framing, and sweatier living-room laughs. Latest mainline as of June 2026.

    Overview
    Dual Joy-Con Forms and camera-free motion stages update Smooth Moves for Switch. Party-first design. Joy-Con Forms update Smooth Moves sweat for Switch parties.
    In-game setting
    Story row seven / current endpoint. Pair nights with Rhythm Heaven for timing variety. Latest mainline June 2026.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Get It Together! on Story—or alone for motion nights. After Get It Together!—or solo motion nights.
    Release date
    US Nintendo Switch launch November 3, 2023. Joy-Con pair recommended; grip accessories help.

FAQ

Release vs story order, compilations, Japan-only entries, and Wario Land.

Release order

Release order and Story order share the same seven main anthology rows: Mega Microgame$! (2003) through Move It! (2023). WarioWare has light framing stories, not a heavy serial plot—FAQ-only entries (party games, DSiWare, Gold) are not Story rows.

Newcomers can start with Get It Together! or Move It! on Switch—each is self-contained microgames. For the full anthology history, play all seven Release rows from GBA onward. WarioWare Gold (3DS) is a compilation shortcut—FAQ.

Compilations & ports

WarioWare Gold (2018, 3DS) repackages microgames from earlier titles—it is a compilation, not a separate Release or Story row. Use it as a sampler of classics without replacing the seven main anthologies.

WarioWare: Twisted! (2005, GBA) used a built-in gyro sensor cartridge and was released in Japan only—never shipped in the US. It sits between Touched! and Smooth Moves chronologically but is FAQ-only on this timeline.

Optional & related

Wario Land is Wario's platformer series (starting from Super Mario Land 2). WarioWare is the microgame anthology branch—same character, different franchises. See the Mario timeline for Wario's platformer debut—no shared Story order.

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.