All Wario Land Games Ranked by Sales

Though Wario might be a bitter rival to Mario, the greedy glutton hasn’t managed to share the vast number of games his counterpart stars in. Even so, he managed to make a name for himself through quite a few unique platforming titles. While a new Wario Land hasn’t been made in over a decade, many fans are still very much in love with the series for one reason or another. It’s interesting to note how far that love runs, which is why this article will take a look at all Wario Land games ranked by the number of copies they sold.

All information was taken from VGSales. This article will not cover Virtual Boy Wario Land due to the lack of sales data. WarioWare games and Wario’s Woods will also not be covered, as they are not specifically part of the Wario Land series.

Note: The links in this article include affiliate links to Amazon. You won’t be charged anything extra for clicking on these links, but you will be supporting HackerNoon if you do choose to purchase something through one of these links.

All Games in the Wario Land Series Ranked by Copies Sold

• 7. Wario World
• 6. Wario: Master of Disguise
• 5. Wario Land: Shake It!
• 4. Wario Land II
• 3. Wario Land 3
• 2. Wario Land 4
• 1. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3

7. Wario World — ~442,000 Copies Sold

Wario World was the first and only 3D platformer in the Wario Land series. In the game, players battle enemies and collect treasures to regain Wario’s wealth. As the titular character’s first foray into 3D, this adventure was surprisingly robust. Players were able to explore numerous levels and secrets, and the many bosses found in the title were both varied and unique.

Unfortunately, Wario World was still relatively short when compared to other games at the time. It barely rivals Luigi’s Mansion in length while featuring a character that’s inarguably less popular than Mario or his brother. Not to mention, it was released on the GameCube, a console that already had low sales in comparison to Nintendo’s previous and future offerings. It’s not hard to see why Wario World is at the bottom of this list, but it truly deserves a higher spot.

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6. Wario: Master of Disguise — ~572,000 Copies Sold

Following a series’ tradition of non-standard transformations, Wario: Master of Disguise has Wario don various costumes meant to assist him in treasure-hunting. By drawing symbols on the Nintendo DS touch screen, players can give Wario disguises ranging from pirate clothing to a demon outfit. Combine that with Wario’s classic shoulder bash and you have a platforming experience that’s quite faithful to the older games.

However, unlike many other Wario titles, Master of Disguise’s focus was less on the platforming and more on various minigames. These minigames stood in the way between players and most of the treasures in their path. This is most likely why this title ended up with such relatively low sales, as this made most of the gameplay quite tedious. Like its title, the overall feel of Wario: Master of Disguise is only somewhat similar to other Wario Land entries.

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5. Wario Land: Shake It! — ~1.06 Million Copies Sold

Wario Land: Shake It! was the final Wario Land game ever released. Also known as The Shake Dimension outside of the US, this title has Wario enter a new dimension to literally shake the money out of his foes. The gameplay consists of action-packed 2D platforming with secret levels and strong bosses. There’s a lot for players to love in this most recent Wario Land game, even if it doesn’t quite measure up to the success of its predecessors.

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4. Wario Land II — ~1.48 Million Copies Sold

The sequel to the original Wario Land is also the first game that introduced the concept of immortality to Wario. In other words, it’s not possible to lose lives or get game overs in Wario Land II. There are still ways to get hurt or lose, but many of those simply involve dropping a few coins or having to redo the level. In some ways, Wario Land II offers a more casual experience than even most Mario games, making it a perfect choice for someone who just wants to have fun as the bad guy.

This game is also available on the 3DS. Note that the 3DS eShop will close in March 2023, so take advantage of this opportunity while you still can!

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3. Wario Land 3 — ~2.2 Million Copies Sold

Wario Land 3 was the first game to feature Wario in a new dimension, though this concept would be reused in several future entries. He retains his immortality from Wario Land II, though it’s possible to lose the final boss fight and get a “game over” that way. Even with all these similarities, this title is pretty much just more of what its predecessors offered. More transformations, more bosses, and a comparably wide selection of treasure can all be found in Wario Land 3. Combine that with its Game Boy Color-exclusive capabilities and there’s little question as to why this title performed so well.

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2. Wario Land 4 — ~2.2+ Million Copies Sold

Wario Land 4 is surprisingly unique in comparison to its predecessors. In this title, Wario has a health bar, and the only way for him to complete levels is to escape them in a race against the clock. This title can be quite challenging to complete, especially with its selection of tougher difficulties and strong bosses. It might not be the most beloved of the Wario Land games, but its unique artstyle and mechanics allow it to stand out from other entries in the series.

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1. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 — ~5.19 Million Copies Sold

The very first Wario game, oddly enough, is also marketed as the third title in the Super Mario Land series. This game introduces characters like Captain Syrup and concepts like Wario’s transformations and dash attack, elements that would become well-known staples of future Wario Land titles. It’s also one of the few Wario games to actually include Mario alongside other familiar faces such as Koopas and Piranha Plants. Even if future titles would go on to have more content and challenges, the original Wario Land is perhaps the most notable entry of the entire series.

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Final Thoughts

It’s interesting to see how the success of Wario Land games has varied throughout the years. With the massive success of Nintendo’s latest console, it’s easy to assume that a new Wario Land game on the Switch would perform even better than these previous titles. Fans can only hope that the developers will consider recapturing the charm of this villainous glutton one more time.