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Wario-Likes (Pizza Tower, Antonblast, ect)

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TheLivingDrawing Lucas the Dreamer from The Town of Clayton Since: Apr, 2019 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Lucas the Dreamer
#1: Dec 21st 2024 at 11:08:38 PM

Since Pizza Tower and ANTONBLAST don't have their own threads and probably wouldn't warrent two threads, I created this one. Also discuss any other spiritual successors to Wario Land here.

I'm currently 2/3rds of the way through Antonblast and its pretty good though does feel a little rough in some areas. Think they went a little overboard on references to memes and internet culture that won't make sense in 20 years, but it isn't in your face. Oh and the soundtrack is great.


One underrated design choice in Pizza Tower that confused me initially but is now one of my favorite parts of it, is the bosses being characters around Peppino's size instead of being bigger, more traditional bosses. The fact they also appear in the hub world are established characters instead of throwaway monsters, and the bosses playing by different rules than the main levels makes the fights more memorable and interesting.

Edited by TheLivingDrawing on Dec 21st 2024 at 2:09:37 PM

Once Upon A Time.
DoorTrust Since: Apr, 2019
#2: Dec 22nd 2024 at 4:15:44 AM

Would you say a Wario-like is defined more by its personality than its gameplay-style?

TheLivingDrawing Lucas the Dreamer from The Town of Clayton Since: Apr, 2019 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Lucas the Dreamer
#3: Dec 22nd 2024 at 9:45:24 AM

[up] I define it as "Spiritual Successor to the Wario Land games". So a mix of crazy personality with fast paced puzzle platforming.

Once Upon A Time.
Ego-Man25 Since: Mar, 2015 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#4: Dec 25th 2024 at 5:43:21 PM

To be completely honest here, we probably should have had a thread like this at least a year ago, maybe two… but ah, hindsight's 20/20. It is wonderful having this now, so I can't complain.

So, right, Pizza Tower and Antonblast are two… VERY different beasts. They both place Wario Land 4 on a high pedestal, but where Pizza Tower ended up becoming the cathartic Sonic game that I as a Sonic fan never knew I needed (being able to run up fucking walls and shit like that)), Antonblast has a more destructive, yet weirdly more methodical approach, it has the high scores more from dicking around, finding new spots to explore, and causing all the carnage imaginable. The levels and the boss battles, as a result, feel a lot more consistent with each other, given the heavy use of the hammer.

Self-professed Wild Card who thinks cynicism isn't so bad.
TheLivingDrawing Lucas the Dreamer from The Town of Clayton Since: Apr, 2019 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Lucas the Dreamer
#5: Dec 26th 2024 at 1:03:09 PM

I'm at the level in Anton Blast with bath bombs. I too grew up in the 2000s. The whole game is full of 2000s nostalgia actually, the background music for the level is a Nu Metal track (which sounds really good).

Edited by TheLivingDrawing on Dec 26th 2024 at 4:10:03 AM

Once Upon A Time.
Ego-Man25 Since: Mar, 2015 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#6: Dec 26th 2024 at 1:52:19 PM

Because I was so used to Pizza Tower, this game took me an adjustment period… but my god, I think I like this game more. The mole Mooks help. Ya hit them, and they screech in a hilarious fashion, complete with Wild Take.

Self-professed Wild Card who thinks cynicism isn't so bad.
TheLivingDrawing Lucas the Dreamer from The Town of Clayton Since: Apr, 2019 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Lucas the Dreamer
#7: Dec 26th 2024 at 2:20:36 PM

[up] I don't like comparing the two, since they were in development at the same time by different people, but I think Pizza Tower is better in most aspects.

Pizza Tower also feels significantly more timeless; Antonblast has a level based on a meme (the poolrooms) that won't make sense in two decades. There are other memes sprinkled around, to the point you could use the game as a time capsule for internet culture during the early 2020s. The memes aren't obnoxious, and the poolrooms level is one of the game's highlights, but still should've more considered that people are hopefully going to be playing it years down the line.

However Pizza Tower is such an insanely high bar to clear for me (almost every aspect of Pizza Tower is finely and exquisitely crafted), that I don't think it says anything that Antonblast isn't as good. Its still a great, if flawed game, exploding with charm, fun, and personality. I hope it does well enough to get more from Summitsphere since I would love to see a sequel.

Edited by TheLivingDrawing on Dec 26th 2024 at 5:21:27 AM

Once Upon A Time.
Ego-Man25 Since: Mar, 2015 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#8: Dec 26th 2024 at 2:39:26 PM

I need to disagree on the poolrooms thing. Sure, it's a meme The Big Bath is based on… but remove the meme, and what do you get… except Uncanny Valley: The Video Game Level? It doesn't need to have an explanation in order to just be unsettling… and besides, Tropes Are Tools.

Self-professed Wild Card who thinks cynicism isn't so bad.
TheLivingDrawing Lucas the Dreamer from The Town of Clayton Since: Apr, 2019 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Lucas the Dreamer
#9: Dec 26th 2024 at 10:50:40 PM

Hell Manor is such an insane Difficulty Spike; Nintendo saves the Brutal Bonus Level for the end of 100% Completion for a reason. I ran out of time at the very last stretch (with all of the collectables) and Rage Quit. Watch me beat it and call it one of the greatest levels in the game.

Edit: Beat it with all the collectables with a significant amount of time remaining.


Honestly, now that I've beaten it I can say that Antonblast is an excellent game. It honestly deserves way more attention than its getting given how much love and care went into the game.

Edited by TheLivingDrawing on Dec 29th 2024 at 2:41:20 PM

Once Upon A Time.
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