As you may know, we have a lot of nostalgia for both the Super Mario Land and Wario Land games here at Gaming Reinvented.
After all, with Super Mario Land 2 being our second ever game and the Wario Land series inspiring us to create the Wario Forums website, it’s clear that both Mario and Wario’s Game Boy adventures are some of our most treasured memories in all of gaming.
So, when someone called Yak0 posted they were working on a hybrid of the two over on Wario Forums, we were immediately interested in seeing what was in store. A full-blown Super Mario Land 2 remake with improved visuals, music and features? A brand-new Wario Land set before it showing Wario taking over Mario Land?
The possibility of another story that mixes the two in new and exciting ways?
It was a dream come true as a fan of both series, and a fan game that quickly became one of our most highly anticipated projects as a result. Wario’s Conquest + Super Mario Land 2: Reclaimed has been on a constant on our radar ever since, and we await every updated with bated breath to see what craziness the game has in store this time.
So today, it’s time to learn even more about the project. To find out how the whole project came to be, and how Yak0 plans to modernise both the Super Mario Land and Wario Land formulas for a new generation of gamers.
Let’s go!
The Interview
Let’s start out with some background info shall we? Who are you? Who is the person behind these projects?
Yo! I’m Yak0, a 22-year-old guy from Germany who has way too much free time.
I’ve been messing around with game development on and off for quite some time now, and I also own a small YouTube channel where I used to upload video game music-though it’ll primarily be used for my games from now on.
Where did your username come from? Why Yak0?
In my early teens, I had a rather edgy-sounding username. One time, I was messaging a friend who was ranting about something silly, while I kept replying with “okayyy” in different ways-until I wrote it backwards, with a 0 instead of an O, no less. Since it sounded kind of cool (and not embarrassing), I figured I might as well stick with it!
How did you get into gaming?
When I was around five years old, my parents got me a PlayStation 2 as a Christmas gift. I played a lot of Sonic Unleashed (SD) and licensed games like SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom and Ratatouille. A year later I got a red Wii with Epic Mickey and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Since I also started learning how to read around that time, I began to understand what the games were asking of me, and I got really hooked on both consoles!
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom was one of Yak0’s first games
What games are you playing now?
Nowadays, I mostly play on the Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5. I generally enjoy all Nintendo franchises, but Super Mario and Splatoon are the dearest to me right now.
On PlayStation, I usually play titles like Sonic, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Shin Megami Tensei, or a good indie platformer for good measure.
What was your intro to the Wario series?
Funnily enough, where it all started… with Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land. When I was a teen, I managed to snag a Game Boy Advance SP through an online auction, and there was this super cool retro gaming shop near my school. I used to go there regularly to pick up Game Boy games for around 5-10 euros each. Two of the first games I bought were Super Mario Land 2 and Wario Land.
This was Yak0’s introduction to the Wario series
And what’s your favourite game there?
Hmm, I’m torn between Wario Land 3 and Wario Land 4. If I feel like playing a slower-paced but interconnected adventure, I choose Wario Land 3. If I’m in the mood for quick bursts of chaotic fun, then I play Wario Land 4.
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- Yak0 prefers this game for a more exploration focused experience
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- Yak0 prefers this game for a more fast-paced experience
That said, if I had to rank the Wario games, there would probably only be two or three tiers anyway-I like most of them about the same. I just don’t replay all of them equally.
How did you get into game development?
I’ve been interested in it since I was a kid. I remember using toys to build my own “levels” in real life… I think I started watching GameMaker tutorials when I was around 12 or maybe 14 years old. Back then, I drew the sprites in Paint, and the code left… much to be desired.
Some would say I haven’t improved too much since then, haha!
Jokes aside, I never gave up-and now here we are!
Did you work on any projects before this one?
People in the Epic Mickey community might know me. I was a co-founder of TheEpicTeam, later known as Function Point. Besides making Epic Mickey 3, we had other projects in development. I worked on a New Super Mario Bros. DS ROM hack, an RPG Maker game, and a simple 2D Epic Mickey game.
Out of those, only the 2D Epic Mickey game was finished and can still be found on my GameJolt page. It was made seven years ago, it’s absolutely terrible by today’s standards.
This is Yak0’s only other complete game
We just couldn’t pull our goals off and I slowly distanced myself from the server. Looks like it ultimately didn’t work out. Since then I primarily worked on prototypes on my own.
What made you decide to make a Super Mario Land 2 remake/Wario Land hybrid game?
Years ago during school breaks, I began casually recreating some Super Mario Land 2 levels on my laptop, purely for fun.
As a fan of the Game Boy Color mod, I started wondering what SML2 might look like if it were taken further with a full Super Mario All-Stars-style remake. That’s where I took it more seriously. While recreating enemies, coloring sprites, and rebuilding levels, I eventually burned out and began using the existing assets to create new, bite-sized levels to blow off some steam. Playing through them, I realized they were fun, so I decided to make them a part of the remake as bonus content.
Around that time, I was replaying Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion, a DLC built around a separate, more challenging campaign that reused and remixed assets from the main game. That inspired me to turn this idea into a new mode instead. Making Wario the main character and framing it as a prequel felt like a natural fit!
The Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion inspired Wario’s Conquest + SML 2 Reclaimed
While playing Wario Land 3, I began wondering why no modern game had expanded on its ideas, especially in contrast to Wario Land 4. So making Wario’s Conquest similar to Wario Land 3 while scattering Wario Land 4 styled challenge levels into the world felt right.
Were you inspired by any other fan projects?
I’m a huge Sonic fan and have long followed its community and the incredible fangames it has produced. I often wondered why there weren’t as many Mario fangames-and even fewer Wario ones. What inspired me the most, honestly, was the Sonic Triple Trouble 16-bit remake. It fully modernized an 8-bit classic and might have even surpassed the original. The level of dedication behind it was truly admirable and inspired me to give it my all when modernizing Super Mario Land 2, going beyond it with a brand-new untold story as well.
Let’s talk about the Super Mario Land 2 side first. What’s it been like reimagining that game?
This project began as a faithful recreation of the original game, however over time I started wondering whether that was really enough. I gradually introduced new features to bring it more in line with modern Mario games, like collectables, modes, modifiers, minigames, fully explorable world maps and more.
Rather than simply imitating the original, I began thinking about how to fully flesh out and modernize the game, making it just as appealing to modern players as it is to longtime fans.
How has the level design changed there? Your game seems quite a bit trickier and more complex than the original Game Boy title
Levels from the original game largely retain their original designs, with only small tweaks such as slightly raising ceilings here and there. The biggest changes are that some secret passages that once held regular coins now hide Silver Coins instead. In rare cases, entirely new secret areas were added as well, but they remain unobtrusive.
It does look a lot more impressive visually though, with more decoration and visual effects.
A few of the new modifiers shake things up though…! More on that later.
What about the bosses? Based on the bird boss, it seems you’re reimagining them quite a bit…
After watching people play early demos and reading player feedback, it became clear that many felt the bosses were too simple and easy. I agreed, and decided to revamp them.
While each boss still retains its original attack, they now feature around three additional moves to spice up the fights.
For those who prefer a more relaxed experience, I’m also working on implementing the original game’s forgotten Easy Mode, this will revert all bosses back to their simpler behavior!
Are there any new enemies and mechanics here?
I added Shadow Mario to the mix. Some levels have a chance to become haunted, where he will test if you’re worthy of saving the day. This acts as a time trial mode with its own ranking system.
By spending the newly added Silver Coins, players can unlock a wide range of optional modifiers, similar in spirit to the badge system in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Some simply change the HUD, others act as character skins, while some introduce new mechanics like wall jumps or the Item Reserve Box from Super Mario World. Certain modifiers even add Yoshi and the Ice Flower to specific stages or place extra blocks to make tricky jumps easier.
There is also an achievement system with 101 tasks that ties all the new features together.
What about new levels and areas?
For those looking for something new and fresh, Mission Mode-loosely inspired by New Super Mario Bros. U- remixes all 32 base-game levels with new layouts and objectives.
Additionally every zone now features a KO Arena, similar to Super Mario Bros. Wonder, in which you will fight against waves of enemies.
Should you beat both SML2 and WC then you can unlock the Pit Of Trials, which will task you with beating 100 floors that test your knowledge of every single enemy and gimmick encountered in both modes.
Otherwise I intentionally kept completely new areas to Wario’s Conquest only.
Will the final battle with Wario be drastically changed? The original version definitely feels a bit archaic for today’s version of the character…
The general idea of him using Power-Ups against you will remain intact; however, he will now use a wider variety of items and moves taken from Wario’s Conquest. This helps create a strong narrative and gameplay bridge between both modes!
Representing Wario himself was trickier. I wanted to preserve his modern image without losing this slightly eerie edge he had in the original. He doesn’t wear that unsettling smile constantly like he did in Super Mario Land 2, but it does appear at key moments. His transition from the way he was portrayed in early SML2 advertisements to his more familiar modern depiction is also lightly explored in Wario’s Conquest.
Onto the Wario Land side now. How exactly does it work as a Metroidvania here?
I asked myself…in a post–Pizza Tower world, how could Wario remain relevant?
My answer to this question was to expand on Wario Land 3’s vision, modernize it and combine it with Wario Land 4-style challenge stages.
You explore this fully interconnected world to find colored keys and use these on the respective colored chests to unlock new treasure. These treasures can either directly expand Wario’s moves or can be used on the environment around you to unlock new paths.
However, running from one end of the world to the other can take quite some time. So, we have gates scattered around that lead to challenge stages!
Most revolve around activating a switch and running against the clock back to the beginning while taking a new path here and there, just like in Wario Land 4.
Beating these stages rewards you with a bunch of goodies, but they mainly grant a new warp point on your map.
Additionally the day/night cycle from WL3 returns as well, though now it happens in real time. Seeing the world change around you like that can be quite fun!
Similarly to WL3 you will also find roadblocks that require beating minigames, though instead of just playing Minigolf, we have a wide variety of games that are all based on past games. From Wario’s Woods to waves of microgames a la WarioWare, there is something for everybody.
Each zone has a variety of mini games to find, like this one inspired by Mario Party’s Mushroom Mix Up
Are most of the abilities from the later Wario Land games being added as upgrades?
Wario retains his iconic dash and can crawl like always.
Permanent upgrades like the Swimming Flippers from WL3 or the Shake move from Shake It return in this game as well.
Even Wario’s sucking ability from Wario World is unlockable, alongside much more like a new air dash move.
There is also another type of upgrade, which I will explain later on.
Who are the bosses in this game? They don’t seem to be the same characters Mario faces on his journey…
Mario Land is often without its ruler, as Mario is frequently busy in the Mushroom Kingdom-or, in this case, Sarasaland. In his absence, Mushwell, a seemingly loyal Toad, takes care of the castle and ensures the island remains free of trouble.
Or at least, he did-until Wario showed up. Mushwell entrusted the six Golden Coins to his most loyal guards, and it becomes Wario’s mission to defeat these wacky foes, claim Mario’s Castle, and snag some treasure along the way.
Wario’s Conquest has new boss battles against the previous guardians of Mario Land
During your adventure, you’ll encounter some… interesting characters who offer their help for their own selfish reasons as they plot to corrupt the island. In time, these characters will become the very bosses Mario must face during his journey in Super Mario Land 2.
The original Super Mario Land 2 bosses (like the witch here) are denizens of the area that ally with Wario during his quest
Is Bowser a major character here? Quite a few of his minions do seem to be present in the trailers…
The original Super Mario Land 2 already featured enemies like Goombas, Koopas, and Piranha Plants. While the game never explained their presence, I decided to give it some context: much like in the Mario RPGs, some of these creatures simply live in small villages and don’t serve Bowser. With a king like him, it’s no surprise that a few would rather settle in Mario Land instead.
This game reveals that some of Bowser’s minions live in villages in Mario Land
I also briefly toyed with the idea of including Fake Bowser as a joke-the blue doppelgänger who, according to some supplemental material, is Bowser’s twin brother from Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels. He wouldn’t play a major role, just a small, silly side quest.
What about other Wario characters? Will Captain Syrup show up?
Several Wario characters make small cameo appearances throughout the game. A jewelry store features a poster of the Black Jewel from Wario World, a circus displays a clown statue that looks eerily similar to Rudy from Wario Land 3, and a disco includes posters advertising dance lessons by Jimmy T himself.
Pyoro also makes an appearance as part of a level gimmick
Dr. Crygor, on the other hand, makes an actual appearance. His quirky experiments happen to lead him to Mario Land by chance. While his role is fairly minor, he provides unconventional tools that can be used for puzzle-solving. One of a few additions made for WarioWare fans.
As for Captain Syrup and her gang… well, they aren’t directly part of the main story—but. If you remember, Macro Zone features a house, right? In this game, it’s revealed to be a vacation home belonging to Princess Peach. Mario even commissioned a massive golden statue in her likeness, placed right in front of it.
The Macro Zone house is revealed to be Peach’s vacation home in Mario Land
If you recall the premise of Wario Land 1, the game opens with Captain Syrup stealing a golden statue of Princess Peach. In that sense, this game directly ties into Wario Land 1. Wario doesn’t interact with her directly here, though; instead, it all unfolds behind the scenes as yet another scheme brewing within Mario Land.
How do the powerups work? Are they a mix of caps and transformations? Do any items from VB Wario Land appear?
The Power-Up system is loosely inspired by Wario: Master of Disguise. Once unlocked like other permanent upgrades, Power-Ups can be swapped at any time for a small fee-or found for free in blocks. They exist because I couldn’t give base Wario every ability I wanted without being overwhelming. As a result, a few moves are tied to specific Power-Ups: for example, the ground pound returns with the Viking Pot from Wario Land 1, while the high jump is linked to the Bunny Carrot. The Fire Flower adds a projectile that works similarly to King Dragon Wario from VB Wario Land.
Despite the flexibility, the system remains very player-friendly!
As for Wario’s reaction-based transformations-such as being set on fire or getting flattened-they’re fully implemented and already working great. These are more situational mechanics that are easy and fun to place throughout the world. Alongside many classic reactions, I’ve also added several brand-new ones, including being cursed into a squid, splitting into two independent halves, and getting electrocuted.
Transformations like Flat Wario are present and accounted for
Does Wario get to fight Mario himself? We know Shadow Mario turns up a few times, but does Wario get to actually fight and defeat the real deal?
It turns out that Mario Land was built atop ancient ruins left behind by a forgotten civilization. During his adventure, Wario steals an ancient relic said to possess hypnotic powers-those familiar with Super Mario Land 2’s premise will know where this is heading.
However, Wario also awakens a guardian spirit that takes the form of a shadowy Mario, challenging him multiple times throughout the game. These encounters may even serve as preparation for the real confrontation to come…
Though it seems you won’t fight Mario in this mode, as it ends shortly after Wario takes over the castle and Mario arrives on the island.
Is there a third adventure where the two have to team up, or you choose one of them to face off against a different threat?
Beating both Wario’s Conquest and Super Mario Land 2 will unlock a third mode in the menu. This mode will require you to combine both save files for a new third one and allow you to play a what if scenario where things may go a different path.
Who knows-maybe there’s actually a way to defy fate and let you play as Wario… fighting against Mario. Though… What would this mean for the island…?
It does seem like this could lead to a much bigger threat, which even makes Wario second-guess his decisions so far.
Either way, the game seems to have done pretty well online, with lots of fan interest. Did you expect this level of excitement for the game?
No. Honestly, I expected this project to mostly fly under the radar. I originally started developing the game purely for myself, as a way to train and prepare for creating an original indie game afterward. But it’s grown into something more than that. Now, it’s a game I’m making for the wider Mario and Wario community.
And in truth, that attention pushes me to constantly improve it. When I look back at gameplay videos from older demos, I can’t help but notice how rough the game looked and played back then-which is a clear sign of how much it’s been refined and improved since.
I still have a long way ahead of me, but I got a vision and I want to finish it!
While we doubt it’d happen, do you ever worry Nintendo will try and shut down the project?
Well, Nintendo usually only takes down projects that directly conflict with their own plans. If that were to happen here, it would at least mean that Wario Land is back-which would genuinely make me happy.
That said, I’ve obviously invested several hundred hours into this project, so the possibility of it all being for nothing is a little concerning. The things I’ve learned can’t be taken away from me, but I’d still be upset, to say the least. I doubt it will actually happen, though-even if I sometimes can’t help but feel a bit uneasy about it.
Assuming the game is finished as expected, how do you plan to release it? Are you submitting it to Mario Fan Games Galaxy and other sites?
Yep! So far, I’ve only released demos on Sonic Fangames HQ for SAGE, GameJolt, and my Discord server. I’m fully aware that I’d get the most attention-especially on Mario Fan Games Galaxy, since it’s practically made for a project like this-but I don’t feel these early demos are worthy of being there just yet.
Once the game is finished, though, you can bet I’ll be posting it there, along with pretty much every other fitting site I can find.
Do you have any other projects you fancy working on afterwards?
Fangame projects? Not really. If the game maintains its current momentum-or grows even further upon release…well I plan to deliver one major post-launch patch. That update would address player feedback and add some bonus content I already have planned, but don’t want to include yet, as it would only delay the main release.
After that, I’d be largely content with what I’ve left behind for the community.
How about indie game projects that don’t involve Nintendo’s franchises?
I fully intend to make a Wario Land-style indie game after this project. While I doubt it’ll be the next Pizza Tower or Antonblast, I do hope to bring along many of the players who enjoy Wario’s Conquest.
Yak0 wants to make a Wario Land style indie game similar to Pizza Tower or AntonBlast in future
It’ll be a similar blend of Wario Land 3 and Wario Land 4, but with one defining difference-one that, strangely enough, no one has really attempted yet: I want to explore the third dimension.
I did make a quick prototype in Unity which worked well enough, but I won’t work on it a lot until I finish Wario’s Conquest+SML2 Reclaimed.
Finally, what advice do you give anyone looking to get into game development?
Don’t give up. The world can be unfair at times, but keep doing what you love. Persistence is what gets us where we want to be in life. You might lack the skills right now, but they can be learned-even if it takes trial and error.
You can use criticism-even the hateful kind-as fuel to improve yourself and show others what you’re capable of.
I’m far from being a fully competent game developer, but I’m definitely much better than I used to be. And I’m sure you can improve too-you just need the will to keep going!
Yeah, that makes sense to us. As the old saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither were most successful video games. Everyone who makes interesting stuff now started out as a clueless amateur bumbling about and learning the ropes, and developed their skills over time to become the kind of creator many of us aspire to be.
So, definitely be ready to put in the work there. You’ll fail over and over again, and your early works probably won’t get the reception you were hoping for, but eventually you’ll attain the mastery needed to make something truly special. Something that changes the world for the better, and reflects your personality and soul through and through.
Still, thanks for the interview. It was really interesting to learn more about Wario’s Conquest + Super Mario Land 2: Reclaimed, and we’re excited to try out the final game whenever it’s ready. It’s a rarity to see a Wario Land fan game of this level of quality, and it’s greatly appreciated in a time where Nintendo’s own interest in the franchise seems to be minimal at best.
Regardless, what are your thoughts here? Are you interested in this fan game, and other Wario fanworks? What do you hope to see in either the Wario’s Conquest or Super Mario Land 2: Reclaimed modes?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below, on social media, or on our Discord server today!