The Review Overview

The basics:

WarioWare Gold is the only 3DS release in the WarioWare game series spanning across many generations of Nintendo consoles. It is the first fully-voiced WarioWare game, and one of Charles Martinet's last performances as Wario before retiring. The core gameplay is typical fate: Several themed stages, each containing a variety of microgames lasting between 4-8 seconds each, leading up to a boss stage. Unlike most WarioWare games, Gold follows a consistent storyline with smaller plot beats in-between. Additionally, all microgames are new-and-improved adaptations from each previous entry in the series, combining 3D and 2D graphics and a variety of control settings between button input, touchscreen, and gyroscope controls.

The good, the bad, and the ugly:

THE GOOD:
Gold's adaptations of prior microgames across the genres are all fantastic; It includes games from both the 2nd GBA title (Twisted!), which relied on a bulky rumblepak on the cartridge, and the Wii title (Smooth Moves), which primarily used motion controls from the wiimote. The 3DS' built-in gyroscope and better graphics make the transition seamless. Additionally, the post-game bonus modes include WarioWatch, based on microgame completion time, and Split Screen, which uses nonstop sequences. Both of these were personal favorites from previous entries.

THE BAD:
Starting from Twisted! and throughout the other previous entries, WarioWare included a variety of small "prizes" and hodgepodge trinkets for players to interact with when completing boss stages. While Gold includes a small variety of additional minigames (Pyoro being the most important, obviously) it doesn't keep much of the other silly little gadgets and goofs that made the previous games so endearing and replayable. The game also introduced an achievement system which, while rewarding at times, feels like a slog to get through at others.

THE UGLY:
Most of the postgame content relies on the aforementioned achievements and WarioKard, which is a slightly skill-based Rock Paper Scissors card game. There's no real reward for beating all the opponents in WarioKard, and it feels like the resource space that went into it could have been better used for adding other features. Personally, unless you like playing the other bonus modes, it really feels like a waste in replayability.

Final conclusions:

WarioWare Gold is... fine. It's not particularly great, but it's also not bad. For the only entry in the 3DS line, it does what it needs to do well, and is still an enjoyable game overall, but compared to other entries in the series, it feels a bit lackluster.