Ever since debuting in 1992’s Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Wario has farted his way into the hearts of gamers everywhere. Serving as the antithesis to Mario, Wario is obnoxious, selfish, and greedy; however, the Nintendo character is not a pure villain. On rare occasions, Wario has even helped the Mushroom Kingdom out of a few jams.
Why has Wario persisted for so long? In fact, the character is so popular, even his version of Luigi has amassed quite a dedicated fanbase. Wario is timeless, a mascot who escaped the confines of B-grade villainry to star in his own series of games. Naturally, such an inspirational personality has spawned more than his fair share of hilarious memes. These are just some of the funniest.
10 Wario Is Having A Rotten Day
In gaming, no character can quite measure up to Wario when it comes to facial expressions. The rotund anti-hero can effortlessly express the entire spectrum of emotions without ever having to resort to words – Wario is simply that expressive.
This meme serves as a fantastic showcase of Wario’s capabilities, as the iconic mascot’s eyes splendidly tell the story of a noble fighter who is forced to face his mortality after suffering an unlucky blow from an unworthy opponent.
9 Two Sides To Every Wario
While Mario seldom changes between games or series, Wario’s personality is a bit more flexible. Putting aside games that cast him as a boss or a side-character, Wario’s main series are WarioWare and Wario Land. The former sees the mascot going down the entrepreneur route as he creates his own video game company specializing in extremely short microgames in order to make a quick buck. WarioWare brings out the worst of the character.
Conversely, Wario Land frames essentially the same traits in a more positive light. Wario is still greedy, but he works for his fortune through treasure hunting. Although he is still mostly out for himself, Wario is happy to collect his riches without stepping over too many bodies.
8 Bro…
Admittedly, this meme is not “funny” in the traditional sense. Removed from any context, it is kind of sweet, if not downright heartbreaking. However, Waluigi’s backstory makes this meme (presumably) unintentionally hilarious.
Waluigi made his debut in Mario Tennis to act as Wario’s doubles partner; therefore, in a certain way, Waluigi would literally not exist if it was not for Wario. Wario saved Waluigi from the abyss.
7 A Shift In Temperament
Wario is the definition of relatable. Compared to Mario’s unflinching confidence, Wario’s temperament changes depending on the situation. If the need calls for it, he can be angry, sad, happy, or scared.
This makes him the perfect character for memes, as Wario comes across as a three-dimensional personality. It also does not hurt that Wario has some of the best over-the-top reactions in all of gaming.
6 The Cost Of Victory
Out of all of the character’s epic facial expressions, despondent Wario ended up going viral. Similar to the mascot, this meme’s appeal rests in its flexibility, as it could fit so many different situations. In this case, the author is referring to infinite combos in Magic: The Gathering, but the punchline could work just as well for zero-to-death combos in Super Smash Bros. and a wide array of other setups.
Wario would probably appreciate the meme’s marketability.
5 Mario Wins
Once upon a time, Wario and Mario were friends. As they grew older, the former became increasingly more jealous of the latter’s popularity and success. While this makes him seem rather petty, Nintendo Power’s Mario vs. Wario comic actually paints Wario as a victim of unintentional bullying at the hands of Mario.
Even though Wario eventually managed to step out of Mario’s shadow, he should still think twice before taking on the biggest dog in Nintendo’s yard. When these two icons clash, the end result is usually a world of hurt for Wario.
4 Wario, What Did You Do?!?
Meme by ShyGuyXXL.
ShyGuyXXL’s comic is inspired by 1998’s Wario Land II, specifically the level that centers around Wario exploring Captain Syrup’s ship, the SS Tea Cup. The meme pokes fun at Wario’s tendency to smash first, think later, which is one of the main reasons he is such an endearing personality.
Now, to be fair, Wario Land II starts with Syrup flooding an entire castle, so she does not exactly have the right to complain when Wario returns the favor.
3 The Relatable Mascots
Waluigi and Wario are arguably more relatable than their “good” counterparts, even if the Luigi’s Mansion series does add a few lovable dimensions to its titular brother. Wario and Waluigi are characterized by self-doubt and inferiority complexes, traits that most people have experienced in some form or another.
If this meme is anything to go by, Waluigi and Wario are only a good night’s sleep away from feeling better and also losing the components that make them so relatable.
2 Shot Through The Heart
Super Smash Bros. brings together so many characters who could not be further removed from each other. Wario and Bayonetta simply do not belong in the same universe, yet they do not look out of place when sharing a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate stage. The franchise is the ultimate equalizer.
Monkeywolf’s meme is Wario’s version of a meet-cute, albeit one that is more likely to end with a bullet to the face than a first date.
1 He Is Amazing
What makes Wario so beloved? Perhaps it comes down to the character’s counterculture nature. If Mario is the definitive Nintendo (and gaming) mascot, then hot-tempered Wario represents the reject – a gaming mascot designed specifically to embody the least-desirable traits of a traditional icon.
In some ways, Wario’s story is an uplifting one. He is a character who rose above his station in life while maintaining the core traits that made him who he is. This meme illustrates as much.
NEXT: Here We Go!: 10 Super Mario Comics That Will Have You Rolling On The Floor
