“Goo-waaah!! Help! I’m on fire! Somebody! Help! In the time it’s taken me to say this, my whole body’s been covered in flames! Don’t you think this is just too much?! I blame the game programmers! I’ll remember this! GRRR!!”
Flaming Wario[1][2], also known as Hot Wario[3], Fiery Wario[4], and Fire Wario[5], is a transformation in the Wario Land series. When hit only by a Flame enemy, a flame torch, a Fire Robota, a snake's fiery breath, the sun's fireballs, a Kaentsubo, or the flames from a Pig Head Statue or Aerodent, Wario will comically start racing around with his overalls on fire (similar to Mario running around with his overalls on fire from Super Mario 64). In this state, he cannot be controlled, except for jumping. In Wario Land II only, he jumps higher when pressing up on . After either an amount of time has passed (in Wario Land II and Wario Land 3) or Wario bounds off a wall or other unbreakable object three times (Wario Land 4 and Shake It!), the flames will spread across his entire body, making him essentially a living fireball. He can now be fully controlled (although slowed down a bit and no longer able to jump) and can destroy Bonfire Blocks. In Wario Land II, the fireball does not stop moving, making it less controllable than in the later games where the form stands still if the player is not pressing a direction on the control pad. The state can be cured by falling into water or just waiting until he burns out. Ball o' String Wario combines this ability with Snowman Wario.
In Wario Land: Shake It!, Wario can once again use this form; however, it can only be activated by coming into contact with a Flimflam. Wario can also break Bonfire Blocks with this ability.
Flaming Wario makes a minor appearance in volume 28 of Super Mario-kun. Aerodent sets Wario on fire. Hoggus attempts to help Wario, but aggravates the situation instead, angering Wario. Wario responds by contacting Hoggus while Wario is encased in fire.
^Brady, Matthew K., Nathan Beittenmiller, Debra McBride, and David Cassady. Game Boy Game Secrets, 2001 Edition Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Pages 93, 94, 95.
^Wario Land 4 European instruction booklet, page 22.
