This game solidifies some mechanics for the rest of the series like the dash-jump and the ground-pound. It also introduces a staple mechanic: instead of powering up with found items, Wario is transformed by damage from certain opponents. Other damage just subtracts from the coin-count, and death is impossible. This solves a lot of the punishing difficulty of the last game. Mistakes in Wario Land 2 only set you back a few seconds or restart a boss. To compensate, some rooms and bosses are harder than anything allowed in Mario games. The game has diverging paths that lead to different levels and endings, but by the end of the main path, I was too worn down by the mechanics to explore the rest of the game.