It's not as popular, no, but 2D Wario is, generally speaking, better than 2D Mario, and that all started with the first Wario game fully detached from Mario's universe.
One of my favourite bits of Nintendo translation censorship is in Wario Land II. In the English version, the little penguin enemies chuck bowling balls at Wario to make him dizzy. In the Japanese version... It's beer mugs which make Wario plastered. It also explains the belch attack he gains in that state.
One of my favourite bits of Nintendo translation censorship is in Wario Land II. In the English version, the little penguin enemies chuck bowling balls at Wario to make him dizzy. In the Japanese version... It's beer mugs which make Wario plastered. It also explains the belch attack he gains in that state.