Mario Party 5

"Five Stars for Number 5!"

Mario has another party, and you and 3 friends are invited! The new addition to the party world has 10 available characters to earn stars with. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Wario, Daisy, and Waluigi make a return to this party. Noticeably gone from this list is our favorite primate, Donkey Kong. Don't worry, he's a lot more helpful in this game, and I'll get into that later. New controllable characters are Boo, Koopa Kid (Baby Bowser), and Toad. Yes, TOAD! Now he's not hosting them, he's playing them.

If your new to the Mario Party World, your in for a treat. The basics are that you choose a character and up to 3 computer controlled characters. (Human will take the place of the Com). Now, after deciding one of the board maps, number of turns, and if bonuses are on, the game will begin. Then each player hits the dice block to decide the turn order. Highest number goes first, then 2nd highest, then 3rd, than lowest. Then the players get 10 coins, and the game begins. The dice block has the numbers one through ten. You hit the block, you move, and then the next player goes.

Now for the spaces. Blue spaces are Plus Spaces. When you land on one, you get 3 coins. Red Spaces are Minus Spaces, you lose 3 coins when you land on them. The green Question Mark Spaces are Happening Spaces. An event happens when you land on one. Red spaces with bowser's face on it is a Bowser Space. Something bad usually happens there, like capsule shuffle, all players switch locations, coin snatching, Bowser's Revolution (All coins are shared evenly), and a Bowser Game. Blue Spaces with Donkey Kong's face on it is a DK Space. Things are usually positive when you land there! Now DK is a lot easier.

Instead of Items, there are now Capsules. You get them for free from the Capsule Dispenser, or an event. You can also steal them. You can use capsules in one of 2 ways, use it on yourself once for a price, or throw it to a space for free so that anyone can use it as many times as they land on them. Capsules can be good or bad, from buying a Star, to losing half of your coins. Capsules are very important and an important way to win Mario Party.

After all players have gone, a mini-game begins. The kind of mini-game that is played depends on the color of space you land on. If you land on a green space, it'll randomly be Red or Blue. If all players have landed on all blue or red, a 4-player mini-game begins. If 2 players have landed on red and 2 on blue, a 2 vs. 2 mini-game begins. If one player lands on a red, or 3 on red, a 1 vs. 3 mini-game begins. If it is a 4-player mini-game, there is a chance of a battle game. Also, if there is 5 turns left, and 2 players land on the same place, a duel mini game begins. The winner(s) usually get 10 coins, unless it's a bonus game where everyone can get coins, a duel game where you can bet coins and stars, or a battle game where everyone throws coins in the pot and the winner gets the pot, 2nd gets a small amount of it.

There are a number of modes of play. Party mode, where you have fun with board games. Story Mode, a one-player game where you must save the dreams from Bowser. Super Duel Mode, where you build a machine to fight another. There's Bonus Mode, where you can play a card party, ice hockey, or volley ball. Option Mode, where you set the settings. Finally, there's Mini-Game Mode, where you play mini-games. Note that introducing the Modes are the Star Sprits from Paper Mario.

Now for the Grades:

Graphics: 10/10 The graphics are simple, yet good. Perfectly suits the game. The boards, the characters, and the mini-games. AMAZING FOR THIS GAME!

Sound: 10/10 Sounds good to me! Upbeat when it needs, suspension when it needs, and the board music suits the board. Perfect for this game.

Control: 10/10 Without good controls, it's not a Mario Party! It explains the controls at the beginning of a mini-game, shows the controls on the map, and you adapt easily. EXCELLENT!

Fun-Factor: 10/10 This game is hard to put down with one player, and a blast with 4! You'll be hooked til MP6!

Replay: 10/10 Play a board over, it won't be the same outcome. This game is all about replay!

Overall: 50/50 PERFECT SCORE! I recommend that you go out and get this game as soon as you finish reading the review.

Total: 10/10

Conclusion: Fun with 1, a blast with 4! Call up your friends and have a Mario Party with Mario Party 5, coming to a Gamecube near you!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/19/03