Mario Party 5

"3rd Time's the Charm, 4th is Pushing it, and 5th is Too Much- the Perfect Example"

If not accomplishing anything in a video game for hours of effort is rewarding for you, then I would strongly suggest you buy Mario Party 5, easily one of the lamest games in the Mario series. The mini-games are lacking in intensity, the boards are as exciting as the inside of an apple and the storyline is completely non-existent.

Story 1/10

The 1-player stories in the Mario Party series are usually mildly important to the rest of the game (i.e. getting new mini-games, unlocking numerous new levels, or simply collecting little pointless trinkets), but Mario Party 5 seems to have drifted off course from this usual pattern into a decaying form of shallowness. If you beat the one-player story once with any character on any difficulty, you will get the Bowser level, but after that, the one-player is utterly pointless. True, destroying multicolour Baby Bowsers in tiny little maps can be self-gratifying for a little while, but everything has its limits.

As per usual, the multi player mode has and requires absolutely no storyline, as it is there for the sheer pleasure of enjoying a game with some friends. But for the number of mini-games you beat, you can buy parts for vehicles in another brand-new mode- the "Super Duel Mode". In this part of the game, the number of mini-games played in multi player mode act as points towards buying new vehicles to battle with in fun little tournaments. But that's about as far as the story goes; minimal, as is most in the Mario Party series, but less than their usual standard.

Characters 8/10

If there is one added bonus of the 5th Mario Party, it is the addition of new characters. Boo, Toad and even Baby Bowser are now playable in this game, although DK, the monkey with huge arms and a overlarge smile, is no longer playable as a character. All the classic characters also make a return, but there are some less-as-exciting characters who drag the game along with them.

Toad giving away stars has again been replaced by a star giving away stars. But this is no ordinary star; this star has a moustache and eyebrows! In a horrible effort to distinguish the eight or so stars in the game, each star has very specific traits that make them look less like a star and more like a human head that sparkles with five pointy tips. Whether or not this adds to the gameplay, it tells us that the producers of the Mario Party series are running very short on ideas.

Gameplay 10/10

There is no doubt about it: even with a lack of story, the Mario Parties remain some of the best multiplayer games in existence, and this one is no exception. With about 80 all-new mini-games, it's hard to get bored of the endless coin-grabbing fun that ensures with friends, or even alone with computers. There are the usual wide variety of mini-game types to keep us occupied, to mashing buttons as fast as you possibly can to deciphering which piranha plant acts different from the rest at a pop concert. And although some mini-games are not as fun as some in the last few games (notably the one versus three mini-games, which seem to have hit rock bottom in enjoyment), there are some classics buried deep within the game, guaranteed for hours of enjoyment.

In Mario Party 5, there is introduced a new mechanism: capsules. Instead of there being concrete koopa banks and chain chomps for stealing coins and stars, there are capsule machine spread throughout the board maps that distribute capsules, which can be used on yourself (for a cost, of course) or be thrown to other places on the map. That's right, if you want a mushroom, instead of buying it at a shop, you get a capsule and pay five coins to use it on yourself. A brilliant idea by the game creators, and I hope it stays for a while.

Graphics 10/10

Yes, the graphics have greatly evolved over the Mario Party series; Bowser looks a little intimidating, the characters have fingers, opposed to blocks and the backgrounds actually have movement in them. But the graphics have made no extreme advances between this game and Mario Party 4.

Music/Sound 8/10

The music in Mario Party 5 is pleasantly cheesy, and it fits the party mood very well, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. As per usual, there are no great musical masterpieces, but enough to keep your brain repeating it in your head for hours and hours...

Difficulty 2/10

If you've played Mario Party before, this game should be a snap. If you're new to the Mario Party series, the game might prove to be a little more difficult, but still reasonably easy.

Replay value 10/10

Everything in this game is meant to be replayed again and again, so replayability is a must. If this game is not to be replayed, there is no point at all to the game.

Overall 4/10

This game is better rented than bought, but it's not something to be played at 3 a.m. all by yourself. The term Mario Party is distinctly that' a "party". Rent this game with a bunch of friends, and enjoyment will ensure. Just be sure to stay away from the one-player mode.

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 07/14/04