Mario Party 8

"It has its flaws, but ya can't hate Mario"

When I heard that a new Mario Party game was coming out, I wasn't too enthusiastic. Prior to this, I had Mario Party 4-6. Only problem was that 6 was never opened. Why you ask? It didn't strike my interest. I decided to give Mario Party a second shot, and boy did it work out.

Gameplay: 9/10

It has the same gameplay from the previous games in some aspects. You basically roll dice and move in certain directions depending on what number you rolled. Many things were added to this and no I'm not talking about the fact that it's for the Wii. On the first few boards you encounter, you wil need a certain amount of money before you can gets Star. If you get a certain number of Stars, you will beat your opponent. Also, the power-ups have now changed and they're used in forms of Candy. The Wii also does add its little shape-ups here and there. If you land on a DK panel you can get a certain amount of coins based on how hard and fast you shake the Wiimote. There's also the dart toss which is where you throw a dart at a target and get certain prizes (coins and money). You also will need to use your Wiimote in 2 different forms depending on the mini-game. Overall, I would that putting this game on the Wii was a huge boost for Nintendo.

Story: 8/10

Basically you get invited to a carnival by MC Ballyhoo (The Ringmaster). At his carnival, there are 5 different attractions. They are the Star Battle Arena, Party Tent, Fun Bazaar, Extras Zone and the Mini-Tent. Each one has different purposes. You see, Bowser wants to mess up the carnival for reasons unknown. Now you have a selection of 12 characters (at first) that you can use, to travel on the different boards in hopes of stopping Bowser. The winner of the Star Battle Arena will receive a year's supply of candy. After you beat it the first time, you unlock Blooper or the Hammer Bros. To unlock the other you ned to beat the Star Battle Arena. Same old plot with a couple of new characters.

Graphics: 8/10

Give it 8/10 because it reminds me of one of my all time favorite games- Super Mario Sunshine. The levels have their unique graphics, but it wasn't a huge step up from what I've seen on the GameCube.

Music: 7/10

The weakest point of the game. The game's music in general was at right, but when MC Ballyhoo tried to speak...Well let's just say that you should turn the volume down at that point.

Replay Value: Moderately High.

You still have al those Mini-Games to play plus you have to unlock Blooper/Hammer Bros.

Overall, if you want a fun game that will occupy some time, buy this. For the best experience you should have your friends come over to your house. Why come over? NO ONLINE CAPABILITIES. Also, if the TV you usually use is a widescreen, please find another one to use before you buy this. Thank y'all.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/01/07