"A party game at it's best."

When you look at Wii advertisements, you see people all holding a Wii-mote, smiling, and having an all-around good time. Being like those people in the advertisements might be the sole purpose you buy a Wii. Though WiiSports does achieve this feeling, it gets old for some. So, the hunt is on for the next big game that will be a party success. There was Super Monkey Ball. Though some of those games did provide entertainment, they were shortlived bursts of fun. Wario Ware soon came along. This game is still fun but it gets stale. Not to say it loses all flavor, however. Oh, and the sharing of one Wii-mote got old.

And now, there is Mario Party 8. Some say this game is 7 sequels too many, claiming that it has gotten old. Other's say this is the best installment yet. Me? It's all in the eyes of the beholder.

If you're a guy that doesn't appreciate what Nintendo stands for, then you will probably disown this game. It has nothing to appeal to the people who live off of shooters and MMORPGs. However, if you're into imaginative and carefree games, then Mario Party is a genre you probably enjoy and have since the beginning.

Now for the game. If you've never played a Mario Party game, here's how it works. It's a board game based on collecting coins to, ultimately, buy stars. The person with the most stars at the end of the game wins. Sound boring? Add minigames after everyone has rolled their die, items to alter the outcome of the game, board effects, and a cast of lovable Mario characters, and you've got yourself a good party game.

In Mario Party 8, all the old physics hold true. The way you obtain the stars has not, however. In past games, racing to the point with the star and paying for it was the objective. Nintendo tried mixing it up as time went on, having the star switch with an anti-star, chasing the star around the board, etc. No Mario Party game has had as much variety in this factor than as Mario Party 8. Though some past ideas have been repeated, there are some fresh ones, like investing in a house in a Monopoly-style manner, upgrading as more money goes in and people can buy the property away from you.

The backbone of the series, minigames, is back as well, and all of them are original and as fun as ever. This is expected, however, with the waters of motion sensitivity open to the series now. The motion sensitivity not being utilized enough is a complaint many have. To the contrary, I say, because, if all the games were motion sensitive, it would be Wario Ware in board game makeup.

Items are back, too, but this time, they're candies. Candies are edible, so that means that there are no longer trap spaces in this game. It was always fun, dropping down a menacing trap for an opponent to walk into with no other choice but to face the pain. This will be missed, and the new candies are far from being interesting, but there's still some fun ones, like the Bowlo Candy that steals 10 coins from whoever you pass, but the true fun is watching your character get turned into a sphere.

The boards are also a beautiful work of art. A jungle, a labyrinth, a locomotive, a city, a pirate's cove, and a space station are all places you will be thrown into for Mario Party mayhem. Given, some of these have been done before, but it's hard to stray away from ideas like those. These boards feel smaller, though, and you'll find yourself wanting more of what you won't get.

But, now, for the dark side of this Mario Party. In single player, this game is no good. There is no sense of accomplishment from getting more stars than an AI. What's worse is that Mario Party forces you to play solo if you want to retrieve the new characters and other unlockables. This mode is called "Star Battle Mode," where you are pitted against one computer opponent to accomplish a task, like get 50 coins to a person. Do this six times and you get a new character and the key to the Fun Bazaar, where Carnival Cards can be spent on wonderous gifts! The monotony is only added upon by the stupidity and predictability of the AI. Unless a duel minigame is based on luck, you are guaranteed to suck the coins right out of her.

But, this is a party game. Its purpose is to entertain multiple people at one time. Mission accomplished. This game is easy to pickup for anyone to come upon it. Those people won't know the countless hours you spent unlocking that Hammer Brother, but it's well worth the fun! If you're going to get the game, make sure you have at least another Wii-mote. If you do and you still don't like this game, you and your friends can go back to Halo. I'm going to enjoy me some Mario Partying.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/04/07