Mario Party DS

"Mario Party goes cordless!"

There have been many entries in the Mario Party series, and have always been some of my favorite games. However, only two of them have been portable. Mario Party DS does it right!

Story-8/10

The main plot of Mario Party DS is that Bowser has invited the Mario crew to a feast to apologize for giving them so much trouble. Even though Bowser has not changed for twenty five years, the gang heads over. Of course, they get tricked into being locked into a room and shrunk down to the size of mushrooms! It's then up to the team to over-power Bowser and return to their regular size!

Sound-9/10

The sound in the Mario Party series has always been a little cartoonish, but always very enjoyable! Nintendo has always put that extra effort into making the sound fit the game. Not too much to say in this catorory except that it's good.

Music- 9/10

Every game isn't complete without music. Just like the sound, this game pulls ahead in the music department. It also shows off the capability of the DS with it's speakers. The music is so good, you can actually unlock the feature to lister to the music with even playing the game!

Graphics- 10/10

Wow. The graphic are very good. It feels like im looking at an early Nintendo Gamecube game. Thats how much the graphics have advanced in time. Very good. I am still amazed that the DS is capable of such images.

Gameplay- 10/10

Ah. Probably the most important aspect of any video game. The gameplay. The gameplay is stunning. It takes advantage of the touch screen and microphone. Whether its spinning cherries, or blowing out candles, the DS makes the gameplay enjoyable in every way possible! As for the button and d-pad interface, it's like using a Super Nintendo controller. Also, what would a Mario Party title be without having to mash a button until your finger is worn out?

Replay Value- 10/10

The game has a very high replay value, because the game devolopers were very smart to put unlockable is the game. For example, if you get, say, two thousand Mario Party points, then you get a certain badge. That's what kept me playing until the very end. Its like the game put a spell on you to get every trophy and badge in the game. I played until I got the Mario Party Master Badge, the final badge rewarded for earning fifty thousand Mario Pary points. Even though it took me about a year, I played all the time. The game offers lots of cool items to unlock by meeting certain conditions. This is one of the only games that I got every single hidden item flushed out.

Final Score- 9/10

I deeply enjoyed Mario Party DS. If you see it in a store, buy it as soon as possible. If you buy it, you will not regret it. But the real question is: Buy or rent? Well, I only need to say a few words. Buy this game!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/15/09

Game Release: Mario Party DS (US, 11/19/07)