Mario Party 8

This colorful character acts as the master of ceremonies. He's a rather pesky host.

This colorful character acts as the master of ceremonies. He's a rather pesky host.

Party Pooper

We wish, though, that Nintendo had addressed certain issues to keep the game flowing better. For one, the games can move along at a snail's pace sometimes, and there is a lot of down-time between turns. We would have loved to have been able to mess with another player while they were planning their next move. The ability to distract them while they were trying to hit their dice block (which dictates the number of spaces you move per turn) or the ability to somehow impede their progress would have gone a long way towards making the game more enjoyable. It would also have instilled a greater sense of competition into the mix. There are power-ups, in the form of candy, that can rob your opponents of coins or send them flying back to the start of the level but we kept wishing for a more immediate way to jerk our opponents around.

Also, we were less than enthralled with the way the outcomes were decided. You can get ahead by strategically maneuvering through the levels but more often than not, the outcome was decided by pure and simple luck; either that or some last minute quirk would swing the outcome in one player's favor. The game definitely doesn't do enough to reward hard work and planning, which has been a nagging issue throughout the franchise's history. There's nothing wrong with last minute changes to the leaderboards, as it makes for compelling gameplay, and having the ability to pull off a come from behind victory is nice but to lose a lead in the waning moments due to some outrageous twist of fate really sucks.

Longevity is yet another issue: after you've played the game a few times, it starts to take on a "same old, same old" feel. The only incentive to keep playing once the initial magic has worn off--it will take a while, but it will eventually happen--is to unlock all the mini-games: after you've done that, there's really no reason to play except to revisit your favorites. Of course, half the fun of a game like Mario Party 8 lies in introducing new friends to the game and the joy that they experience can be infectious, so if you're ever feeling jaded with the title, just invite a non-gamer friend over for an afternoon.

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Party On, Garth

The bottom line on Mario Party 8 goes like this: it's not a perfect game but it is a perfect Wii game, and it's definitely what Nintendo needed at this stage of the console's life cycle: a title that encapsulates the Wii's friendly, energetic vibe while leveraging the powerhouse Mario brand.

The fact that it'll probably cause yet another drought of extra Wii Remote units and get people salivating for other "party" fare like Mario Strikers Charged is just another feather in the company's already colorful cap. Hardcore gamers who spend their time running around online in Gears of War probably won't be impressed, but Wii owners, especially the younger set, should get their hands on this one.

And memo to Nintendo: for Mario Party 9, put in online play or the party's over. Seriously.

Pros: Yet another dose of the sweet and simple Mario Party fun that everyone knows and loves.

Cons: Games seem to be decided more by pure chance than skill. Things can get a little boring in between turns.

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Wesker00

umm this game is complete and total shit. this review is a lie. do not buy this game!

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