System: Wii
Dev: Hudson Soft
Pub: Nintendo
Release: May 29, 2007
Players: 1 - 4
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Review by Maria Montoro

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Review Rating Legend
1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
2.5 - 2.9 = Average
3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
3.5 - 3.9 = Good
4.0 - 4.4 = Great
4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
5.0 = The Best

Mario Party 8 displays upgraded graphics with higher resolutions than what we're used to seeing on the GameCube. The menu screens look especially good; they're crisp. The game boards look beautiful as well and they're loaded with cute and colorful details that weren't there in previous installments. These boards have been designed with the next generation of gaming in mind, even though there's always room for improvement. They made a mistake on the minigame design though; when it's time to play a minigame the screen narrows down to a full-screen ratio; colorful, decorated bars appear on the sides, sort of "disguising" the flaw.

Playing on a widescreen would have been helpful, since many of those games are played in split-screen mode and the characters and scenarios are rather small. Still, the imaginative design of each minigame, the details, the added textures, and the comical presentation always add up to a good overall result.

The different melodies throughout the game match the kind of board where you're playing and add more depth to the formula - mysterious sounds at King Boo's Haunted Hideaway, tropical feel at Goomba's Booty Boardwalk, intergalactic sounds at Bowser's Warped Orbit, etc. I enjoyed the new music tunes (always so Nintendoish!) and also the new "heckling" feature that you can unlock at the Fun Bazaar. Simply shake your Wii-mote when it's not your turn and you'll hear your favorite character teasing and heckling your opponents. How fun is that! It's a newly introduced gimmick that actually makes the game extra fun. Wario will fart non-stop and say "Loooosers…!" while Mario will say "Oh, Com'on!" Even Boo, Blooper, and Dry Bones have something to say! You'll hear the sounds through your speakers and also through the Wii-mote; that was a good touch.

Lots of other unlockables are available at the Fun Bazaar, from minigames to the "very hard" difficulty mode, character's voices, etc. You can obtain these by collecting cards at the end of each game. Surprises start at the moderate price of 30 cards and go up to 100! So you better do a good job administering your earnings! If you play the Star Battle Arena you will earn 200 cards all at once! Of course, that wouldn't happen without an effort, because the Star Battle will have you play five boards against random opponents plus the Bowser's Warped Orbit stage that you will unlock. It sure is not easy to become a Superstar… It will take you at least two hours of your precious time, so you decide if that's what you want. Of course, not only will you unlock Bowser's board and obtain 200 cards, but you'll also unlock one of the two special characters (Hammer Bro. or Blooper). It will take you another round to unlock the other one!

The Extras Zone features eight minigames where you can have you Miis participate. These minigames don't appear on the boards or the Minigame Tent, but some of them are quite fun. This mode makes us wish we could use our Miis throughout, but I guess it wouldn't be Mario Party any more if we replaced Mario's crew with our own creations… In any case, I still love to play with Mario characters!

They did a good job giving Mario Party lovers what they like and, for once, they actually showed improvement and innovation. It still doesn't reach some people's expectations, but it's a good start for a new Mario Party era. The Wii allows for originality and advancement in both the design and gameplay departments, so if you haven't lost your appetite for new Mario Party experiences, this one shouldn't disappoint you. I'm glad I got it! Just stay away from it if you are tired of seeing new Mario Party games on the shelves every season.

By Maria Montoro
CCC Freelance Writer

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