Post by Jag on Jun 13, 2007 0:28:53 GMT 1
Platform: Nintendo Wii
Release Date: May 29th, 2007
Players: 1-4
Genre: 'Puzzles,' Party.
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Hudson
Oh no! Another average Mario Party game?! No, it’s not! Mario Party 8 is the first of the Mario Party series to be on the Wii, if you haven't heard. This year’s theme is a carnival. Row, Saw, Paint, Steer, Pump, Lasso, and many actions in order to become the Superstar! The game features six boards and 50+ mini-games. A few new characters have joined the Mario Party crew, making the total fourteen! The fourteen playable characters include: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Waluigi, Wario, Birdo, Toad, Toadette, Yoshi, Dry Bones, Boo, Hammer Bro, and Blooper! Yes Blooper, Those pesky squids from Super Mario Sunshine. You can even use your Mii in a few ways.
Basic Board information: Blue spaces = +3 Coins, Red Spaces = -3 Coins, ? Spaces = ?, Bowser Spaces = Bowser does something evil, Donkey Kong Spaces = Donkey Kong does something good, usually throws you to the star, When you land on a Bowser Space and the event happens blah blah, the space turns into the Donkey Kong Space, or Vise Versa. Candies act as the item this time around, and they couldn't be cheaper. Most of the candies have to do with the user throwing a dart using the Wii remote. When you use the candy it even says check your wristband.
The spaces have changed from small dots to large squares:
Party Tent: Here is where all of the craziness of your family takes place. You can play a Battle Royal, where its a free-for-all, play a tag battle--better known as Team battle from the previous Mario Party's where you can join up with a friend or relative and murder the not so smart computers, or play a Duel Battle, where you have just two players going at it.
Party Tent Minigames: Such a selection! There’s three main types of minigames: Four-player where everyone is on their own, One-Vs.-three where three people gang up on the outsider or the outsider tries to run over the three people or something of that effect, and two-Vs-two where there’s two teams of two people that compete against each other. Each minigame starts with a screen telling you the controls and motives of a game.
Heres what it looks like:
Star Battle Arena 'Tent:' only one person can take on this challenge of playing a dimwitted computer player on a board. The Battle Arena is similar to the Party Tent's Duel Battle. Win 2/3 stars to be crowned the winnar!
There are many other modes but those are the main ones, Now on to the rating!
Storyline: There is no storyline! D;. I won't rate it.
Sound: It's the same old stuff. Dice blocks going boop. Peach and Daisy making your ears bleed from their victory sayings. The gibberish sound that the koopa's make, and of course the scariest thing in the whole game... The carni's voice. 3/5.
Gameplay/Replay: The game is more fun is you have actual people to play with. If you’re alone playing it not only is it kinda sad, but pretty boring. Gameplay is as good as ever, you never know what is going to happen next, which makes this game such good for replay. Each board you play has different spaces, different candies, and different minigames chosen, and different events. It's completely unpredictable! The Wii Remote adds a very nice touch also. 5/5
Graphics: I only noticed faint extra detail in Mario Party 8 compared to Mario Party 7. Sure, Mario Party 8 has its next gen graphic moments, but not very often. I didn't expect the graphics to be out of the park, but atleast something newer. But remember, Graphics don't matter if it has a strong gameplay. 4/5
Heres what could be considered one of those moments:
Controls: Must I explain the controls for a Wii game? I suppose I have to. Use your remote to perform various activities in minigames and on the board. The minigames range from being a ghost buster and blasting boo's to scrubbing paint off a chainchomp. 5/5 of course.
Final Rating 4.25. Not too bad.
Questions YOU might have:
Is it fun? Doesn't it get boring eventually?
Well, it’s pretty fun at first. I suppose it could get boring easily. Play it in moderations, save it for when your family comes over or else you'll be sick of it soon.
Do I really need to wear the wristband?
If I said no then someone who wasn't wearing theirs broke their TV then they'd get all mad at me. So yeah, wear it.
Is it worth the $50.00?
Honestly, Not really. If you have a family full of people that always has free time to play with you then yes. If your a lonely person that has no one around you, then no.
Have one? Ask away.
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Time for my favorite part of the review, I know, It's sad.
Pros:
+ Fun Multiplayer
+ Great Replay
+ Fun new Characters
+ Use your Mii's in some parts
+ Fun Minigames (Lot's too)
+ Awesome Controls
Cons:
- Graphics aren't well
- If played constantly you may suffer from "Mario Partyitis"
- Very boring if you have no one to play with
- Annoying voices and sounds
- No Storyline, At least the other Mario Party's tried to have one.
- Peach creeps me out
Thanks for reading. There's always room for improvement, so tell me and such.