THE GOOD: + Great graphics + Loud, realistic sounds + Good use of Wiimote + Much to do (Star Battles, Minigame Modes etc.)
THE BAD: - Some controls aren't explained well - Some minigames are favoured for some players, like 1-vs-3 - Unfair and boring boards - DK is not a playable character, and DK minigames removed - Long loading times
SUMMARY: The latest installment of the Mario Party series, Mario Party 8 starts and ends with a bang. For an early Wii game, it has been done quite well. As one of the 10 playable characters in the beginning, you compete against other characters to become the Star Battle champion. The winner is the person with the most stars! On the side, you can play various minigames, and start your own battles with friends. Mario Party 8 can use up to four Wiimotes during party battles, and other minigames.
Gameplay Like other Mario party games, Mario Party 8 is a number of minigames played out on a board, similar to a board game. Roll the Dice Block to move around the board to collect as many stars as you can! At the end of all the players’ turns, the play a minigame based on what squares they have landed on. These can include:
1-vs.-3
2-vs.-2
4-vs.4
Battle Minigame [4-vs.4 + coins]
Sometimes during turns, players can play Duel Minigames [1-vs.-1] or Challenge Minigames [1 player]. Duel Minigames can only be played using the Duel Candy, a new twist to the Mario Party games. In Mario Party 8, you will find different forms of Candy that will change one roll for a player. These can include more dice blocks to hit for a larger roll, stealing other player’s coins, or sending players back to start. The problem with candy is that they are not guaranteed to work, so they must be used strategically.
One problem I found was the opening. Ballyhoo and Bigtop introduce you to the park each time, and it's not worth it. It takes more time to let them finish talking then it does to play. The loading times in the game are terrible. Between practising minigames, playing the real one, or choosing a minigame to play, the loading times are slow. I feel like I've wasted hours waiting for the different minigames to load. If you want a game that's quickly paced, this is not the game for you.
Graphics The graphics for Mario Party 8 are fantastic. They are clear and very detailed. The 3D and cartoony feel are done exceptionally well with vibrant colours and extreme detail. The minigames are done superbly, and I can only commend them. I found playing any minigame was easy on the eyes, and clearly visible.
This video is a quick demo of how the game is run, and how clearly the graphics are. The minigames played are excellent and worth the buy.
Sounds In the above video, although the quality might not be fantastic, you can tell that the sounds are well done. The minigames play individual sounds, and the background music for certain board games is unique. For example, in the King Boo (a mysterious ghost board), the music is eerie, and ghost like. The sounds are quite loud too, which is a great thing. Sometimes while shooting an object repetitively, it can become annoying, but I quite like the sounds.
Controls/Interaction Since Mario Party 8 is designed using minigames; the Wiimote will need to be playable for all minigames. This can include hammering, rowing, punching and shooting. The Wiimote is also used like a regular controller for some minigames. For some minigames, the realistic motions are a huge benefit. It's a lot neater to feel like you're sawing wood, or shaking a can of pop, then just pressing an A or B button repetitively.
Negative Features Now, the graphics, gameplay and sound are all quite good, but there were little things that made the game worse. Some of the boards to play on are unfair and boring, such as the Goomba boardwalk. You walk all this distance to get sent back to start is not fair, and quite frustrating. Some minigames are the same way, where they favour 3 characters over one. In the minigame Chump rope, it's extremely easy for the person controlling the rope, as they can control the speeds and change them at anytime. In some cases, things are explained properly, and the controls don't work. Lastly, the favourite character Diddy Kong was removed, and DK minigames were cut as well. Both were excellent additions to other Mario Party games.
Lasting Opinions/Recommendations This game was my first Wii game next to Wii Sports. I love playing it, especially if I have a bunch of friends over. Anyone who has played a Mario game, owns another one in the series or wants to try a party game, this is a great buy for the Wii.
forums
4.00/5.0
4.0
