Mario Party 8: Get in Gear

Beginning with the first Mario Party on the N64 to the newest addition for the Wii, Nintnedo has always created a random masterpiece. This new version of Mario Party is no different from some of the most amazing and fun mini-game multiplayer action. Although the boards can be very simple the developers have recreated the Mario Party board. A new variation of items contains candy instead of a particular item. Its the same thing as an item, just a different name. There are also fourteen characters including Dry Bones, Hammer Bro, and Birdo. So are you ready to dive into the party madness?

The first thing players will notice is the multitude of options in the main game lobby. As usual you can play a full game, play mini-games separately, buy items, and play specific Mii's mini-games. Yes I said your Mii can play some of the eight mini-games designed for them. I will say some are pretty fun and others are lacking. Overall the fact that my Mii can play within the game is pretty cool. However don't put too much hope into having massive amounts of fun. Once you go past the choices in the main lobby things become very open. Each choice has three or more sub choices. For example if you go to the main party tent you can play a regular game, tag battle, or team game. And then you can adjust options like how many turns, what type of mini-games appear, handicaps and COM difficulty.

New characters are a must for the Mario Party roster. The roster includes these characters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, Birdo, Toad, Toadette, Dry Bones, Boo, Hammer Bro, and Blooper. A word to players the last two mentioned are not available for play. You have to play other game modes to unlock them.

The maps and games are the cornerstone of the Mario Party series. So what is so different from this version? Well the game goes back to basics and then expands. For example one board is a train. Yes a moving locomotive. And since the board is the inside and roof of the train what can the developers do to mix things up? Well if you land on the green question mark space your car is levitated to the rear of the train. This has positive and negative effects on all players, if you are behind the moved car you advance forward to fill the gap. But if you are on the car, inside or outside, you are moved to the rear of the line.

One map is King Boo's Mansion. You have to move through the mansion in an attempt to find King Boo's chamber. The thing is that there are multiple rooms and if you choose the wrong one you go back to the start. The mansion is like a giant H in the board choices, its the fun and luck of finding King Boo that makes the board difficult. The maps have the generic candy shops and special squares.

The question mark square is still there, the Dk and Bowser squares have different uses now. Dk will give whoever reaches him first a free star, while Bowser will steal half of your coins or maybe a star. There are new yellow action spaces, and these usually lead to many coins and or a star. The mini-games are new and innovative with the use of the Wiimote. You can shake cans of soda, clean up Chain Chomp, or shoot at targets for the highest score. I will say some of the controls are more difficult to operate than others, all the games are fun and very new with the Wiimote. I am very impressed with the creativity like the rowing game for teams of two. You use your Wiimote to row on one side of the boat, and the team must cooperate to row around obstacles to get to the finish line.

Overall I suggest this game for people who have a Wii. Since good Wii games are few and far between this is one to own. I have not yet played with four people, but I am very excited to do so. These games take not only luck but some skill to get through. But the games are not hard in any for or fashion, except for the three versus one player games. Its just plain fun, thats what Mario Party 8 boils down to.