Joystiq hands-on: Mario Party 8 (Wii)

# Shagittarius

What makes you think that the succes of the wii and all the party games on it will put an end whatever games you prefer? Its not like there isn't a significant market for a game like GOW, even if the market for a game like Wii Sports seems to be bigger.

Why does it bother you that many people have more fun with causal, pick up and play games than more complicated ones (or that a whole lot of people have fun with both)?

Hmm, another Mario Party... I've always been on a wait and see basis when it comes to this series as they can often be hit or miss. I'll look at the reviews first before deciding.

The Wii, to me, has been pretty good with the games, a little mini-game heavy, but that doesn't bother me as I know the heavy hitters are just around the corner. Nothing new to us Nintendo owners.

Oh, and..

@ TRUTH, Fred T., and Shagi(well not so much Shagi, the last post, #45, was pretty good even if I disagree with it)

Please, please, PLEASE, for the love of all consoles (yes, even the PS3), stop trolling on this blog in general and post something slightly constructive for once! Your comments make this commenter weep in shame at being related to you by species. There will always be games like this, if not on the Wii then on the PC, Xbox 360, or the PS3. Get over it and let those who enjoy them have their fun. Buy your hardcore games in bulk if you feel threatened by the flood of "casual games". I'll stick with a balance of them, its more... fun that way, thank you.

*Sorry about venting back there, but these guys are annoying.*

@roflcopter

From my perspective everytime something gains mass market acceptance, the quality of the product decreases. Take music for example, and of course this is my opinion, The more popular music got the more watered down and less inspiring the type of music the record compaines release as they stumble over their own feet trying to rake in as many almighty dollars that they can.

I don't trust any company to maintain quality products , or strive harder to produce better products if the market has proven that it doesn't care. If the market has proven it will buy a game where you press buttons in rhtythm and people show that they are willing to buy it, why would companies develope the more complex and expensive games?

You can see this in effect with FPS and RTS'...those genres sold so well that they are now the majority of the types of games on the market (depending on platform) if these companies think the market can be swayed to playing games that have lower production values (both due to graphics and the complexity of the games) why would they ever release unique experiences.

EA is the best example of this...Don't be surprised if EA releases a Mini-game game to test the waters, but they jsut put out the lowest common denominator games that they figure have the biggest mass market appeal.

Besides Bowling for the Wii there not a single game that enhances gameplay beyond what I can accomplish with a 'traditional controller'. I understand how people who dont play games might find gesture controls easier to understand but the reason I got the Wii is for games that CANT be done anywhere else and I don't see these comming anywhere down the pipeline. The pointer functionality is great as I can play games where mouse controls work better which is cool.

I gotta go...maybe more later.

The console has been out 2 fucking months and we already have a new Mario Party.

How about the in depth games with huge worlds and environments like Oblivion? Where are the actual GAMES?

I totally agree with you on that Shagittarius. Unforantly in this day and age, Developers and producers have grown lazy and money hungry. Most of understand that it isn't cheap or quick to create a game, especially from stratch-ground up. Unforntatly most games are sub-par to what they could be, because the developer settled for less when they know the game will sell good no matter what. I think Ubisoft and EA are the worst at this, and I really hope this new generation of console wars helps motivate developers to go beyond the challenge.

I really do feel that RTS can come back from the dull, repeative.. lets copy the previous successful RTS style.. I think the Wii can really utilize this genre more than the other systems can becuase of the WiiRemote, and I really hope I see that direction.

We really don't see the full usage of the Wii Remote, and unfortantly we have games like Marvel Alliance that was ported to the Wii, which in my opinion, does better with a basic controller scheme. We see the success the remote brings to mini-games and thats all we see right now, and that is an unfortante thing. Once developers start to really use the controller to their full potential, and not as a quick way to make money from a port, I think we will see a greater deal in what the controller can do for us vs the normal controller scheme.

Of course, respecfully, Some games just won't feel as well with the Wii controller, like Marvel. Though I'm glad to see Mortal Kombat took the time to also use the Gamecube/Classic Controller scheme as an open option for Wii Users, and would like to see developers take more time dealing with this too.

@OTAM

Oblivion : March 20th, 2006(NA) / March 24th, 2006(EU)
XBox 360: United States - November 22, 2005

Took longer than 2 months for a game like Oblivion to come out on the XBox360. Let alone taking a long time to make it port to the PS3. It takes time to make long games like that. Two months is such a little frame of time in a consoles life, give it another 2 months. Compared to the last Nintendo Launch, be happy that Mario Party is already coming out soon. Zelda has a huge world to it, and even though it's obviously not for everyone and not as big as Oblivion, still is a solid title in the first 2 months of a systems life.

# Shagittarius

I can see where you're coming from with the music industry example, but even if mainstream music is watered down, its still possible to find a lot of great music you just have to look harder (and usually avoid anything thats marketed towards the mtv mainstream). The same could end up being true for games. [and who doesn't listen to at least one horrendous pop artist as a guilty pleasure? ;)]

Also at this point of the Wii's lifetime, we cant say for sure that there wont be any games played with the wiimote (or any other future motion sensing device) that reqiure thought and strategy, just as we can't say that all games that use a gamepad or kb/mouse combo does require some strategy...hell most games already come down to just mashing buttons, or spraying-n-praying in shooters with traditional control schemes.

People were worried about games being dumbed down when consoles started gaining more ground from PCs, and to a certain extent they were right, yet here you are praising the game mechanics of a console exclusive.

In any case, i wouldnt worry for more challenging, or sophiticated games just yet.

How bout a mucho game. Enough with the dumb minigames that so stupidly use the wiimote. Down with WarioWare.

Koekoenutt,you entirely missed the point of my post.

The joke/hate from many people is that there are so many Mario Party games and it's hilariously bad that only 2 months into the console launch they have a new one. I want to see actual GAMES on the Wii and I used Oblivion as an example. I could have easily said PDZ,Kameo,or Condemned as they were 360 launch titles,I just didnt feel like it.

wow....

a mario game for the wii?...

never expected that to happen...

let's hear it for innovation and originality!!

@Shaggitarius:

"I know its a lie to imply that creativity is dead beacuse were using old style controllers...its up to the game developers to give us good experiences and no controller is going to make that a reality."

I dunno... I agree that it's a lie that traditional controllers kills creativity, because developers are still making games for "traditional" consoles that kick ass.

However, that doesn't mean that another control method can't do the same thing. A driving game is a driving game, but a driving game with force feedback steering wheel, paddles/stick shift and pedals seems to be so much cooler. Yes, I get my ass handed to me when playing against "traditional" players, but what the hell - it seems to much more fun!

It's quite simple, really. Existing control mechanisms evolve, and so does the gameplay. First, NES with two buttons, then Genesis with three, then SNES with four+two shoulder buttons, then the analog stick, then the dual analog, and so on, and so on. New control mechanisms, on the other hand, help game developers expand their creative horizons. They can bring new ways of interaction that in turn promotes newer, "other" (note I'm not saying "better")creative ways to interact with technology. All that keeps us happily entertained.

Based on what you say, you have been gaming since 1979. I started in 1976, so I am sure that you can appreciate the fact that if it weren't for constant innovation, we'd still be stuck playing "newer, more creative" games based on controller that is nothing more than a paddle with no buttons whatsoever.

Shake the remote as fast as you can.

Let me get this straight: this is the EIGHTH game in a series, and this is as sophisticated as it gets? That's all they could think up? And there's still people in this thread saying, "that looks like fun?"

What's next? They'll make a simulation of a board game where you shake the controller to throw dice, and then the game will move the board pieces for you?

The Wii has a pointing device. Let's have some strategy games. Actually, just some "games" would be nice.

Oh, that's right. Strategy games don't appeal to people who don't actually play games, and people who don't play games are the prime audience for a game machine.

I dont know bout the rest of you, but MarioParty is a game to me. A GOOD game. a MULTIPLAYER game.

Its not JUST minigames. Its a freakin virtual board game.

I'm glad we're getting it so soon. The last MarioParty I even played was 2. This one will be quite fun more me and my crew.

@laputaquelepario

Thats fine to believe in controller inovation and so do I...but I've been using the Wii-remote and in my opinion its a step backwards. Like I said in my original post if games used the controller in a way that a traditional controller couldn't be used it would be fine, but besides bowling, there is nothing that uses the controller in a good way.

Theres no difference between pressing a button ad shaking your hand if all it has is the same results. The motion sensing was designed I believe for people who have never played games...the thought that swinging the remote would be more natural feeling then pressing a button, and action that could appear disconneted. However as a gamer, I don't need my hand held in that manner, especially when the motion sensing is so highly innacurate. I'd much rather press a button.

I don't think the Wii remote is great, it certainly hasn't proven itself to be great with any releases so far and from all indications after playing a great many games and seeing how laggy the controls are I don't have much faith that in the future it will improve all that much. It will certainly never be as precise as a traditional control and therefore in my opinionion as a long time gamer, is not an upgrade to current controllers.

The pointing ability is nice and I'd like to see that functionality make it into all next gen controllers but the motion sensing stuff needs to be improved on a hardware level before I can even see it posibly replacing a traditional controller.

@Shaggitarius:

"Thats fine to believe in controller inovation and so do I..."

Good. Then let's hope the Wii DOESN'T die (but yes, come out with more than just one "game" game for a change) and instead are the springboard for the other console manufacturers to try out different ways of allowing users to interact with games. After all, given the way buttons have multiplied on controllers like so many a horny rabbit, it's only a matter of time before we start playing out PS6s and Xbox1080s with *gasp* a keyboard and mouse. ;)

"Theres no difference between pressing a button ad shaking your hand if all it has is the same results."

I wholeheartedly agree with you if they both accomplish the fame function WITH the same amount of immersion and fun. Again, the Logitech MOMO wheel I have for my PC racing sims accomplish absolutely the same as my Saitek P2600 Rumble gamepad. However, in the fun and immersive department the wheel absolutely gang-rapes the poor gamepad. Hence, I never touch a racing sim without the wheel.

Haven't tried the Wii yet, but if it does anything to the gaming experience like what a wheel can do with racing games, then I'm all for it. Otherwise, yes, gimmicky and all...

Well, *I'm* excited for Mario Party. Because I like playing fun, simple games against people I know rather than continually being shot to pieces by people online who really should be in bed because it's a school night.

Call me a stick in the mud if you will.

Uh yeah. I'm just imagining four guys sitting around playing the "Drink Mixer" one...then when it hits them what they're all doing.

Priceless.

I don't entirely understand the logic of releasing ANOTHER minigames game yet. The Wii already has enough minigames for now.. nintendo should save this for a year or two or until there is a major drought in games. (i know there is kindof a post-launch drought right now.. but nintendo needs to step back with the first party titles and let a few third party games have some space to make it big.)

"Besides Bowling for the Wii there not a single game that enhances gameplay beyond what I can accomplish with a 'traditional controller'. I understand how people who dont play games might find gesture controls easier to understand!"

Madden? Dragonball? Trauma Centre? Warioware? (plus upcoming SSX and Godfather)

All these games enhance the gameplay beyond what can be done with a traditional controller. (infact the main complaint should be that ALL they do is enhance the gameplay witht he Wii controller, and aren't ambitious enough in other areas.

could anyone describe the best drinking game possible with mario party?

have gc n four controllers and looking for a night of fun..

thanks.

Part of the problem with focuses entirely on in-person multiplayer is for those of us without friends (or who can't get our friends to play videogames). I just moved to a new city and right now don't know anybody. Before moving I was a huge fan of Smash Bros., but after my friends who played it left town none of my other friends were willing to play it.

Online multiplayer adds the ability to find other people interested in the same game by reaching out to a much larger pool of potential players. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a group of fellow gamers hanging around all the time.

I will probably get this, seeing as Marioparty (version 1) was so fun. But if it doesn't make use of the wiimote REALLY, really well, I just won't see anything SPECIAL about this game. I mean, marioparty 5 was absolute rubbish. All of the games just involved running your character around to certain places. Whereas in Marioparty, most of the games didn't involve running around like in Super Mario 64; they involved things like spinning the stick, alternating buttons, etc. It was about speed and timing and fun little minigames tied together with a good solid glue, rather than just running around.

Also, I don't think it should end up like Warioware. Sure, Warioware: Smooth Moves can be fun, that's fine. But the games don't really take any SKILL. You're just mucking around for a laugh, really. I think Marioparty 8 should take skill with the wiimote to win, such as the drink shaking, which hopefully will go for more than 3 seconds and have more than 1 person playing at once.

If they get it juuust right, this has the potential to be heaps of fun. It also has the potental to be a load of crap.