Nintendo Media Summit: Mario Party 8 hands-on (Wii)
by Colin Torretta 
{ May 25th 2007 at 12:00AM }
The graphics were Gamecube level at best and really the only new addition that it seemed to bring to the series was extensive use of the motion controls. The mini-games all appeared to variations of older Mario Party games or of a very similar theme, though at the rate Mario Party games are released I guess thats not a huge surprise. Luckily, the magic of the Wiimote did allow them to mix things up a bit by including games like shaking up cans of soda until they burst or lassoing barrels off a platform. It was a fun enough title to play, and made good use of the controller, but it still managed to feel stale. Maybe it was the lack of friends around to play it with, or maybe after this long the series just needs a bit of a break. And of course, there is no online play.
If you are a huge fan of the previous Mario Party titles, then I'd say its worth giving this one a shot when it comes out next week. Otherwise I'd heavily recommend giving this one a rent to see if the motion-sensitive gameplay is really worth partying with Mario again.
Gallery: Mario Party 8 (Wii)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ken @ May 25th 2007 12:11AM
Mario Party should NOT have online anyway. It wouldn't be any fun... Like playing single player.
I bet the game is a blast with 4 people, and alcohol involved. I'm pumped for this game!~
3cubedminus3squared @ May 25th 2007 12:20AM
I like this series.
Maybe its because I always have at least three people playing at a time when I do.
But it is boring by yourself.
cc123 @ May 25th 2007 12:45AM
So it's not just mini-games, it's actually rehashes of mini-games.
Nintendo innovation indeed...
Rubang B @ May 25th 2007 12:48AM
Who would want to play a (non-chess) board game online?
eldee @ May 25th 2007 12:51AM
@4 Oh, I dunno:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Settlers_of_Catan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catan
Rubang B @ May 25th 2007 12:57AM
But so much waiting! Do those games at least have a way to shock the other players if they take too long?
Maximo @ May 25th 2007 1:12AM
I don't think this game should have online. It would make too much sense. Why add a feature that allows a games value to go up? It's like offering extra boards or certain cars in a game for free. It's just dumb. I say charge me. So when it comes to online play, Nintendo should do the smartest thing which is what they're good at and stay away from the world wide web. The included web browser on the wii makes up for the the lack of online play anyway.
lil jamie p @ May 25th 2007 1:14AM
I'll tell you what would make this and Chargers a must buy is if they added Tingle as a playable.
Jebus Crust @ May 25th 2007 1:47AM
@3
Not just minigames...but a Mario minigame. Boy, the 360 and the PS3 can never innovate like this...they should just give up now.
Nintendo awes me with their completely new and fresh innovative ideas and the way they innovate the innovation of their completly original innovative ideas.
Dormammu @ May 25th 2007 2:42AM
I think the graphics are better than Gamecube, really. The sharpness, color and framerate from the trailer looks better than any Gamecube game I've seen (even on component cables). That's not to say it's overwhelming compared to Xbox 360-like graphics though...
Joel @ May 25th 2007 3:08AM
Their fight THEIR way away a variety of new gameboards. God that irks me.
Joel @ May 25th 2007 3:09AM
hah... their way around, I mean. Doh!
electronic @ May 25th 2007 6:52AM
Hmmm... new trolls.
mandark @ May 25th 2007 7:07AM
MARIO PAAAAAAARTYYYYY !!!
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ !!
BTW 14th bitches. I rule !
Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 8:10AM
You naive bastards! I admit it will be fun to play. Why Nintendo? Why do you continue with the same piece of shit quality as last gen. Jackasses!
Jebus Crust @ May 25th 2007 9:00AM
@Jack
"15. You naive bastards! I admit it will be fun to play. Why Nintendo? Why do you continue with the same piece of shit quality as last gen. Jackasses!"
Because they can Jack, because they can. It has become apparent to me that almost no-one remembers the Nintendo arrogance of the late 80's to late 90's.
They were so arrogant that they said you dont need disc media. They said you dont need DVD media. Look at what that got them....2 anemic 3rd place finishes in the Playstation era.
Now they build (er excuse me) they repackage a GameCube with a silly motion controller and they re-sell it to the naive public as something not only new.....but innovative.
And you know what? The mobb eats it up, the same way a mobb of "faithful" eat up the crap that the likes of Benny Hinn, Jerry Falwell, and Adolf Hitler spewed or are still spewing from thier mouths.
So, Nintendo now realizes that they can do whatever, whenver they want to and the mobb will take it. They even got most of the mobb media to believe the massive amount of crap that they have been feeding to the mob as INNOVATION.
You cannot blame Nintendo for doing this....because it obviously works very well on the banta poodo. (weak-minded fools)
The only good thing about the crap that Nintendo has been shoveling to the masses is that some of Nintendo's recently converted flock is slowly waking up and realizing that they have just been fed a stinking gigantic pile of crap. Just look at all of the current Wee owners who are saying that it was tons of fun at first but now it is boring and the grafix suck.
Nintendo shovelware....coming to a re-hashed system near you.
Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 9:17AM
Jebus
My thoughts exactly. Good post
Brian @ May 25th 2007 9:54AM
@16
Congrats, you've Godwinned a talkback about a party game.
I think we can agree all three companies have shown an unhealthy amount of arrogance this generation. Nintendo's sales number back theirs up more than the competition... at the present time. Microsoft has done respectably, and Sony hasn't gotten their momentum yet.
Also...I don't think anybody's hearing something new when you say the Wii is a repackaged Gamecube with a silly motion controller - it's been done to death. At this point, people either agree or disagree, but hearing it one more time isn't going to change minds.
Nintendo could have gone the HD/graphics route and released a $400-600 system similar to their competitors. They chose a different price point and strategy, and we'll have to see how it plays out. The launch is encouraging, but only time will tell if the system has legs.
Brian @ May 25th 2007 9:58AM
@16
Sorry, one more thing..you suggested that the Nintendo 64 finished in 3rd place for its generation. Obviously Playstation was 1st, but who was 2nd?
chumba @ May 25th 2007 12:00PM
What the heck - why would I plunk down money for the same freaking minigames as the last version of Mario Party just with stupid motion controls?!?
If they are just re-packaging MP7 games for the Wii, this will be the first MP game I've ever skipped on. Saddening...
Jared @ May 25th 2007 1:42PM
Wow. Has no one here played more than one of the past seven Mario Party games? Here's what is different with each release of Mario Party (keep in mind that I enjoy the series):
1. A new theme is designed.
2. New boards are designed.
3. New characters adn/or models are designed.
4. New mini games are designed.
5. New play modes are designed.
6. (This is the key) Mini-game mechanics remain unchanged.
To clarify on #6, button-mashing in MP1 is still button-mashing in MP7 no matter which way you look at it. The difference is that the games have been reskinned or rethemed to stay interesting to those who like the same thing with a new eye-candy.
Now, if you don't like the same mechanics, then you should probably only try out one of the MP game series. Don't try more than one in that case.
However, with MP8, this will be the first major improvement to mini-game mechanics. Why? The new control scheme. They can finally break away from the mold of button-mashing/timing and other mechanics. I for one am interested to see just how these work out in the MP series.
If you don't like mini-games, you don't like mini-games - MP8 is not going to change your mind. Move on. Remember, one of Nintendo's tactics is to market this console as a social gaming console - something for a group to do within a short time frame.
@16 - You've stated why the console is doing so well in your own post: The Wii is simple, and people like simple. Again, this is for casual gaming - something that most people have time for, unlike "hardcore" gamers. Why does this make them "weak-minded"? Because they're having fun?
And just for the record, there was *way* more media coverage over the PS3 than there ever was with the Wii at launch. Once the media realized people were buying them up (because again, people were having fun), then and only then did they give it attention.
As far as innovation is concerned - The definition of innovate is: To introduce as or as if new; to make changes; to do something in a new way. Nintendo has *based* the Wii on a new (as in new to consoles) controller. Therefore, yes, innovate is an appropriate term to use.
Leonidas @ May 25th 2007 7:52PM
@16
I dont care that the last guy to lead Nintendo screwed up so badly. I have a Wii because I like the games that they come out with.
I also don't have a problem with people that bought a PS3 despite Sony's arrogance and mistakes. Why? Probably because they bought the system that has the games that they want.
I enjoy Nintendo games, so I will take my "stinking gigantic pile of crap" and enjoy it. Thank you.
ILikePancakes @ Jul 11th 2007 3:01PM
Well now that it's out and I've played it, I think it's a pretty bad game. It doesn't have many minigames (Mario party 7 has more), and nothing has changed, really. You still just hit a dice, go around the board and buy stars. Honestly the Mario party games for the N64 were funner.