Mario Party 8 Critic Reviews

Played alone, against the computer, the game is barely worth popping out of its case. But, having even one other human opponent ups the fun exponentially--you just can't get the same satisfaction out of trash talking against a faceless computerized enemy.

In the end, Mario Party 8 is a fun game that I'd recommend to most Wii owners. Given that, this review was written from the perspective of having multiple people playing the game. With that out of the way, I'll just say one last time – Pick this one up, you and your friends will have a great time with it.

The level of customization and personalization available in Mario Party 8 and the intuitive fun of the Wiimote make it the quintessential party accessory of 2007. What few control weaknesses are present are overshadowed by the inane fun and competition, a host of unlockables, and addictive mini-games.

Let's be honest, who looks to party games for stunning originality, cutting-edge presentation, and engrossing single-player modes? It's Mario. He parties. So will you.

It may be subtle, but they add a spritz of freshness to what many feel is a stale series, and is reason enough to purchase Mario Party 8, especially for those holding out for something new in the franchise.

Bottom line is that if you love Mario Party, you’ll still love Mario Party 8. If you don’t love the Mario Party games, this one isn’t going to do anything that will change your mind, even with the Wii controls.

They did a good job giving Mario Party lovers what they like and, for once, they actually showed improvement and innovation.

It's not a perfect game, but it is a perfect fit for the Wii, and will likely be a series favorite for fans.

Simple, pure, childish fun. Wiimote freshens the series, but underneath it all still lies the same old Mario Party in both the good and the bad.

Mario Party should be about fast-paced fun, which is why I prefer to get my kicks with the spastic, oddly humorous "Rayman Raving Rabbids."

Buy it for the multiplayer, pass on the single-player.

It's still plenty of wacky, crazy fun with four human players, but it's still a shame that it doesn't rise above the glut of other minigames compilations on the Wii despite its prestigious pedigree and the most impressive cast in all gamedom.

Despite these complaints, Mario Party 8's motion controls, fresh new options and accessible bonus content make it a party that shouldn't be missed -- not even by those who thought that the series' best days were already long gone.

Mario Party 8 is a great title to bring out if you want to have a good sit down, laughing experience with a game. Mario Party 8 is not perfect and leaves plenty of room for improvement in the future, but for those who didn't invest in a Gamecube and now have joined the large install base of the Nintendo Wii, Mario Party 8 is a good opportunity to check out what you have been missing.

A group of friends can still have fun with it, but it's just too similar to previous versions.

The biggest omission from Mario Party 8, and the one that kept it from achieving an even higher score, is online play.

There are some good minigames in Mario Party 8, but the overly familiar, chance-heavy board game wrapper gets in their way.

Some of the minigames are fun but the board game that frames the whole experience relies far too much on chance.

Overall Mario Party 8 is mixed bag of experiences.

The problem is that the Mario Party franchise hasn't really evolved or changed much from its days on the Nintendo 64. Yes, there are new characters, stages, and mini-games, but despite their clever designs, they're quickly growing repetitive and stale.