In December of 1998, Nintendo and Hudson Soft launched Mario Party for the Nintendo 64. The party game was such a hit that it spawned seven more sequels on Nintendo home consoles and two portable entries. The Mario Party series has gone MIA since 2007, and if that spells the end for it, then it certainly had a decent run.
Mario Party – N64 Era
Many people consider Mario Party’s run on the Nintendo 64 the most successful for the series. The first game introduced Mario and his friends into the party game genre and featured over 50 minigames. To this day, the first entry in the Mario Party series remains one of the best examples of a party game that takes strategy and skill to achieve victory as opposed to luck, and it has remained the overall highest-rated Mario Party game according to reviewers.
After the success of the first Mario Party, two sequels were released for the N64. Mario Party 2 introduced items to the game and featured several different concepts that helped differentiate it from its predecessor. Unfortunately, Mario Party 3 wasn’t as successful. Though still fun, the game’s board map and minigame design weren’t as refined as that of the first two games. This would be the last Mario Party game for the N64.
Mario Party – GCN Era
Four Mario Party games were released for the GameCube, and they offered the same brand of gameplay that fans had come to expect. This wasn’t completely a good thing, though, as gamers began to want more out of the series. Some new features were introduced, and GCN accessories could be utilized for some of the games, but overall, it appeared that the Mario Party series had done all that it could do.
Mario Party – Portable Era
During the GCN era, Mario Party made its debut on the Game Boy Advance. The game received mixed reviews and changed the formula up noticeably. It wasn’t until Mario Party DS, which instantly earned high ratings, that fans got a true Mario Party experience on a handheld. The game managed to give fans who had lost interest in the series another fun experience, which had been fading from Mario Party for some time.
Mario Party – Wii Era
Only one Mario Party game has been released for the Wii, and that game launched in 2007. Overall, the game was decent, but it didn’t offer very much in terms of variety. Additionally, Mario Party 8 relied heavily on luck as opposed to skill, so a player could be in first place only to drop down at the very end of the game
This was one of the game's most frustrating factors, and it proved to be the game's biggest flaw. GameSpot's Ryan Davis said it best when he pointed out that the game was "chance-heavy" and that the main game featured "skill-free board game portions." Overall, Mario Party 8 was fun, but not as entertaining as any of its predecessors, and its overall scores of 63% and 62/100 showed it.
The Mario Party Series at a Glance
Since its debut, the Mario Party series has seen a new entry every year up until 2007. This could possibly spell the end of the series. If so, then it should be noted that Mario Party has certainly been influential. Many imitators have spawned as a result of the Mario Party series, and few have managed to garner the same level of success. Only time will tell if Mario Party will continue its lifespan or not.
David Sanchez - David Sanchez is a college student and freelance games jounalist. What was once a hobby for him is now a passion, and he looks to someday ...
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