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How Metascores Are Calculated
60
Adventure Island: The Beginning
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
Play with motion control! Row your way down a river, punch a statue to pieces, steer race cars and mopeds, and handle a balancing pole while walking a tightrope. Play with the pointer. Drag and drop decorations onto cakes, shoot Boos in haunted house, quickly choose your answer in a game show. Mash those Wii Remote buttons. Jump and pummel your way through a football brawl, hop and run across an obstacle course of spinning platforms. Mario Party 8 includes six brand-new boards, dozens of minigames and many new modes. In a franchise first, you can collect special power-ups and transform your character into a boulder that smashes rivals or a coin-sucking vampire. Mario Party 8 includes "extra-large" minigames like Star Carnival Bowling and Table Menace. [Nintendo]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 90
GamePro
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.
 88
AtomicGamer
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.
83
GameTrailers
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.
80
Yahoo! 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.
80
Nintendojo
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.
79
Console Gameworld
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.
78
Cheat Code Central
They did a good job giving Mario Party lovers what they like and, for once, they actually showed improvement and innovation.
75
Nintendo Power
It's not a perfect game, but it is a perfect fit for the Wii, and will likely be a series favorite for fans. [July 2007, p.92]
75
Pelit (Finland)
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. [Aug 2007]
73
GameZone
Buy it for the multiplayer, pass on the single-player.
73
Game Informer
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."
70
Games Radar (in-house)
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.
70
GameDaily
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.
70
DarkStation
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.
69
Official Nintendo Magazine UK
A group of friends can still have fun with it, but it's just too similar to previous versions. [Aug 2007, p.88]
67
Gaming Age
The biggest omission from Mario Party 8, and the one that kept it from achieving an even higher score, is online play.
65
GameSpot
There are some good minigames in Mario Party 8, but the overly familiar, chance-heavy board game wrapper gets in their way.
65
Hardcore Gamer Magazine
Some of the minigames are fun but the board game that frames the whole experience relies far too much on chance. [Vol 3, Issue 2, p.58]
63
Worth Playing
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.
63
Electronic Gaming Monthly
It's just such a waste to see "Mario Party" get a frsh start here, only to have us turn the Wii-mote on its side to use it like any other motion-control-free controller. [Aug 2007, p.72]
63
Da Gameboyz
Overall Mario Party 8 is mixed bag of experiences.
60
G4 TV
It’s safe to say that we’re all getting a little sick of mini-games on the Wii, but Mario Party 8 delivers a pretty good batch wrapped up in some interesting board designs. Perhaps they’ll work out the rest of the kinks in time for Mario Party 9.
60
NintendoWorldReport
The series is screaming for reinvention, and even the introduction of Wii control was not enough to invigorate it.
60
GameSpy
While unimpressive from a technical standpoint, and uninspired from a mini-games standpoint, the core Mario Party formula remains intact.
59
NGamer UK
Mario Party has never dazzled but this is the dullest it's ever been. [Aug 2007, p.48]
59
Games Master UK
With brand new controls they had a chance to reinvigorate the franchise. They didn't. [Aug 2007, p.65]
58
The Wiire
The lacking options and point-and-click interface could have been so much better.
55
PALGN
The only thing that barely saves this is that it's a four-player game with some light competitive play. Otherwise, it's eminently missable - wait for something better unless you absolutely must have a Wii-based four-player board game.
55
1UP
A really disappointing (but, as mentioned at the start of this review, inevitably still entertaining) Wii debut for the series. Perhaps the next game will truly take advantage of the Wii controls through and through.
52
IGN
All of our complaints about previous games – the slow pace, the lackluster single-player affair, the loose attention to detail – all remain and with Mario Party 8 we can add another criticism: ignorance of the Wii remote.
52
Game Almighty
Besides the tired gameplay, Mario Party 8 has some serious presentation issues that will make you wonder if you’re still playing a Gamecube game.
50
Armchair Empire
Mario Party 8 has sold extremely well but it seems to be riding the crest wave of previous Mario Party titles, because there’s nothing worth coming back for.
50
games(TM)
It’s the same old formula with a few moments of motion-controlled inspiration. [Aug 2007, p.111]
50
Zentendo
A slopped together and stripped down fest of mediocre minigames.
48
GamerNode
Mario Party 8 is probably the series' biggest step backwards in its lifetime, and after eight years of consistency from the franchise, this addition falls way too short to recommend a purchase.
45
Kombo
Just because it’s Mario doesn’t mean it’s a party worth going to.
44
Gamer 2.0
Like a good song that got overplayed on the radio, Mario Party 8 is simply too much of a good thing. The series is in desperate need of a revival and one can only hope that Nintendo looks at this title as reference of what not to do in the future.
40
Edge Magazine
Criticism has often been aimed at Hudson’s perpetual shrug of the shoulders as to how to milk new games from the same old buttons and analogue stick setup, yet here we find all-new motion controls and still no freshness. [Aug 2007, p.95]
40
EuroGamer
Mario Party 8 is a "would have, should have, could have" kind of game. With such an depressingly long list of wasted possibilities, and so many other mini-game collections available for Nintendo Wii (The excellent Rayman Raving Rabbids, for one) It would be wrong of me to say you should pick this up.
40
VideoGamer
With the core gameplay being dull, the mini-games uninspired and the presentation severely lacking, this is a game that only the most die-hard Nintendo fans will find any worth in.
33
Game Revolution
Also, about the ultra-long credits that you can’t skip: please. It’s like watching the dirt get shoveled onto my open grave as I wait for the ordeal to end.
Alex C. gave it a1: Todd S gave it a4: Sque M. gave it an8: Rachel Y gave it a5: Jack H gave it a2: Doug L gave it an8: Fronk F. gave it a10: |
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