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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
Mario Party 8

Mixed or average reviews
Based on 41 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 81 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >
Game Info
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Hudson Soft
Genre(s): Party
Players: 4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Release Date: May 29, 2007
Summary
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]
Also On Metacritic
GAMES: Mario Party 4 Mario Party 5 Mario Party 6 Mario Party 7
Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central GameFAQs
Also On The Web: Official Website
What The Critics Said
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...
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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >Cheat Code Central
They did a good job giving Mario Party lovers what they like and, for once, they actually showed improvement and innovation.
Read Full Review >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]
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]
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."
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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]
Gaming Age
The biggest omission from Mario Party 8, and the one that kept it from achieving an even higher score, is online play.
Read Full Review >GameSpot
There are some good minigames in Mario Party 8, but the overly familiar, chance-heavy board game wrapper gets in their way.
Read Full Review >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]
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.
Read Full Review >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]
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.
Read Full Review >NintendoWorldReport
The series is screaming for reinvention, and even the introduction of Wii control was not enough to invigorate it.
Read Full Review >GameSpy
While unimpressive from a technical standpoint, and uninspired from a mini-games standpoint, the core Mario Party formula remains intact.
Read Full Review >NGamer UK
Mario Party has never dazzled but this is the dullest it's ever been. [Aug 2007, p.48]
Games Master UK
With brand new controls they had a chance to reinvigorate the franchise. They didn't. [Aug 2007, p.65]
The Wiire
The lacking options and point-and-click interface could have been so much better.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >games(TM)
It’s the same old formula with a few moments of motion-controlled inspiration. [Aug 2007, p.111]
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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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]
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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 6.7 (out of 10) based on 81 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
[Anonymous] gave it a3:
Lame. I can't believe my wife wasted 50 bucks on this "game." The board game, as everyone else says, is 100% based on luck. No exaggeration. The saving grace of this game is supposed to be the minigames. Unfortunately the minigames are HORRIBLE. There isn't a single one I care to play more than twice. The controls are clunky and unresponsive. Contrary to the belief of some other reviewers, playing with more people does not make it more fun. Everyone ends up pissed because there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to who wins. Why does Nintendo let Hudson tarnish the Mario franchise with this trash?
Michael gave it a10:
Awesome as ever. Get some friends, some drinks, and have a party. Not for the geekiest gamer, there's not a lot of challenge, single player sucks, moving around the board is entirely based on luck, etc.etc. Playing this alone would be only slightly better than playing Monopoly solo. It's a friggin party! Get some friends who you can stand to have around your stuff and who make you laugh, then play. Trust me, it's fun. Not a game to be taken seriously, just an excuse to have a good time.
Alex C. gave it a1:
Sheesh, Mario Party has gotten crap since the original. Playing minigames which aren't actually that good over and over again can get pretty boring, plus the game boards, whatever they're callled, are crap too. A once great series ruined by repetitive gameplay and a lack of good minigames.
Todd S gave it a4:
Mario Party 8 is a major disappointment. The minigames are simple and fun, especially when theres split screen multiplayer, but the series never really improved on it's flaws. The board game is luck based, requiring no skill at all. While it may seem like a perfect opportunity for anybody to jump in, it's moreso a waste of time. Any system which rewards failure and punishes success is broken. The audiovisuals would have been acceptable 3-4 years ago, but in current standards, they are awful. I see little ways that this game has improved upon Mario Party 7 and even Mario Party 4. Most of the minigames you missed from the old games didn't come back. Nintendo put a very little amount of effort into this game. The final product shows.
Sque M. gave it an8:
Mario Party 8 Graphics: 8/10 (Just like their previous Gamecube games) Sound: 8/10 (Awesome music and okay sound effects make this worth hearing) Controls: 8.5/10 (Almost niche, though it sometimes won't work) Gameplay: 7.5/10 (Just like the previous MP games, though rather on luck than strategy) Lastability: 9/10 (Worth playing, especially with 2-4 players playing this) Overall: A- (Sure it's not the best but it one of the best Mario Party games ever).
Rachel Y gave it a5:
To be honest, I think it's an okay game... Easily not worth a 10, but it's not worth like a 2 either. Only buy it if you know more than one person is gonna be playin' it, haha. It's great for 3+ people, it's a good laugh. A lot of it was based on luck, I've found, and sometimes the minigames take a while to figure what you actually have to do! Overall, the game is alright - best on multiplayer. But if you are looking for a good one player AND multiplayer game, I recommend Mario &Sonic at the Olympic Games, or even Wii Sports!
Jack H gave it a2:
Oh no, it's ANOTHER Mario Party game. I'd bet $1000 that Nintendo finds a way to stretch this series to Mario Party 15. The mini games would probably include sawing logs and opening cans. Oh wait, they've already done that! I enjoyed the first few Mario Party games, but this is just ridiculous. The fact is, the whole game is based on luck. You could win every stupid mini game and still come in last. If you already have any of the Mario Party games, there is absolutely NO reason to buy this game. Unfortunately, there will always be people willing to buy these games, and will in fact buy Mario Party 9, and Mario Party 10, and Mario Party 11, and Mario Party 12, and Mario Party 13, and Mario Party 14, and finally Mario Party 15, which Nintendo will give some unimaginative new name to, like Mario's Big Bash.
