Mario Party DS, one of the only Mario Parties that can even compare with the first Mario Party. This game was a huge DS hit and you can probably find it in every gaming store to date. Like the first, it has a story-mode. Sadly, once again there is no donkey kong.
Characters are limited this time, with only Mario, Luigi, Wario, Yoshi, Peach, Daisy, Waluigi and Toad available, all the regulars, but instead of Donkey Kong they've put in Daisy / Waluigi. I really don't know why they got rid of our old hairy bud but at least they put him in the story.
Still, a lot of characters like Kamek and Dry Bones will also be in the story, so although some of your old favourites have been made un-playable in this version, the characters will still somewhere in the game.
Anywho the story is not of high standards, the cut scenes are just drawings not animated and the story is basically that they have parties on each level to decide who will beat the boss. Pretty silly. It starts off when bowser invites them to a party, the still don't realize that he's an evil bully so they attend his party and get their sky rock taken and get turned into midgets and thrown out.
The levels are quite clever in that they've based them on the fact that all the items are bigger than the group because they were shrunk, then again they've done that on all other mario party games, giant levels tiny characters, at least this time they fitted it in.
You will enjoy the multi-player, although it has no wi-fi and multi-card play, it doesn't need it. The single card download play has every feature available, unlike a lot of other DS download multi-player games which only include a few things unless the people playing all have the game.
A common sales technique, they can still play the game wirelessly with one card multiplayer but not as much will be available unless they go and buy the game. This encourages people to buy the game anyway so brothers and sisters buy the same game twice just to do multi-player, etc.
Fortunately they do not do this with Mario Party and even enable multiple game files, so Mario Party DS is a good sharing/multi-player game. Personally, I find it more fun playing with people I know, so Wi-fi isn't needed, and with a game like this there is no point for Multi-card play.
Along with the whole mario party games, which are the same style as all the others, battle on a board for coins and stars, mini-games after everyone has had their turn, there is a lot more features in the game like Puzzle modes which offer Tetris based games, Mini-Game modes which allow you to play mini-games and have different styles of mini-game competitions.
This allows you to have quick games that are much shorter and a lot more fun than the board games. You can even do tag battles and things.
Also, so you don't get board after playing each thing a few times, there is a score system which keeps track of how many Mario Party points you have collected and also a Gallery section and record section for when you get the best score on a mini-game or unlock something cool, like a Character figure!
Since a single 10 turn match takes about half an hour, this game will keep you entertained for ages and ages. It has 3D graphics too, much like the Nintendo 64 graphics. If you're looking to buy a friendly game for yourself or a child's christmas or birthday present, this is quite a good first game.
Nintendo fans and other gamers will love it too, no matter what their age. It is rated PG for gambling references as a few mini-games such as Chips and Dips and Shuffle board show-down, which involved Poker chips. It's nothing too serious though, and the mini-games are quite fun.
Definitely worth the money.
