Whilst these changes might disappoint some traditionalists, they seemed a necessary step to inject some much needed originality into an aging series. The final product, whilst still far from perfect, is one of the better Mario Party titles in some time, and gives hope that the franchise has plenty of life left in it yet.
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How hard is it to win Mario Party 9 against computer opponents? If you set the AI difficulty to easy, you don't even need to touch the controller. More »
Mario Party 9 is the equivalent of pulling out a battered version of 'pin the tail on the donkey' for a 17 year old girl’s birthday; it’s outdated and boring. The gameplay is monotonous, the mini-games - while occasionally fun - simply aren’t consistent enough to warrant additional playthroughs, and you'll end up losing interest after just a few spins of the dice.
Mario Party 9 is a resounding success on so many levels, adding plenty of extra variety to differentiate itself from previous entries, whilst also learning important lessons from the limited-yet-fun Wii Party. Nintendo has delivered a party title that will appeal to veterans and newcomers alike. Let’s get this party started…
There's still a whiff of exploitation, but at least Mario and co appear to be enjoying themselves at their latest do. Refreshing, but there's potential for even better things next time.
If you weren't a fan before, this one won't see you abandoning Modern Warfare 3's front lines to get your mini-game fix. Seasoned Party-goers and newcomers looking for an entry point into the prolific franchise, however, should consider crashing Mario's latest shindig.
Those who have not followed the Mario Party series in recent years could be forgiven for dismissing its 9th console entry as yet another attempt to milk an aging franchise. Hell, even as someone who's been mini-gaming around the Mushroom Kingdom since it required being tethered to an N64, I had trouble mustering enthusiasm for the latest sequel. Allowing that big "9" on the box to mislead you, however, would be a mistake on the level of hiring Bowser as a babysitter.
You see, Mario Party 9 -- the series' first entry in nearly five years -- feels surprisingly more like a thoughtful reboot than a phoned-in rehash.
I'm sure the accommodating host and new-found furniture will appeal to those who never experienced the old days, but for those of us who have been coming to this party year in and year out, it may be time for a change.
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