The game tries to add some replay value for those who are socially challenged but it too fails in that aspect. Even when I played the game with three other friends we found ourselves losing more and more respect for the game as we moved along. The games were just too boring and unentertaining.
Mario Party is often seen as
the party game to have but to be honest, there’s just not much to celebrate in this disappointing title. The game is entirely too repetitive and becomes tiresome far too quickly. There are different boards to play on but the core game is essentially the same, thus making every single game feel just like the last one.
Visually the game is just a notch above the last Mario Party. The characters have been cleaned up quite a bit and there are plenty of new special effects in the game. Sometimes the game will impress you visually, the fishing game features some of the nicest water in a game, much akin to that of
Super Mario Sunshine’s. At other times it’ll turn around and completely under whelm you with some of the blandest graphics that the system has to offer. Don’t buy this game as a showpiece for your new 60-inch plasma because you’ll definitely be disappointed.
In terms of audio there isn’t much to talk about. All of the game’s lines are produced through on-screen text as opposed to recorded dialogue. This leads to far more reading than there should have been. I mean, how hard is it to just have an announcer say “Luigi Go!” as opposed to displaying it on the screen? You’ll get the occasional noise from the player’s but that’s about it, nothing special at all. Music is exceptional as always though so if you’re into that kiddie Nintendo/Disney Land-esque music you’ll be in for a nice treat.
Let’s be honest here, this game is a huge letdown. I’d love to write more about the game but quite frankly, there’s just not enough to write about. It’s like trying to review Disney Monopoly right after you’ve finished reviewing Simpsons Monopoly, they’re from the same mold and in that retrospect, they’re nearly identical.
Mario Party 4 does little to separate itself from its predecessors and competition. This game is marketed towards an extremely niche audience and if you’re one of those people who refuse to pull that game of Life out of the closet because you’re too lazy to count out the cash and set up the pieces, then this just might be your bag. However, if you
do fall into that category, chances are that you already own a previous version of
Mario Party.
The problem with
Mario Party 4 is that the charm of the series has worn off over time. The mini-games just aren’t as fun as they used to be and without the minigames, this game is absolutely worthless. Though the game contains a multitude of redeeming facets, the good barely manages to outweigh the bad. It simply isn’t much fun anymore and to be honest, who wants to spend $50 on a game that will fail to hold their attention for just over an hour? A great rental if you’re throwing a party on the weekend but there really isn’t much of a reason to purchase it.
Partyin' lifestyle getting you down? Then why not pick up BradyGames' excellent Mario Party 4 Strategy Guide? It has tips and tricks on all of the mini-games as well as everything you need to know to win all of the birthday presents.
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Mario and pals return to the party but the series’ aim has really gotten old. The game becomes boring far too soon and becomes a victim of its own repetitiveness.
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