Mario Party DS

The Good
When Mario Party was released for the first time people didn't know for sure if the game was going to be successful. A game with a childish essence could not suit with some kind of gamers. However, those doubts soon were dispelled and one of the most important game series of this genre was born.

The concept of Mario Party is as simple as it sounds. A game for 4 players which is played on different boards (like board games) and facing a mini-game at the end of each round. The mini-games were never so important, a new dimension for this kind of games.

Mario Party is a game that doesn't need high technology. Graphics are simple, so, the DS has no problems on this matter. We're talking about one of the best games to be played with someone for the DS (as it happens in the other Nintendo game systems). What's more, we have new game modes like puzzles, new competitions, new mini-games (using the hardware of the DS) and a points system (points called MP points, how original...) that will unlock items.

The best thing of this game is that it doesn't lose its magic. It's still the same game with that strange mixture of lucky and skill (anyway, skill is not important because the lucky one usually wins), which is something that will start many fights between your friends (specially when one of them steals a star from you, many couples got divorced because of that!).

Mario Party is one of the essentials games in every Nintendo game system. Currently, there's no other game from another game system able to rival with this one. Every Mario Party is a step forward, with new mini games and new game modes, something that make this game a must-have if you want to play with more people.

The Bad
If you want to unlock all the items you'll need to finish the game many times, not just 5 or 6, I said MANY times, which is something boring.

Of course, the game is not the same if you want to play it alone. It's a good game to be played alone and it has a story mode, but just a good game and nothing more. You'll need to play it with more people if you want to enjoy it as it should be.

The hardest difficulty level is really hard. It's humanly impossible to win some mini games in that difficult level. Talking about that, the triangles puzzle mode is difficult and annoying! Thank goodness it's just an extra of the game.

The Bottom Line
If you're looking for an easy game to be played by anyone, Mario Party DS (and the other games of the series) is the perfect game. Up to 4 players, but you'll realize that with just 2 players the game can be a lot of fun. Indispensable for your game parties with many people, but it's possible that the rest of the time the game would be forgotten among other games in your shelves.