Mario Party 4 -- Game Review Written by Nicholas Mezza
System - Gamecube
Genre - Multi-Player Party Game
Play Modes - 1-4 Players with CPU taking over remainder of players.
Rating - E

Hey, let's have a party! Okay, what are we gonna do? Play Mario Party!

Ok, maybe not, but one has to admit that party games are fun to play. When the original Mario Party was released, the idea became a whole new genre. Now the fourth game in the series has debued on the GameCube. The basic progression of the game involves moving your character around a game board. At the end of each turn, the players play a mini-game together.

The graphics in the game are improved over the previous versions, but aren't up to par with other GameCube games. The style of graphics keep with the cartoony feel very well and should not be criticized. Compared to most other decent party games, the graphics actually shine.

The music is nothing spectacular, but blends well with the game's style. The music and sounds are very similar to what you might hear in any other Mario game.

This sequel begins to lose its promise with its AI. The computer definitely knows how to play. A little bit too well. Either that, or they seem horribly retarded. You will find yourself becoming frustrated at the pure 'luck' of computer players and their impossible skill at team games. I don't know what Nintendo was thinking with this. They have been in the business long enough to relize that a computer that seems to cheat will not gain you any respect.

The controls for the most of the game are remarkably simple. Many of the mini-games use only one or two buttons. The only control problems derive from the Nintendo controller. Here's a tip: If you are playing with someone else, don't use different kinds of controllers. The difference in grip for the control stick will become a source of much argument! The difficulty of the game is a bit difficult to adjust, and even on easy, the computer players can be highly skilled.

The replayability of the game is about what you would expect from a very long yet enjoyable board game. There are a very large number of minigames, and it will take you many hours of gameplay to see them all.

Overall, I can't reccommend this game unless you plan to play it mostly with human players. If you aren't planning on this, stick with the classics!