Mario Party 8

Written by Joe Comunale  on December 06, 2006

First Impressions: Mario likes to party all the time, party all the time, party all the time!

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Since the Mario Party series was born in 1999, Nintendo has consistently released a sequel every year thereafter. With the new year right around the corner, 2006 marks the first time that Mario and company won't see an annual sequel. Fans need not worry though, because Mario Party 8 is set for a March release in the US, after its inaugural release in Japan on February 8 of next year.

Mario Party 8 will feature 14 characters, 12 of which are selectable from the start. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, Toad, Toadette, Daisy, Birdo, Boo, and Dry Bones compose the game's initial character set (the same found in Mario Party 7). The Hammer Brothers and Bob Barker complete the cast as the game's two hidden characters.

Mario Party is known for its wide variety of multiplayer mini-games, and for the first time, these games will make use of the Wii-mote. While not every mini-game has been confirmed, here are a few we know about thus far:

1. Ski Ya Later! - In this game, the players' characters wear water skis and are pulled along by a boat. Buoys are set off to each side, and players must swerve back and forth to hit ramps. To turn, you rotate the Wii-mote like a steering wheel.

2. For the Shake of Others - Players shake soda cans and whoever can create the biggest burst of fizz wins. To simulate this, players will shake the Wii-mote as though it's the can.

3. Lasso and Fro - You must lasso barrels of varying point values that rotate on a platform. To do this you swing the Wii-mote around like a lasso, sling it forward, and then whip it back toward you.

4. Raise the Flag - This game is a flagpole raising race. To do so, you must simulate rotating a wheel.

5. Target to Your Destination - You must target various objects by maneuvering an onscreen pointer with the Wii-mote. Each target has a uniquely positioned bull's-eye.

6. Droppin' the Ball - Purple and green marbles descend from above, and you
must tilt a platform to either side to make the balls roll in their color-corresponding tubes. To play you hold the Wii-mote in a level position, tilting it to either side to sway the platform's direction.

7. Balancing Act - You traverse across a rope that lies above a body of water. The first player to make it to the other side without falling over wins. Again, the Wii-mote's functionality here is its tilt detection.

Other mini-games to be included are a rowboat game and a spring-based launch pad game.