Mario Party 7

There was once a time when there was a nearly universal sign of distress related to yet another Mario Party game. These started out really well with the introduction of the first in 1998 on the Nintendo 64. Though they have seen a decline in recent years - arguably because no-one really cares anymore. Why even bother to make Mario Party 7?

Let's be fair - there are enough nostalgia and entertaining minigames in every release to get just enough entertainment about it. The franchise still operates as the staple of the party game genre, so it's got that going for it - at least. Might as well have a look into what Mario Party 7 has to offer then.

It's-a-Party-Numero-7!

Anyone who has played more than one Mario Party game will understand that not much changes mechanically. Each release will see a slightly different subset of minigames. More unlockable characters, exploitation of the current console's features include. And enough silliness to give Monty Python a run for its money.

Mario Party 7 this time around is including Dry Bones and Birdo in the character ranks, as well as all your favorite Italian plumbers and known associates. Yes, you'll be collecting stars again to advance the board to eternal party glory, competing in one of the generated 88 minigames before you - possibly resulting in the destroying of friendships.

The stand-out feat of this Mario Party offering is that nothing much has changed from its predecessor. The look and feel are the same, the games haven't changed much, and really, the same mechanics still exist. The noticeable changes being reskinned maps and some refinement on character models. There's a new plotline involving Bowser's fury, highlighting the significant change to the game.

Bowser Time was introduced - a regular occurrence in the Party Cruise matches doing nothing more than creating an irritating hindrance to party progression. It's safe to say Mario Party 7 was competitive as it ever was - but there's too much slugging around to find itself enjoyable for the long term.

You'll Never (Want) To Play Alone.

Without question, Mario Party 7 is not something to be played by yourself - nothing is entertaining about it. When you find some friends to play with, it will be OK for a little while. Then that lingering thought of - 'why are we playing this?' starts to divulge. Considering there isn't much difference compared to the other 6 titles, the game gets pretty stale quickly.

Pros:

• Minigames are entertaining with friends
• A lot of effort to make the game boards and animations engaging

Cons:

• Almost a carbon copy of its predecessor
• The gameplay feels very stale
• Not much incentive to play through an entire game board