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| {{Infobox video game | {{Infobox video game | ||
| |title=Mario Party 8 | | title = Mario Party 8 | ||
| |image= Mario Party 8.jpg | | image = ] | ||
| |caption= |
| caption = North American Nintendo 64 cover art | ||
| |developer=] | | developer = ] | ||
| |publisher=] | | publisher = ] | ||
| | composer = Mark Mothersbaugh | |||
| |director= Shuichiro Nishiya | |||
| | released = {{vgrelease|NA=June 29, 1999|EU=August 10, 1999}} | |||
| |producer= Hiroshi Sato <br> Atsushi Ikeda | |||
| | genre = ] | |||
| |designer= Saori Tsutsui | |||
| ⚫ | | modes = ], ] | ||
| |programmer= Hideki Sahashi | |||
| ⚫ | | platforms = ] | ||
| |composer=Yoshihiro Tsukahara | |||
| |engine= | |||
| |series = '']'' | |||
| |released={{vgrelease new|NA|May 29, 2007|EU|June 22, 2007|AU|July 19, 2007|JP|July 26, 2007}}{{vgrelease|Asia|AS|July 12, 2008}}{{vgrelease|Korea|KO|November 6, 2008}} | |||
| |genre= ] | |||
| ⚫ | |modes=], ] | ||
| ⚫ | |platforms=] | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| '''''Mario Party 8''''' is an ] ] developed by ] for the ]. It was originally shown at THQ's booth in 1999<ref name="RugratTHQ">{{cite web |url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/123/123876p1.html |title=New screen-shots of THQ's family-oriented Rugrats multiplayer game. |publisher= ] |accessdate=July 2011}}</ref> and was published that same year.<ref name="Mario Party 8">{{cite web |url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/123/123876p1.html |title=Mario Party 8 - N64 - IGN |publisher= ] |accessdate=July 2011}}</ref> The game is based on the animated television series '']'' which aired on ] from 1991 until 2004. It features the original voices from the ''Rugrats'' cast and borrows its concept from Nintendo's '']'' franchise. | |||
| {{nihongo|'''''Mario Party 8'''''|マリオパーティ8|''Mario Pāti Eito''|lead=yes}} is a ] ], the eighth installment in the ], and was the first title in the series to be released for the ]. It is also the first Mario Party title to have the ability to use ] characters. It was originally released in the ] on July 13, 2007. However, some retailers were reporting that it was supposedly withdrawn from shelves because some copies included the word "]"; it was eventually re-released in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2007. ''Mario Party 8'' is followed by '']'' in late 2007, and '']'' in March/April 2012. | |||
| The game features three game boards. ''Angelica's Temple of Gloom'' which has an ] setting, ''Pirate Treasure Hunt'' where the babies scuba dive under water to find hidden treasure near a sunken ship, and ''Reptar Rally'' which is the only stage that changes the babies into dinosaurs (resembling the form of Reptar). Reviews were critically mixed to negative, receiving an aggregated score of 52.67% from ]. | |||
| Like previous ''Mario Party'' titles, ''Mario Party 8'' features ] ] in which four human- or computer-controlled characters compete in a board game interspersed with ]s, and was developed by ] and published by ]. ''Mario Party 8'' received mixed reviews. Despite some of the mixed reviews, after its release, the game sold 314,000 units in the United States in three days, making it the best-selling home console game in the country that month.<ref name="news.teamxbox.com">{{cite web |last=Berardini |first=César A. |date=June 15, 2007 |url=http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/13713/May-Video-Game-sales-Nintendo-PWNS-Everyone-Again/ |title=May Video-Game-Sales – Nintendo PWNS Everyone Again |publisher=] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304154338/http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/13713/May-Video-Game-sales-Nintendo-PWNS-Everyone-Again/ |archivedate=March 4, 2012 |deadurl=yes |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> As of May 2010, the game has sold 7.6 million copies worldwide and ranked at #10 on the best-selling Wii games list.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} | |||
| ==Gameplay== | ==Gameplay== | ||
| Players control one of four babies including ], Chuckie, ]. ] serves as the main antagonist during the Temple of Gloom board, trying to snatch items in question before the others. She also may take away items from other players if they come in contact with her. ] (only on the Pirate Treasue Hunt board), Spike, and Grandpa (Lou Pickles) serve as allies doing various tasks such as giving players extra cookies when they come in contact with them. Dil Pickles, who became Tommy's baby brother in '']'', appears when a player stops on a "Mystery" space, driving the Reptar Wagon and changes the identity of the spaces on the board. | |||
| ] | |||
| This ''Mario Party'' title is hosted by MC Ballyhoo and his talking top hat Big Top. During the standard game, four different characters compete on one of six themed boards. When playing with fewer than four people, players select which characters the computer will control, as well as their difficulty level and handicap. Players can also select from five different areas to play on from the Play Choices screen by selecting the Select File screen in the beginning. Here, the player is given the choices of five different areas to play on: Party Tent, Star Battle Arena, Minigame Tent, Extras Zone, and the Fun Bazaar. The Party Tent allows for characters to compete on boards in three kinds of battles: Battle Royale (four-player competition; one to four players), Tag Battle (two-vs. two; one to four players), or Duel Battle (one-on-one; one to two players). In the Star Battle Arena mode, one player faces off against one opponent on each board in which when you get to the last board, ] will take the star from the player and he/she will face against ] or ] (which once defeated are included as playable characters) in Bowser's Warped Orbit, then once he/she defeat the character, Bowser will give you back the Star Rod and you will face in a final mini-game called Superstar Showdown. When you win the battle the player wins the game. In the Minigame Tent, players can play several non-board challenges from the minigames. The extras zone has the eight extra minigames that do not appear in board-play with your ]s. Finally, the Fun Bazaar has the player use their carnival cards to unlock minigames and other surprises. In the Fun Bazaar, there is a place where if you buy it with your carnival cards, the player may listen to music and character voices. Minigame records can also be viewed here. For general board-play modes, players take turns (10 to 50 turns) rolling a dice block and moving across the game board, with the goal being to getting as many stars as possible within the allotted turn limit. | |||
| There are three different game boards, Reptar Rally being the most distinctive. There is also a hidden square option that can be turned on or off at the start screen. Toy cards give players special abilities. One lets players turn into Reptar and travel up to five squares and stop anywhere they like, which can only be achieved normally when a "Set Spin" is selected randomly from the spinner. | |||
| Toward the end of the game, during the last five turns, gameplay is altered slightly. This can include events such as candy or coins being awarded to the player in last place, as well as additional coins being placed on each space. After the game has ended, three Bonus Stars (which can be enabled or disabled as a game option) may be awarded to players for various feats during play. Finally, the player with the most stars is declared the winner, with the number of coins possessed used as a tiebreaker. | |||
| The main goal, however, is to collect the most of a specific item. Stages usually begin with a brief cut scene to explain what needs to be collected, then the game begins. Items can be gathered after landing on the "Search" space, which can be recognized by the magnifying glass design. Searching may lead players to find only a dust bunny, a dud item with no function, but it is the only way to acquire certain items. If a player finds the "Double Search Power" tool when searching, he/she may search twice every turn. | |||
| Additional game modes allow players to directly compete in minigames without making use of the game board. Several of these modes tie a number of minigames together, with each minigame won moving the winning player closer to victory. | |||
| Players can also collect cookies, toy cards, and energy. Cookies are a form of currency that may provide opportunities for special bonuses. Toy cards can be purchased if one lands on a toy card space; which if used wisely, can stretch the limits of game play for a single turn. Energy is needed to move from one space to another in all boards excluding Reptar Rally. If one run out of energy, he/she will begin to nap, causing him/her to warp to a "Bedroom" where the player can warp to any of the main rooms instantly. There are also spaces for recovering different sleep amounts. | |||
| ===Boards=== | |||
| ] | |||
| While some of the game boards are classic ''Mario Party'' in nature, with players attempting to reach locations where they can buy a star for 20 coins (10 coins in King Boo's board and in Capt. Goomba's board stars are free because of all the spaces you need to travel to get a star), others are more varied. For example, "Koopa's Tycoon Town" involves players investing coins into hotels (as in '']'') in order to earn stars, with each hotel only providing stars to the player with the highest current investment. | |||
| ===Game boards=== | |||
| As always, all boards include a number of elements which can greatly influence the course of the game. Notable for this is "Shy Guy's Perplex Express", where the train cars which make up the game board can be re-ordered as the result of landing on a certain space, potentially changing the relative positions of all players. | |||
| ''Angelica's Temple of Gloom'' has an ] setting, and is the only one of the three boards that is played cooperatively. ] brings home statues that Angelica accidentally shatters. The babies must recover all of the missing statue pieces (four times the number of active players) before Angelica finds hers to win. ''Pirate Treasure Hunt'' involves the babies scuba diving under water to find hidden treasure near a sunken ship. After Stu shows the babies his replica of a pirate ship, Grandpa Lou tells (the beginning of) a story about pirates with treasure. They must find all four kinds of "pirate treasure" to win. ''Reptar Rally'' is the only stage that changes the babies into dinosaurs (resembling the form of Reptar). Here they collect different types of candy on an island made of sweets. If they successfully collect candy from everyone else's stash, they win. | |||
| ===Candies=== | |||
| Candy is the new item that is introduced in ''Mario Party 8''. There are 14 candies in all and each one has a different ability. For example: the Twice Candy allows the player to hit two Dice Blocks instead of one, while the Thrice Candy uses three. | |||
| ===Minigames=== | |||
| At the heart of ''Mario Party 8'' are the minigames, with one taking place at least once per turn. A number of the minigames rely on the unique capabilities of the Wii Remote, while others instead require players to hold the controller sideways and use only the buttons. There are over 73 minigames in ''Mario Party 8''. | |||
| There are eight different types of minigames: 4-player free-for-all, 1-vs.-3, 2-vs.-2, Battle, Duel, Challenge, Extra, and Last. | |||
| ===Playable characters=== | |||
| ''Mario Party 8'' has fourteen playable characters: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ], with the latter two being unlockable. Players also have the ability to use ] characters as well. | |||
| ==Development== | ==Development== | ||
| ''Mario Party 8'' was originally shown on THQ's booth at the ].<ref name="RugratTHQ"/> In 1997, THQ signed an agreement with ] to develop and publish video games using the Rugrats license through December 2002. The deal gave THQ exclusive rights to Rugrats for all current and future systems from Nintendo, Sony and Sega.<ref name="THQ's signs agreement">{{cite web |url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/123/123876p1.html |title=THQ has signed an agreement with Nickelodeon securing the Rugrats license. |publisher= ] |accessdate=July 2011}}</ref> THQ said that early development has been discussed by game designers, adding that the title is currently in the design stages. The game was intended to be an adventure game, adding that Rumble Pak compatible and multiplayer aspects are unknown at the time. | |||
| Like previous Mario Party Titles, ''Mario Party 8'' was developed by ]. It was first shown as a demo at ], which included six sample minigames.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gantayat |first=Anoop |date=November 3, 2006 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/11/03/hands-on-mario-party-8 |title=Hands On: Mario Party 8 |publisher=] |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> | |||
| ==Recall and delayed release== | |||
| The game had a launch plagued by difficulties in the ]. Originally scheduled for release on June 22, 2007, Nintendo announced on June 19, 2007 that the British version had been delayed to July 13, 2007, due to a "production issue".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wii.qj.net/Mario-Party-8-UK-release-delayed-to-July-13/pg/49/aid/95507 |title=Mario Party 8 UK Release Delayed to July 13 |publisher=QJ.net |date=June 19, 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203115703/http://wii.qj.net/Mario-Party-8-UK-release-delayed-to-July-13/pg/49/aid/95507 |archivedate=December 3, 2007 |deadurl=yes |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> Furthermore, upon release on July 13, 2007, it was then immediately recalled. In a press release, Nintendo gave the reason for the withdrawal as an assembly error, but some retailers were reporting that it was supposedly withdrawn from shelves because some copies included the word "]", which is considered a highly offensive word in the UK for referring to disability. Just one month before, ] had the ] game '']'' pulled from the shelves because of the same word. The game was eventually re-released in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2007 with the word "]" now used instead. A spokesperson from Nintendo said "The offending word has been replaced at code level and the software reproduced. We are confident we have taken the correct appropriate levels and action necessary and in all new versions of the game there are no issues – however we cannot 100 percent guarantee that every copy of the initial batch was returned to us and as such there may still be a small number of copies of the game in circulation.” Nintendo also confirmed that there would be no change on pricing and stock levels would “remain unaffected for the re-launch.”<ref name="metro.co.uk">{{cite web |last=Wooden |first=Andrew |date=July 24, 2007 |url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/mario-party-8-back-on-august-3rd |title=Mario Party 8 back on August 3rd |publisher='']'' |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> | |||
| ==Reception== | ==Reception== | ||
| {{Video game reviews | {{Video game reviews | ||
| | GR = 52.67%<ref name=GR/> | |||
| | MC = 62/100<ref name="Mario Party 8 - WII">{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii/mario-party-8 |title=Mario Party 8 for Wii Reviews |publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | | Allgame = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18779&tab=review|title=Mario Party 8 - Review|last=Baize|first=Anthony|publisher=]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115003608/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18779&tab=review|archivedate=2014-11-15|accessdate=2014-12-13}}</ref> | ||
| | Edge = 4/10<ref>{{cite journal |author=Edge staff |title=Mario Party 8 |magazine=] |issue=178 |date=August 2007 |page=95}}</ref> | |||
| | IGN = 3.7/10<ref name=IGN/> | |||
| | EGM = 6.33/10<ref>{{cite journal |author=EGM staff |title=Mario Party 8 |magazine=] |date=August 2007 |page=72}}</ref> | |||
| | |
| NP = 5.3/10<ref>{{cite journal|title=Mario Party 8|magazine=]|volume=122|date=July 1999|page=116}}</ref> | ||
| | Fam = 29/40<ref name="Famitsu score">{{cite web |author=rawmeatcowboy |date=July 18, 2007 |url=http://gonintendo.com/stories/32842-famitsu-review-scores |title=Famitsu review scores |publisher=GoNintendo |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> | |||
| | GI = 7.25/10<ref>{{cite journal |last=Helgeson |first=Matt |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/EE7E4C34-C59F-4396-8260-0EE3B8BB8A79.htm |title=Mario Party 8 |magazine=] |issue=171 |date=July 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117180858/http://gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/EE7E4C34-C59F-4396-8260-0EE3B8BB8A79.htm |archivedate=January 17, 2008 |deadurl=yes |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> | |||
| | GamePro = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="GamePro review">{{cite web |author=The Grim Wiiper |date=May 18, 2007 |url=http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/wii/games/reviews/112548.shtml |title=Review: Mario Party 8 |publisher='']'' |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080111001608/http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/wii/games/reviews/112548.shtml |archivedate=January 11, 2008 |deadurl=yes |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> | |||
| | GameRev = F<ref>{{cite web |last=Damiano |first=Greg |date=June 12, 2007 |url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/mario-party-8 |title=Mario Party 8 Review |publisher=] |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> | |||
| | GSpot = 6.5/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Davis |first=Ryan |date=May 29, 2007 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mario-party-8-review/1900-6171668/ |title=Mario Party 8 Review |publisher=] |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> | |||
| | GSpy = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Villoria |first=Gerald |date=June 4, 2007 |url=http://wii.gamespy.com/wii/mario-party-8-/794089p1.html |title=GameSpy: Mario Party 8 |publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | | |
||
| | IGN = 5.2/10<ref name="IGN review">{{cite web |last=Casamassina |first=Matt |date=May 29, 2007 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/05/29/mario-party-8-review |title=Mario Party 8 Review |publisher=IGN |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> | |||
| | NP = 7.5/10<ref>{{cite journal |title=Mario Party 8 |magazine=] |volume=217 |date=July 2007 |page=92}}</ref> | |||
| | rev1 = ] | |||
| | rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Common Sense Media"/> | |||
| | rev2 = ] | |||
| | rev2Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name="Digital Spy">{{cite web |last=Gibbon |first=David |date=July 13, 2007 |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a65122/wii-mario-party-8.html |title=Wii: 'Mario Party 8' |publisher=] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215073527/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a65122/wii-mario-party-8.html |archivedate=December 15, 2007 |deadurl=yes |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| Upon its release, ''Mario Party 8'' received mixed to negative reviews from critics. It currently holds an aggregated score of 52.67% based on 3 reviews.<ref name=GR>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/n64/915333-mario-party-8/index.html|title=Mario Party 8 for Nintendo 64|publisher=]}}</ref> Turhan Herder on ] gave it a 3.7/10, and called it "a dull, sloppy mess which not only embarrasses everyone involved but manages to tarnish the very license it meant to exploit." Herder said that "young children will quickly be bored from the slow pace and frustrated by the unintuitive game mechanics, while more experienced gamers will balk at the simplistic play and juvenile subject matter." Herder commented on the review that the game "is yet another example of a publisher trying to make a quick buck off a popular license."<ref name=IGN>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/07/07/mario-party-8|title=Mario Party 8|last=Herder|first=Turhan|publisher=]|date=1999-07-06|accessdate=2014-03-14}}</ref> | |||
| ===Critical response=== | |||
| ''Mario Party 8'' received "mixed" reviews according to the ] website ].<ref name="Mario Party 8 - WII"/> In Japan, '']'' gave it a score of one eight and three sevens for a total of 29 out of 40.<ref name="Famitsu score"/> | |||
| ] reviewer Erin Bell said that it's "Still a good kids' party game, now Wii fun!"<ref name="Common Sense Media">{{cite web |last=Bell |first=Erin |year=2007 |url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/mario-party-8 |title=Mario Party 8 Game Review |publisher=]}}</ref> '']''{{'}}s The Grim Wiiper said, "We all knew when the Wii launched that it would be a strong first-party system. The third-party stuff, while interesting, hasn't exactly set the world on fire and Wii owners have been waiting patiently--or not so patiently--for Nintendo to throw open their front doors, Willy Wonka-style, and introduce us to the next magical first-party game."<ref name="GamePro review"/> | |||
| In contrast, Matt Casamassina of ] referred to the single-player mode as "torture" and said that the "graphics don't even impress as a ] title".<ref name="IGN review"/> ] critic ''Dan Hsu'' did not enjoy the game either, and criticized its needless dialogue, repetitive cut-scenes and minigames, stating "''Mario Party 8'' could've used a lot more of that creativity, however, throughout the whole game. Instead, we get a really disappointing (but, as mentioned at the start of this review, inevitably still entertaining) Wii debut for the series. Perhaps the next game will truly take advantage of the Wii controls through and through."<ref name="Reviews: Mario Party 8">{{cite web |last=Hsu |first=Dan |date=May 29, 2007 |url=http://www.1up.com/reviews/mario-party-8 |title=Mario Party 8 |publisher=] |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> | |||
| Morakoth Tang of 411Mania gave the game a score of six out of ten, saying, "I can not recommend this game for a single player experience. If you want this game so you can share it with friends and family who have played it before then Mario Party fits the bill perfectly. I know its '''' going to sell millions and millions of copies like its predecessors, but quality as a whole is a bit disappointing."<ref>{{cite web |last=Tang |first=Morakoth |date=June 18, 2007 |url=http://411mania.com/games/mario-party-8-wii-review/ |title=Mario Party (Wii) Review |publisher=411Mania |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821171550/http://www.411mania.com/games/reviews/55732/Mario-Party-8-(Wii)-Review.htm |archivedate=August 21, 2007 |deadurl=no |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> However, Cory Moore of the same website gave it seven out of ten and said that it "seems more like a transition game to see what works and what doesn’t, but a well-executed transition game nevertheless."<ref>{{cite web |last=Moore |first=Cory |date=June 19, 2007 |url=http://411mania.com/games/mario-party-8-wii-review-2/ |title=Mario Party 8 (Wii) Review (2) |publisher=411Mania |accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> ]'s David Gibbon gave it two stars out of five, saying that it was "essentially a GameCube title ported over to the Wii with some last minute remote controls added. If you like the series, then you will probably enjoy much of what this has to offer, but Nintendo really need to do better next time if they want to have Wii gamers falling at their feet."<ref name="Digital Spy"/> | |||
| ===Sales=== | |||
| After its North American release on May 29, 2007, the game sold 314,000 units in the United States in three days, making it the best-selling home console game in the country that month.<ref name="news.teamxbox.com"/> As of May 2010, the game has sold 7.6 million copies worldwide and ranked at #10 on the best-selling Wii games list. | |||
| {{Misplaced Pages books|Mario franchise video games|Mario video games}} | |||
| {{clear}} | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
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| * {{IMDb title|1287342}} | |||
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| {{Rugrats}} | |||
| {{Mario Party series}} | |||
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Revision as of 04:59, 21 June 2016
Video game| Mario Party 8 | |
|---|---|
| File:Mario Party 8.jpgNorth American Nintendo 64 cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Realtime Associates |
| Publisher(s) | THQ |
| Composer(s) | Mark Mothersbaugh |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64 |
| Genre(s) | Board Game |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Mario Party 8 is an interactive board video game developed by Realtime Associates for the Nintendo 64. It was originally shown at THQ's booth in 1999 and was published that same year. The game is based on the animated television series Rugrats which aired on Nickelodeon from 1991 until 2004. It features the original voices from the Rugrats cast and borrows its concept from Nintendo's Mario Party franchise.
The game features three game boards. Angelica's Temple of Gloom which has an Aztec setting, Pirate Treasure Hunt where the babies scuba dive under water to find hidden treasure near a sunken ship, and Reptar Rally which is the only stage that changes the babies into dinosaurs (resembling the form of Reptar). Reviews were critically mixed to negative, receiving an aggregated score of 52.67% from GameRankings.
Gameplay
Players control one of four babies including Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil. Angelica serves as the main antagonist during the Temple of Gloom board, trying to snatch items in question before the others. She also may take away items from other players if they come in contact with her. Susie (only on the Pirate Treasue Hunt board), Spike, and Grandpa (Lou Pickles) serve as allies doing various tasks such as giving players extra cookies when they come in contact with them. Dil Pickles, who became Tommy's baby brother in The Rugrats Movie, appears when a player stops on a "Mystery" space, driving the Reptar Wagon and changes the identity of the spaces on the board.
There are three different game boards, Reptar Rally being the most distinctive. There is also a hidden square option that can be turned on or off at the start screen. Toy cards give players special abilities. One lets players turn into Reptar and travel up to five squares and stop anywhere they like, which can only be achieved normally when a "Set Spin" is selected randomly from the spinner.
The main goal, however, is to collect the most of a specific item. Stages usually begin with a brief cut scene to explain what needs to be collected, then the game begins. Items can be gathered after landing on the "Search" space, which can be recognized by the magnifying glass design. Searching may lead players to find only a dust bunny, a dud item with no function, but it is the only way to acquire certain items. If a player finds the "Double Search Power" tool when searching, he/she may search twice every turn.
Players can also collect cookies, toy cards, and energy. Cookies are a form of currency that may provide opportunities for special bonuses. Toy cards can be purchased if one lands on a toy card space; which if used wisely, can stretch the limits of game play for a single turn. Energy is needed to move from one space to another in all boards excluding Reptar Rally. If one run out of energy, he/she will begin to nap, causing him/her to warp to a "Bedroom" where the player can warp to any of the main rooms instantly. There are also spaces for recovering different sleep amounts.
Game boards
Angelica's Temple of Gloom has an Aztec setting, and is the only one of the three boards that is played cooperatively. Stu brings home statues that Angelica accidentally shatters. The babies must recover all of the missing statue pieces (four times the number of active players) before Angelica finds hers to win. Pirate Treasure Hunt involves the babies scuba diving under water to find hidden treasure near a sunken ship. After Stu shows the babies his replica of a pirate ship, Grandpa Lou tells (the beginning of) a story about pirates with treasure. They must find all four kinds of "pirate treasure" to win. Reptar Rally is the only stage that changes the babies into dinosaurs (resembling the form of Reptar). Here they collect different types of candy on an island made of sweets. If they successfully collect candy from everyone else's stash, they win.
Development
Mario Party 8 was originally shown on THQ's booth at the E3 in 1999. In 1997, THQ signed an agreement with Nickelodeon to develop and publish video games using the Rugrats license through December 2002. The deal gave THQ exclusive rights to Rugrats for all current and future systems from Nintendo, Sony and Sega. THQ said that early development has been discussed by game designers, adding that the title is currently in the design stages. The game was intended to be an adventure game, adding that Rumble Pak compatible and multiplayer aspects are unknown at the time.
Reception
Reception| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | 52.67% |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| AllGame |   |
| IGN | 3.7/10 |
| Nintendo Power | 5.3/10 |
Upon its release, Mario Party 8 received mixed to negative reviews from critics. It currently holds an aggregated score of 52.67% based on 3 reviews. Turhan Herder on IGN gave it a 3.7/10, and called it "a dull, sloppy mess which not only embarrasses everyone involved but manages to tarnish the very license it meant to exploit." Herder said that "young children will quickly be bored from the slow pace and frustrated by the unintuitive game mechanics, while more experienced gamers will balk at the simplistic play and juvenile subject matter." Herder commented on the review that the game "is yet another example of a publisher trying to make a quick buck off a popular license."
References
- ^ "New screen-shots of THQ's family-oriented Rugrats multiplayer game". THQ. Retrieved July 2011.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - "Mario Party 8 - N64 - IGN". THQ. Retrieved July 2011.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - "THQ has signed an agreement with Nickelodeon securing the Rugrats license". THQ. Retrieved July 2011.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Mario Party 8 for Nintendo 64". GameRankings.
- Baize, Anthony. "Mario Party 8 - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on 2014-11-15. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ^ Herder, Turhan (1999-07-06). "Mario Party 8". IGN. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
- "Mario Party 8". Nintendo Power. 122: 116. July 1999.
External links
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