Mario Party 9

Nice party game is filled with large amounts of enjoyable mini-games – the only cons are the great dependency on luck and missing online multiplayer. [Apr 2012]

Mario Party 9 is the series' best episode after the fourth. The new elements introduced, like the players moving all together, are not completely convincing, but the formula designed hanging around funny minigames and 3 pals around still works.

Exactly the kind of the change needed by the franchise, although this new game depends too much on luck and randomness.

Mario Party 9 does not offer online modes or leaderboards. True to local multiplayer it reveals a propensity to promote, challenge, competition and socialization, as long there are four players in the same room.

This ninth episode is – finally – innovative and original, with a strange but appreciated focus on the boss fights. Sadly the winner, now more than ever, is chosen by fortune. A new starting point, that has to be polished in the next chapters. On WiiU, possibly.

A true renaissance for this Nintendo's franchise. The new modes will up the challenge and you'll have a good time, especially if you invite your friends over to your house. Too bad there's no online mode.

During sessions with Mario Party 9 I was still able to suppress my critical instincts and lose myself in its charms -- but booze was perhaps more essential than ever.

Essentially, Mario Party 9 is a great leveller. No matter if you play games for a living or only touch a controller when one is forced into you hand, chances are you'll be in with a shot of winning come the end of the each game. The Wii has always been about bringing people together to play, and Mario Party 9 does that considerably better than I thought it would.

A successful reboot for a franchise that still has a lot to give in terms of uniting gamers, and non-gamers, around its uncomplicated but endearing charms.

It's a fun game, but you'll get bored with it pretty quickly.

If you have a dedicated group of friends who are ready to toss down on some Mario-themed minigames and game board shenanigans, then you're probably good to go with Mario Party 9.

In the end, it's Mario, and it's a great party game. If you buy it, you'll get exactly what you paid for.

Mario Party 9 contains a lot of new mini games and changes the rules of the game completely. The new rules are boring and everything depends on luck. Therefore this is the worst Mario Party title ever.

Though an enjoyable addition to the series, Mario Party 9 is much too familiar and predictable.

The concept is still the same, gather your friends for a friendly battle of speed and luck inhilarious mini games. However, new mini games and creative, lively worlds aside, Mario Party 9 is pretty much exactly the same as before. Some may love this, others can't help but feel a bit disappointed at the lack of innovation from Nintendo.

Not a must-have, still far from perfect, Mario Party 9 still manages to squash one of the most common criticism to the series by offering a quicker pacing in between runs, as all players now share the same ride. Everyone also competes for little stars, now, rather than the big purchasable ones. Not all the mini-games are funny, but enough are, and even though the concept is old as hell, it still works fine.

There are things about Mario Party 9 that make it a better experience than previous entries, but overall it's still a disheartening experience. The best times I experienced with the game were the times when co-workers and I were laughing at each other's stupid mistakes while playing, but you really don't need a video game to fuel stupid mistakes worth laughing at.