Exclusive Listing Games BrotheWiz

Mario, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, and all your favorite characters are back in Mario Party 3. This game features 70 minigames that make you use your N64 controller in ways you never thought imaginable. Like its predecessors, up to four people can participate in five areas in board-game-style play. As you traverse the board, you ll have your chances to compete in the aforementioned minigames. Then it s all about button mashing and analog-stick twisting. The gamepad techniques are easily explained, but some of them are tougher than they look.

The single-player story mode is an absolute chore filled with as much watching as playing. You re not supposed to play this game alone, hence the word party in the title. Multiplayer modes include party, battle royal, and duel. The first two are the basic free-for-alls found in previous games, while duel mode is an interesting addition that combines elements from Othello and Monopoly with the minigames. The various modes help shorten multiplayer game time, which was a problem in previous versions.

Mario Party 3 continues the series tradition of being the top dog of party games. With its numerous easy-to-learn minigames, it s perfect for when you and your friend are looking for quick, mindless fun. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• Loads of great minigames
• Simple enough for anyone to learn
• New characters from Mario Tennis

Cons:

• Single-player mode is arduous
• Tough to justify buying more than one Mario Party title
• The required amount of button mashing and analog-stick twisting is hard on hands

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