With dull new features and ideas plus some flatout dumb capabilities, Mario Party Advance is half of a true Mario Party
So, in a short explanation: this game may have some ups, but everything nearly is downs. There isn't many great things featured in this half effort of a Mario Party. Fans may be depressed when they lay their spoiled hands on the first ever portable Mario Party. However, some, especially those new to the series may find the game to be alright. It is indeed worth playing, but after 10 hours this game will be locked up in your closet for decades just slowly rotting away if games can even do that.
As far as game play goes, Mario Party Advance is alright. The Story Mode feature is a lot different from that of the bigger Mario Parties, and it may be fun for a brief moment, but soon it's dull. In Story you choose from one of the four characters and drive in some mushroom car. You accomplish missions and soon fight Bowser in some easy sets of minigames. As you progress things may pick up, yet the game by then is flatout boring. It is also easy. So there is story mode for you.
Minigames are okay. There are a huge collection of games and gadgets to toy around with in Mario Party Advance, however, you will find only a short selection amusing. The others are overrated and just too simple. Some games are hard to master at first, but once done so easy as pie to complete. A new feature is the gadgets collected throughout Story Mode rather than just mini games. These gadgets provide a mild addiction, yet soon become unentertaining. One thing though is the gadgets are fun to collect, and great to play with in the beginning. In the end however, most have little replay value. Luckily, this Mario Party game provides a multiplayer mode of some kind. Fans call it entertainment: I call it once again.... overrated. It just takes too long the way you switch off and it's just not fun in the end. The thrill of mulitplayer was just a waste of excitement: nothing great goes on in this mode. Graphics are not bad. They are simple but that's the great style of Mario games on the gameboy advance fans like me simply love. It makes me laugh how gamespot loves Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga's graphics yet dislikes these when all in all they look pretty much identical. You can't go wrong with the bright cheery graphics provided in Mario Party Advance.
Sound is another thing to enjoy. I didn't mind it one bit. There is a great variation, yet don't expect toomuch noise from the characters as you control them. Music is great and you may find yourself humming it: don't worry it isn't an illness, it's a common situation.
Overall, Mario Party Advance may prove to be dull in gameplay, yet it makes up with the simplistic graphics and very well pu together soundtrack. Players of Mario Parties may not be as amused, but those new to the series may find this game alright. Thus, I come to a close and rest my case. PEace out
Oblivion