Mario Party 4 (GameCube)

The minigame format is probably not the best way to showcase the technical prowess of a console, but Hudson has made fairly good use of the GameCube hardware in Mario Party 4. The character models are much more well-defined than in any of the N64 Mario Parties, appearing only slightly more simplified than their current-generation counterparts in Super Smash Bros. Melee, though some of their animations occasionally appear a bit lifeless. The boards themselves generally don't give you much eye candy to chew on, but the minigames show off some nice water effects, reflective surfaces, and cool lighting and particle effects. The aural presentation reflects the sunny disposition of the game, with some occasionally catchy background music and enthusiastic voice acting for all the different characters. The only peculiarity in Mario Party 4's sound is the incredible similarity between Mario, Wario, Luigi, and Waluigi's voices, which can sort of run together if more than one plumber is on the board at a time.

Since this is the fourth Mario Party game in about as many years, you'd think that the formula would have grown unbearably stale by now. But through incremental improvements and some subtle refinements, Hudson has kept the series going strong, and Mario Party 4 is arguably the most accomplished entry in the series yet. While more accomplished gamers may find some of the minigames too simplistic, this accessibility ensures that Mario's party is one that just about anyone can enjoy.

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Where to buy Mario Party 4 (GameCube)

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