The Video Game Critic

According to IGN.com, Mario Party 8 is now the fastest selling Mario Party game to date, selling 550,000 units already.

I'm not a fan of these games. I've never played em', not sure I ever will, but I LOVE it when IGN gets their panties in a bunch when some game they hate sells well- it proves that people just buy what they want, and their power to influence is not quite what they think it is.

Does anyone else feel this way? That sometimes these magazines and websites sort of preach to you about what to buy, when you wish they would just give your their take on a game and leave it at that?

I suppose it doesn't bother me so much when they are pushing for a game that might be overlooked, like they are doing with The Adventures of Zak and Wiki (Casamassina has started a "buy this game!" campaign that the blogs like gonintendo.com have picked up on). But it's irritating when they write derisive headlines when a game they don't like sells well, or make snarky comments later.

-Rob

More like its selling well because of its name and the rather small library the Wii currently has.

A game selling well doesn't prove IGN wrong, do you think all those people rented first and decided IGN was wrong?

You are misunderstanding my point, I think. I'm not saying IGN's review is wrong. For all I know, it could be exactly as mediocre as they say. I was only trying to point out how I don't like the slightly arrogant tone they use, as if they are the final word on what we should buy.

As far as why Mario Party is selling, it is basically because it is a popular brand that has always been popular with the "expanded audience," even before we knew what that was. My sister has played these games for years, and she is exactly what the expanded audience consists of. It's the same brand loyalty Nintendo has built with Pokemon. The fans are so dedicated to them, that it doesn't matter if they are lacking in terms of gameplay (note that I'm not knocking Pokemon games by saying that).

It's like a licensed movie game, but not from a movie.

-Rob

[QUOTE=a]

Mario Party would sell this many copies no matter what. I personally don't like the games much, but I can't understand why it would bother anyone that other people buy the game. It especially shouldn't bother professional reviewers who should be used to this sort of thing by now.

[/QUOTE]

Well, I liked the first two on the N64 and I kind of liked number 4 on the GC, but I think I know why people don't like it anymore; they've made far too many of them.

Every single year, they've put a new one out and they've done very little (if anything) to evolve the series (a problem that became worse with the GC installments).  Sure, we can use a microphone in 6 and 7, but why can't we play online?  And why hasn't the single-player been streamlined a bit?  And why is the presentation so pedestrian compared to other Nintendo titles?  And why aren't there any voice overs?  And why do we have to read all that text?

Honestly, this series really needs an overhaul and that's why so many people resent it.  Maybe the Wii version was able to do that, but I don't know, since I didn't play it. 

[QUOTE=Michael D]

Well, I liked the first two on the N64 and I kind of liked number 4 on the GC, but I think I know why people don't like it anymore; they've made far too many of them.

Every single year, they've put a new one out and they've done very little (if anything) to evolve the series (a problem that became worse with the GC installments).  Sure, we can use a microphone in 6 and 7, but why can't we play online?  And why hasn't the single-player been streamlined a bit?  And why is the presentation so pedestrian compared to other Nintendo titles?  And why aren't there any voice overs?  And why do we have to read all that text?

Honestly, this series really needs an overhaul and that's why so many people resent it.  Maybe the Wii version was able to do that, but I don't know, since I didn't play it. 
[/QUOTE]

Well, one reason why it isn't up to typical Nintendo quality is because Nintendo doesn't make the game itself.  The Mario Party games have been handled by Hudson (the folks who create Bomberman and Bonk).

These games sell well despite improvements and top notch gameplay because they are family titles.  Its sort of like how games like Cars and Finding Nemo sell well despite mediocre reviews and un-inspired gameplay.  They attract kids and families and thats a very lucrative market.