Yoshi Party 8

Yoshi ***Party 8*** is the eighth installment of the *Mario Party* series on a home console, the first *Mario Party* game for the Wii, and the tenth game overall in the series. It is also the last *Mario Party* home console game to be developed by Hudson Soft. The game is notable for its strong use of the Wii Remote in minigames, as the players can wave it, point and shoot, and many other new and different actions. This game also features an extra mode where Miis, as well as the *Mario* characters, can participate in the party. Players can collect Carnival Cards to unlock new features of the game by winning minigames, playing in the Party Tent, or playing in the Star Battle Arena, where the player must win in all of the boards against a CPU.

The game features 6 boards. Though one of them features the classic conditions for obtaining a star (reaching a star and paying coins), all other boards feature unique conditions for obtaining stars. This game also features items called Candy that can transform characters, but cannot be set up as traps on boards.

## Story[edit]

In *Mario Party 8*, a ringmaster named MC Ballyhoo and his talking hat Big Top have invited Mario and the rest of the crew to his carnival, the Star Carnivalwithout inviting Bowser. Ballyhoo has promised to whoever wins is crowned the Superstar and receives a year's supply of candy. This begins the battle between characters in the boards to retrieve the prize.

However, after the player has defeated the last opponent, Ballyhoo claims he promised something even better than a year's supply of candy, which is the Star Rod. However, Bowser comes and steals the Star Rod and runs away to his new board, Bowser's Warped Orbit. After the character beats one of his minions (one of the unlockable characters in the game), which is either Hammer Bro or Blooper, the character then challenges Bowser to a fight. After the fight, Bowser falls into a hole and the character returns with the Star Rod and the game ends. After that, the unlockable character is unlocked as a playable character. If the player completes the Star Battle with that first unlockable character, they unlock the second one.

## Gameplay[edit]

The title screen.

Following tradition, *Mario Party 8* takes the social, strategic game play of board games and adds breaks for quick, action-oriented minigames. In the main mode, players travel across six boards in search of Stars, landing on spaces that are either helpful or a hindrance by rolling Dice Blocks with numbers 1 to 10. Unlike previous *Mario Party* games, the spaces on each board take different shapes, depending on the board. Several variations for these boards tweak the main goals to enhance game play for solo sessions, two-player games and three to four-player games.

Like in the preceding *Mario Party* games, there is a last five turns event called Chump Charity. The event is only limited to a free Duelo Candy or 30 coins to the last place player, unlike the previous wheels that have been used. Also, every space that doesn't have a player standing on it will have coins released by MC Ballyhoo on top of them for the players to collect. Every normal space gets one coin on top of them, and every red space gets five coins for who ever passes them in the form of a coin sack.

Just like the previous *Mario Party* games, there are also Bonus Stars that the player can receive if the bonuses are turned on. Just like recent *Mario Party* games, there are a variety of bonus stars to collect, ranging from winning the most minigames to landing on the most red spaces. Only three of these stars are handed out at a time and they are randomized each play-through.

* **Minigame Star**: The player who wins the most coins in minigames. It basically means who ever won the most minigames, since coins are rewarded to the winners of a minigame.
* **Candy Star**: The player who uses the most Candy will receive this star. Note that it isn't just buying Candy, it's using the Candy the player currently has in the inventory.
* **Green Star**: The player who landed on the most green spaces earn this star. Since Happening Spaces are the only Green Spaces available in this game, it is earned for players who landed on the most Happening Spaces.
* **Running Star**: The player who advanced the most spaces will earn this star. It does not count if the player used a teleporter such as a Springo Candy or certain Green Spaces; it only counts if the player advances through a certain amount of spaces. Using Twice or Thrice Candy can help accomplish this star.
* **Shopping Star**: The player who spent the most coins on candy earns this star. It is easier to obtain for 1st place players, since they have to spend more money than lower place players for the same candy. The player has to visit shops and purchase candies than run through Candy Areas for this star. Simply visiting shops won't count for the Shopping Star either.
* **Red Star**: The player who landed on the most Red Spaces earns this star. Landing on Bowser Spaces do not count for earning this star, as they are recorded separately. Otherwise, this star has a straightforward description: who ever lands on the most Red Spaces will get this star.

With motion control, players can row their way through a river race, punch a statue to pieces, steer race cars, mopeds and go-karts and handle a balancing pole while walking a tightrope. By using the pointer the player can shoot at Red Boos in a haunted house, drag and drop toppings in a cake-decorating competition, select the correct answers in game show challenges. Using the Wii remote's buttons players jump and pummel their way through a football brawl, hop and run across a field of spinning platforms.

## Boards[edit]

The game contains six new boards, all with their respective elements.

## Candy[edit]

*Main article: Candy (Mario Party 8)*
There are fourteen different Candy power-ups in *Mario Party 8*. Players can obtain a candy from a Candy Shop or a Candy space on the board. Some are not found on all boards, however. There is a Bonus Star for eating the most candy.

## Other features[edit]

* **Minigame Tent**: In this mode, players can play minigames they have unlocked elsewhere. They can play just one minigame or set up a competition using specific minigames or a set of minigames. Completing minigames earns the player cards for the player to spend at the Surprise Wagon.
	+ **Free Play Arcade**: The Free Play Arcade allows players to play specific minigames they have unlocked elsewhere. They can obtain minigames by either competing in the Star Battle Arena, playing in Party Mode, or buying them out at the Minigame Wagon.
	+ **Crown Showdown**: Up to four players compete for the crown which can be achieved by winning either 3, 5, or 7 minigames. Players select the rules of play including number of player, number of wins needed, and the set of minigames to be played. Minigames from a set are chosen randomly.
	+ **Flip-Out Frenzy**: Up to four players complete in this mode. For each minigame won, players choose panels on a grid board to flip. When the player chooses a panel, all horizontal and vertical grids right next to it will also get flipped. The player with the most panels wins.
	+ **Tic-Tac Drop**: This mode is limited to two players. The players play duel minigames, with the winner permitted to drop a ball of their own color into a a Tic-Tac-Toe grid. The first player who get all three of their balls in a row win.
	+ **Test For The Best**: The player has to unlock certain minigames to play this and they must buy in from the Surprise Wagon at the Fun Bazaar before playing it. The player competes for the best score from playing ten minigames. It is similar to the Minigame Decathlon from previous *Mario Party* games, except only one player can play at a time.
* **Extras Zone**: In this mode, the player can play extra minigames such as Moped Mayhem. The player can also use their Miis to participate in the Extras Zone.
* **Fun Bazaar**: The Fun Bazaar is a place where the player can exchange cards for items, modes, and minigames or check records.
	+ **Records Board**: The player can view minigame sets or the best records here. The player can also view the Staff Records after they bought them from the Surprise Wagon.
	+ **Minigame Wagon**: Minigames can be bought here using Carnival Cards. The wagon is only accessible after completing the Star Battle Arena.
	+ **Carnival Wagon**: The player can view any Carnival Figures they collected and watch them in a Carnival Parade.
	+ **Surprise Wagon**: The player can trade Carnival Cards for various items such as Sound Tests, Extra Minigames, Carnival Figurines, and other stuff. Unlike what the instruction booklet says, it's always available.
	+ **Carnival Calliope**: The player can listen to music, sounds, and voices by accessing here. Some features must be bought at the Surprise Wagon first before listening to it.

## Minigames[edit]

*Main article: List of Mario Party 8 minigames*
*Mario Party 8* has a total of seventy-three minigames, most which make use of the Wii Remote and its motion control capabilities, though some also require the controller to be held in a more traditional way. Unlike other *Mario Party* games, all minigames rather than a randomized select few are displayed in a single, large roulette corresponding to what type of minigame they are.