Trav's Test Drive: Difference between revisions
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''Still repining the butt-kicking that your most excellent friends handed to you during [[Mario Party|Mario's last party]]? Well, it's time for round TWO baby! And this time, the gloves are coming off! Mario Party 2 is a game that, while fun for a single player, really shines as a multiplayer event. The more people you can pull away from their pizza and to a Controller, the more fun you're likely to have! Up to four players can play in most of the various different modes that the game has to offer.'' | ''Still repining the butt-kicking that your most excellent friends handed to you during [[Mario Party|Mario's last party]]? Well, it's time for round TWO baby! And this time, the gloves are coming off! Mario Party 2 is a game that, while fun for a single player, really shines as a multiplayer event. The more people you can pull away from their pizza and to a Controller, the more fun you're likely to have! Up to four players can play in most of the various different modes that the game has to offer.'' | ||
''Like the original, ''Mario Party 2'' uses a traditional board game interface. There are a total of six different boards that you can compete on (five regular boards, one hidden board), and each board has its own theme. There's [[Pirate Land]] (Yaaaar maytee! Shove off or I'll run ye through with me cutlass!), [[Western Land]] (Anybody up fer a ho'down?), [[Space Land]] (Use the force, Mario!), [[Mystery Land]] (Where's Sherlock when ya need him?), [[Horror Land]] (More frightening than a busload of Barnies), and a hidden board called [[Bowser Land]] (or "Evel Dan Land" as I usually like to refer to it) that is earned upon successful completion of the other five boards.'' | ''Like the original, ''Mario Party 2'' uses a traditional board game interface. There are a total of six different boards that you can compete on (five regular boards, one hidden board), and each board has its own theme. There's [[Pirate Land]] (Yaaaar maytee! Shove off or I'll run ye through with me cutlass!), [[Western Land]] (Anybody up fer a ho'down?), [[Space Land]] (Use the force, Mario!), [[Mystery Land]] (Where's Sherlock when ya need him?), [[Horror Land]] (More frightening than a busload of Barnies), and a hidden board called [[Bowser Land]] (or "[[Ask Dan|Evel Dan Land]]" as I usually like to refer to it) that is earned upon successful completion of the other five boards.'' | ||
''The name of the game is collecting [[Star]]s, and there's more than one way to hoard 'em! You can find [[Toad]] on each board, pay up yer{{sic}} 20 [[coin]]s, and he (or is it a she?) will give you a Star each time that you do. You can pay Boo to steal other players' Stars, and if you turn on the "Special" option you can even find Stars hidden throughout the spaces on the board as well.'' | ''The name of the game is collecting [[Star]]s, and there's more than one way to hoard 'em! You can find [[Toad]] on each board, pay up yer{{sic}} 20 [[coin]]s, and he (or is it a she?) will give you a Star each time that you do. You can pay Boo to steal other players' Stars, and if you turn on the "Special" option you can even find Stars hidden throughout the spaces on the board as well.'' | ||
''While each board has it's own special look and feel, there are some features common to every board. What features am I referring to? Banks, Boos and Baby Bowsers — oh my! The bank is where you'll pay up five coins every time you pass by. If you land directly on the bank's space, you'll win all the coins that people have given up to "the man" thus far in the game. | ''While each board has it's own special look and feel, there are some features common to every board. What features am I referring to? Banks, Boos and Baby Bowsers — oh my! The bank is where you'll pay up five coins every time you pass by. If you land directly on the bank's space, you'll win all the coins that people have given up to "the man" thus far in the game. Every time you pass a Boo space, you'll be given the opportunity to buy a chance to rip off some coins (or a Star) from your competitors! [[Koopa Kid|Baby Bowser]] appears at random locations throughout the boards, so be careful. When you deal with Baby Bowser you'll notice two things right away. The first thing that you'll notice is that he'll take five coins from you because he's mean and ornery. The second thing you'll notice is that he's a much better dancer than {{wp|Ricky Martin}}. These features are just a few of the many highlights of the gameplay. You'll have to learn about each board's little idiosyncrasies if you expect to successfully reach Bowser Land.'' | ||
''During each turn of play, a player rolls the die and moves along the board the number of spaces that he or she rolled. After each player has moved, a mini-game battle ensues. The possible choices are 4 vs. 4 play, 3 vs. 1 play, or 2 vs. 2 play. There are a plethora of different games to choose from, so which mini-game you will play is pretty much a matter of chance.'' | ''During each turn of play, a player rolls the die and moves along the board the number of spaces that he or she rolled. After each player has moved, a mini-game battle ensues. The possible choices are 4 vs. 4 play, 3 vs. 1 play, or 2 vs. 2 play. There are a plethora of different games to choose from, so which mini-game you will play is pretty much a matter of chance.'' | ||
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''Feeling insecure about your [[minigame|mini-game]] playing skills? Good news! With the arrival of Mario Party 2, you now have the option to practice a mini-game as many times as you like before you actually compete for coins and glory. When a mini-game is chosen by the computer there is a practice option that can be activated by pressing the R Button. This becomes especially handy in single-player play, as you can never rely on the computer to be unfamiliar with a mini-game. Take a few trial runs and improve your odds of winning. After all, practice makes perfect!'' | ''Feeling insecure about your [[minigame|mini-game]] playing skills? Good news! With the arrival of Mario Party 2, you now have the option to practice a mini-game as many times as you like before you actually compete for coins and glory. When a mini-game is chosen by the computer there is a practice option that can be activated by pressing the R Button. This becomes especially handy in single-player play, as you can never rely on the computer to be unfamiliar with a mini-game. Take a few trial runs and improve your odds of winning. After all, practice makes perfect!'' | ||
''Aside from the regular board modes there is a place called Mini-Game Land where you can buy mini-games from a large tree who is very appropriately named "Woody." You must have played a particular mini-game in regular board play before Woody will be willing to sell it to you, and you must have the coins to pay for it. | ''Aside from the regular board modes there is a place called Mini-Game Land where you can buy mini-games from a large tree who is very appropriately named "Woody." You must have played a particular mini-game in regular board play before Woody will be willing to sell it to you, and you must have the coins to pay for it. So how does one get coins? After completing each regular board you will be given coins for the feat, and those are used to buy mini-games in Mini-Game Land. There's a coin bank in Mini-Game Land that will allow you to check your current coin hoard with the mere press of a button.'' | ||
''Once you have purchased enough mini-games, a place called Mini-Game Stadium appears. In Mini-Game Stadium you'll be able to play a Battle Mode, and later (after you've collected more games) you'll also gain access to Trial Mode and Dual Mode. All of these are additional multi-play modes affording real life players the opportunity to out-race, out-compete and basically out-spank their buddies. If you collect EVERY mini-game that MP2 has to offer, you'll gain access to a nifty single-player game called the Mini-Game Coaster. If you manage to beat this gauntlet of mini-game mayhem you may (or may not) get a special prize! Come now, you don't expect me to tell you everything, do ya?'' | ''Once you have purchased enough mini-games, a place called Mini-Game Stadium appears. In Mini-Game Stadium you'll be able to play a Battle Mode, and later (after you've collected more games) you'll also gain access to Trial Mode and Dual Mode. All of these are additional multi-play modes affording real life players the opportunity to out-race, out-compete and basically out-spank their buddies. If you collect EVERY mini-game that MP2 has to offer, you'll gain access to a nifty single-player game called the Mini-Game Coaster. If you manage to beat this gauntlet of mini-game mayhem you may (or may not) get a special prize! Come now, you don't expect me to tell you everything, do ya?'' | ||
Revision as of 20:33, April 19, 2025
Trav's Test Drive was a section of the official Nsider website. In this segment, Travis (or "Trav") would provide a review of an upcoming Nintendo game. Travis usually provided reviews of sports games, though Travis would occasionally review an action-adventure game (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time) or a party game (Mario Party 2). One of the reviews Travis did is of a game in the Super Mario franchise, this being the Mario Party 2 review.
Mario Party 2 review
Heyyyy party peoooplllleee! I just finished playing Nintendo's latest release, Mario Party 2, and I must say that the game is an excellent addition to your list of party time options. Here at last is a balm for those well-planned, yet poorly executed parties that seem to be, well ... lame. When party-goers begin to get restless, and your Barry Manilow boxed set just isn't getting things swingin', pop in a copy of Mario Party 2 and save the day! It's more high-tech, more interesting and more fun than that ubiquitous party favorite Twister, and you don't hafta worry about the classic right-foot-yellow-left-hand-green predicament!
Still repining the butt-kicking that your most excellent friends handed to you during Mario's last party? Well, it's time for round TWO baby! And this time, the gloves are coming off! Mario Party 2 is a game that, while fun for a single player, really shines as a multiplayer event. The more people you can pull away from their pizza and to a Controller, the more fun you're likely to have! Up to four players can play in most of the various different modes that the game has to offer.
Like the original, Mario Party 2 uses a traditional board game interface. There are a total of six different boards that you can compete on (five regular boards, one hidden board), and each board has its own theme. There's Pirate Land (Yaaaar maytee! Shove off or I'll run ye through with me cutlass!), Western Land (Anybody up fer a ho'down?), Space Land (Use the force, Mario!), Mystery Land (Where's Sherlock when ya need him?), Horror Land (More frightening than a busload of Barnies), and a hidden board called Bowser Land (or "Evel Dan Land" as I usually like to refer to it) that is earned upon successful completion of the other five boards.
The name of the game is collecting Stars, and there's more than one way to hoard 'em! You can find Toad on each board, pay up yer[sic] 20 coins, and he (or is it a she?) will give you a Star each time that you do. You can pay Boo to steal other players' Stars, and if you turn on the "Special" option you can even find Stars hidden throughout the spaces on the board as well.
While each board has it's own special look and feel, there are some features common to every board. What features am I referring to? Banks, Boos and Baby Bowsers — oh my! The bank is where you'll pay up five coins every time you pass by. If you land directly on the bank's space, you'll win all the coins that people have given up to "the man" thus far in the game. Every time you pass a Boo space, you'll be given the opportunity to buy a chance to rip off some coins (or a Star) from your competitors! Baby Bowser appears at random locations throughout the boards, so be careful. When you deal with Baby Bowser you'll notice two things right away. The first thing that you'll notice is that he'll take five coins from you because he's mean and ornery. The second thing you'll notice is that he's a much better dancer than Ricky Martin. These features are just a few of the many highlights of the gameplay. You'll have to learn about each board's little idiosyncrasies if you expect to successfully reach Bowser Land.
During each turn of play, a player rolls the die and moves along the board the number of spaces that he or she rolled. After each player has moved, a mini-game battle ensues. The possible choices are 4 vs. 4 play, 3 vs. 1 play, or 2 vs. 2 play. There are a plethora of different games to choose from, so which mini-game you will play is pretty much a matter of chance.
Feeling insecure about your mini-game playing skills? Good news! With the arrival of Mario Party 2, you now have the option to practice a mini-game as many times as you like before you actually compete for coins and glory. When a mini-game is chosen by the computer there is a practice option that can be activated by pressing the R Button. This becomes especially handy in single-player play, as you can never rely on the computer to be unfamiliar with a mini-game. Take a few trial runs and improve your odds of winning. After all, practice makes perfect!
Aside from the regular board modes there is a place called Mini-Game Land where you can buy mini-games from a large tree who is very appropriately named "Woody." You must have played a particular mini-game in regular board play before Woody will be willing to sell it to you, and you must have the coins to pay for it. So how does one get coins? After completing each regular board you will be given coins for the feat, and those are used to buy mini-games in Mini-Game Land. There's a coin bank in Mini-Game Land that will allow you to check your current coin hoard with the mere press of a button.
Once you have purchased enough mini-games, a place called Mini-Game Stadium appears. In Mini-Game Stadium you'll be able to play a Battle Mode, and later (after you've collected more games) you'll also gain access to Trial Mode and Dual Mode. All of these are additional multi-play modes affording real life players the opportunity to out-race, out-compete and basically out-spank their buddies. If you collect EVERY mini-game that MP2 has to offer, you'll gain access to a nifty single-player game called the Mini-Game Coaster. If you manage to beat this gauntlet of mini-game mayhem you may (or may not) get a special prize! Come now, you don't expect me to tell you everything, do ya?
All in all, this game scores big for the multi-play party scene. Though I had fun in the single-player modes, the time I spent there cannot compare to the thrill of humiliating real-life, human rivals in multi-player matches. The game has a cool "Rules Land" which basically saves all the reading inept folks like myself out there the tear-jerking tedium of going through the instruction manual to get the swing of things. MP2 also gives you a high scores menu, TONS of new mini-games, and best of all: a save feature. So the next time the cops try to bust up your party, you just save your progress, grab your game, and hit the back door fast! ;D[sic]
NOA Travis(Frogboy)
Cyberjock/Chat Host
Nintendo of America Inc.
Gallery
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Our documentation of the subject is inadequate. Only remove this notice if the complete work is recovered and made available publicly.
Travis included various screenshots of Mario Party 2 in his review of the game.
External link
- Mario Party 2 review (archived)
| Mario Party 2 | |
|---|---|
| Main characters | Mario • Luigi • Princess Peach • Yoshi • Wario • Donkey Kong |
| Other characters | Bowser • Toad • Goomba • Boo • Koopa Troopa • Thwomp • Kamek • Whomp • Big Boo • Mr. I • Mushroom Genie • Steamer • Snifit Patrol • Shy Guy • Sushi • Baby Bowser • Woody • Professor Fungi • Battle T. • Totem Bros. |
| Items | Mushroom • Skeleton Key • Plunder Chest • Dueling Glove • Warp Block • Golden Mushroom • Magic Lamp • Boo Bell • Bowser Suit • Bowser Bomb |
| Spaces | Blue Space • Red Space • Item Space • Happening Space • Battle Space • Bowser Space • Star Space • Chance Time Space • Bank Space |
| Boards | Pirate Land • Western Land • Space Land • Mystery Land • Horror Land • Bowser Land |
| Other | Crazy Counting • Dinky Rinky • Goodness Rakes • Melon Mayhem • Nintendo 64 Funtastic Series Personality Test • Nomiss • Rules Land • Gallery • Mario Land • Multimedia • Minigames • Pre-release and unused content • Quotes • Sound test • Staff • Trav's Test Drive |
