Video game review

‘WII PARTY’

Grade: C

Details: Nintendo, for Wii; rated E

“Mario Party 8” came out more than three years ago. Now, the Mario theme has been stripped out and the series’ concept retooled for “Wii Party,” which uses customized Miis as player representatives.

Without Mario and the gang around, the party feels a little flat, and the game is really meant for a group to play, not just one person.

There are several game modes for one to four players. Board Game Island is the one that’s closest to the old “Mario Party” template. Players roll dice to progress along a pathway. Minigames between rounds determine the order of play.

That play-order mechanic is also used for Globe Trot, in which players choose randomly from a hand of cards to move between cities of the world. The goal is to collect souvenir photos from specific locations.

—Justin Hoeger, Sacramento Bee