Mario Party 2
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Game Information
Release Date: January 24, 2000
Developers: Hudson Soft
Publishers: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo 64
Genre: Party
Players: 1-4

Synopsis
Mario Party 2 is the sequel to the original Mario Party for the Nintendo 64. Mario and the gang are fighting for the rights for a new amusement park,and whoever defeats Bowser gets the place named after them.
The objective is simple and similar to the previous Mario Party: obtain stars and defeat Bowser. This game introduces the first use of collectible items in Mario Party's history. (The first game had items, but they simply added optional rules or game modes to the game.) Each board has its own tricks and turns. The playable characters, as well as Bowser, wear different outfits based on the theme of the board.Players can no longer lose coins in normal minigames. Battle, Item, and Duel minigames are introduced in Mario Party 2. Battle Minigames give every player a chance to win 70% of the stocked Jackpot taken from players (usually a set amount). The top two get a 70/30 share, while the bottom two get nothing; a leftover coin is given randomly.

Plot
The game starts out when Mario and the rest of the cast are debating about what the land should be called. Arguing with each other, everybody wanted it named after themselves. As the entire party is arguing, Bowser storms in and confronts Toad that he will be the new ruler of the land and then from there, gains control. Later on, a Koopa warns Mario and his friends about how Bowser has taken control of the new land but is ignore due to them arguing. Toad then steps in and shouts about it. Mario and everybody else cease arguing and noticed what Toad said, "Whoever defeats Bowser will have the new land named after them, so everybody rushes out to go and defeat Bowser.

Gameplay
For a game in its time, Mario Party 2 was a very fun and addicting game to play. The player will be able to play on 6 different maps and must collect as many stars as they can in the selected amount of turns the game will have. At the beginning of the game , players will roll a dice to see who goes first, second, third, and fourth. Throughout the game, players will land on spaces that will perform certain actions when landed on, ranging from giving or losing 3 coins depending on the color of the space. If a player passes a bank and doesn't land on it directly, they will have to pay up 5 coins or depending on how much they have to the bak until somebody lands on it and will take all the coins in the bak and resets. Some spaces will have a certain event that would happen, either the space will have something occur on the map or will initiate a mini-game for the players. With the coins the player upholds, the player can use the coins to purchase items or purchase stars to gain the lead in the game. When the last 5 turns come up, the player that is in last place will be selected to make some changes that will occur on the map. These changes could make all spaces will you earn or lose coins double, or make all red spaces change into Bowser spaces. At the end of the game, the player with the most stars wins the game.

Items
Mushroom - When used, this item allows the player to roll two Dice Blocks instead of one. The two digits that the player rolls are added up together, and the player will move that many spaces. If the two digits are an exact match, the player will obtain 10 Coins.
Skeleton Key - This item is activated automatically whenever a player who possesses it is about to run into a locked gate.
Plunder Chest - When this item is used, the player using it will steal the item from a randomly chosen opponent.
Dueling Glove - When used, the player using it will summon a Goomba. The player will then choose an opponent to duel in a duel minigame. After this, the player will have the option to choose how much is to be duelled for. This is always Coins.
Warp Block - When used, the Warp Block will appear above the player using it. The player will then hit the block to be teleported to the same space as of another player is.
Golden Mushroom - When used, the player using it will roll three Dice Blocks. The digits of all three rolls are added together, and the player will move equally much. If all the digits match, the player using it will receive 20 Coins.
Magic Lamp - When used, the player using it will directly be taken to the Star Space where they will be asked whether they want to purchase a Power Star or not.
Boo Bell - When used, the player using it will summon Boo. Boo will then ask the player whom to steal from, whether it be Coins or a Power Star.
Bowser Suit - When used, the player using it will masquerade themselves as Bowser. The masqueraded player will then roll the Dice Block, and any players whom are passed will have to give twenty Coins to the masqueraded player.
Bowser Bomb - When a player obtains this item in an item minigame, Bowser will use it at the end of the current turn. When used, Koopa Kid will transform into Bowser. Bowser will then roll three Dice Blocks, and will move accordingly. Any player that Bowser passes will lose all of their Coins.

Graphics
The graphics in Mario Party 2 were at its best during it's time. Mario Party 2 was created by using 3-d computer graphic imaging like it's predecessor Mario Party. The construction and detail on all the maps are very well detailed and balance. For a game its age, the player would think that the graphics are terrible and up to standards as they are today. The lettering on the items and certain landmarks are balanced enough so the player doesn't have to squint to see them clearer. When playing on a certain map, the player's character is equipped with a unique costume set specifically for the map they are playing on and look clear to identify what is what on the character's costume.

Controls
The controls in Mario Party 2 vary since there are over 60+ mini-games to play and the controls well vary for each one. For players that had played Mario Party, should have an advantage and experience fewer problems to the mini-games than the players that are new to the Mario Party series. Some mini-games requires player to use multiple buttons to perform certain actions that are necessary to be used in that particular game, while other mini-games require the player to just move the control stick, so the controls cary in which type of mini-game the player is playing. But there is an upside to this since Mario Party 2 has a practice mode to aid players that don't understand how to play the mini-game before actually playing the mini-game for real.

Rating
Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 9.7/10
Controls: 9.6
Overall: 10/10