Software:Mario Party 9

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Short description: 2012 video game
Mario Party 9
North American box art
Developer(s)NDcube[1]
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Shuichiro Nishiya
Producer(s)Hiroshi Sato
Atsushi Ikeda
Designer(s)Tatsumitsu Watanabe
Programmer(s)Shinji Shibasaki
Artist(s)Hiroshi Hayashi
Composer(s)Toshiki Aida
Ryosuke Asami
SeriesMario Party
Platform(s)Wii
Release
Genre(s)Party
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Mario Party 9 (Japanese: マリオパーティ9, Hepburn: Mario Pāti Nain) is a 2012 party video game developed by NDcube and published by Nintendo for the Wii.[3] The ninth main installment in the Mario Party series, it was announced at E3 2011[4][5] and released in Europe, North America, and Australia in March 2012, followed by Japan a month later. It was the first game in the series not to be developed by Hudson Soft, which was acquired and dissolved by Konami on March 1, 2012, the day before the game's European release. Instead, development was taken over by Nintendo studio NDCube (who remains the developer of the series to this day). This was also the final Mario game to be released on the Wii.

Mario Party 9 was the second and last game in the series released for the Wii, and was followed by Software:Mario Party: Island Tour for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013, and Mario Party 10 for the Wii U in 2015. It was also one of the last official first-party Wii games released in North America, followed by Software:Project Zero 2: Wii Edition and Kirby's Dream Collection.

Mario Party 9 includes seven game boards, twelve playable characters, and more than eighty minigames. The game received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its gameplay, graphics, multiplayer, minigames, and content, considering it an improvement on its predecessor. However, its overhaul of mechanics received a mixed reception for its linear boards and emphasis on luck.

Gameplay

Thwomper Room, one of the free-for-all minigames in Mario Party 9

Following the format of previous Mario Party titles, Mario Party 9 sees two to four players compete in an interactive board game, moving around a virtual game board and playing minigames. A new gameplay element in all of the boards is that all four players move around together in one car.[6][7] The number of spaces the player moves is determined by a roll of the dice block found within the game. Instead of trying to collect coins to buy stars, players receive Mini Stars if they pass by them. Whoever collects the most Mini Stars wins the game. While doing that, players must also try to avoid Mini Ztars, which deduct their current amount of Mini Stars. Mini Stars and Mini Ztars are replaced with bananas and Z-bananas on the board "DK's Jungle Ruins".

Minigames have a larger focus on the gameplay than they did in the previous game.[8][9] However, the minigames don't appear after everyone moves, but only when a player ends up on any of the spaces or events that triggers a minigame. A person can play on solo mode to unlock the final stage, as well as two playable characters.

Another new feature is that each board culminates in a boss battle that is played with all players in the vehicle.[10] There is also a boss battle at the halfway point of a board. There are 81 minigames in Mario Party 9, divided into five categories: Free-for-all, 1-vs.-Rivals, Bowser Jr., Boss Battle, and Extra.[11]

At the end of each stage, the number of Mini Stars the player collects is converted into Party Points, which can be used to buy new stages, constellations, vehicles, difficulties, and sounds in the museum.

Mario Party 9 features 12 playable characters, 10 of whom are available from the start: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, Birdo, Toad, and Koopa Troopa. Two characters—Shy Guy and Kamek—can be unlocked through Solo Mode. Additionally, the game provides seven boards: Toad Road, Bob-omb Factory, Boo's Horror Castle, Blooper Beach, Magma Mine, Bowser Station, and DK's Jungle Ruins. Both Bowser Station and DK's Jungle Ruins are unlockable.

Plot

The game's story mode begins with the player selecting one of the ten starting playable characters. One night outside of Princess Peach's Castle, the characters gather to watch the Mini Stars glitter in the sky, only for the stars to be sucked away on a spacecraft by Bowser and Bowser Jr. The player character leads a charge with the others to defeat the Bowsers and save the Mini Stars, with Shy Guy and Kamek following from behind as part of Bowser's plan.

The player character travels through all six courses to recover the Mini Stars, fighting off two henchmen selected by Bowser. They must defeat Shy Guy and/or Kamek on each course, assisted throughout by randomly assigned ally characters. In the final course, Bowser Station, the character must defeat both Shy Guy and Kamek en route to defeating Bowser. Bowser's machines trapping the Mini Stars are destroyed, and all the Mini Stars will return to the sky.

The player character will wave goodbye to the stars as they depart for the night sky. Bowser and Bowser Jr. are seen flying in their Clown Cars, their plan to decorate their castle with Mini Stars foiled. All the characters then reunite to witness the Mini Stars once again, and the story concludes with the ending sentences: "And so the adventure came to an end. Rescued by (the character that the player chose), the Mini Stars were free to glitter in the night sky forever."

Reception

Critical response

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic73/100[12]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Destructoid7.5/10[13]
Famitsu34/40[14]
Game Informer5.75/10[15]
GameRevolution3/5[16]
GameSpot6/10[17]
GamesRadar+4/5[19]
GameTrailers7.2/10[18]
IGN7/10[20]
Joystiq4/5[21]
Nintendo Life8/10[22]
Nintendo Power8/10[23]
Nintendo World Report8.5/10[24]
8.5/10[25]
ONM86%[27]
VideoGamer.com7/10[26]
The Digital Fix7/10[28]

Mario Party 9 received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[12] In Japan, four critics from Famitsu gave the game a total score of 34 out of 40.[14]

German magazine N-Zone gave Mario Party 9 a 75% score for single player mode, and 85% for multiplayer mode.[29] Nintendo Power said that "the majority of the game's 82 activities are fun", while commenting that "some may be discouraged by the game's radical changes".[23] IGN praised the game's graphical improvement and its control style. Like previous Mario Party games, IGN strongly criticized the luck-based factor of the game.[20] GamesRadar praised Mario Party 9 for being balanced, but criticized the predictability of the boards.[30] Ashton Raze of GameSpot said that the game is too "predictable" and "much too familiar". However, he praised the game's wide variety of fun mini-games and cheerful, colorful visuals.[17]

Sales

As of September 2012, Mario Party 9 had sold 2.24 million copies worldwide.[31] As of December 31, 2020, worldwide sales had reached 3.11 million units, making Mario Party 9 the 26th best-selling game for the Wii.[32]

References

  1. ↑ "Mario Party 9". Nintendo. https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/NmcKbzZnRefioDCbEp2_v6rwsLPpbEEw. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Mario Party 9 (2012)". 24 January 2012. http://www.nintendolife.com/games/wii/mario_party_9. 
  3. ↑ Fletcher, JC (June 12, 2011). "Yep, there's a Mario Party 9". Engadget (Joystiq). https://www.engadget.com/2011/06/12/yep-theres-a-mario-party-9/. 
  4. ↑ Goldfarb, Andrew (January 5, 2012). "Kid Icarus, Mario Party 9 Release Dates Announced". https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/13/kid-icarus-mario-party-9-release-dates-announced. 
  5. ↑ Gamespot Staff (June 7, 2011). "E3 2011: Nintendo details new Wii, DS Kirby, more". Los Angeles. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2011-nintendo-details-new-wii-ds-kirby-more/1100-6317627/. 
  6. ↑ "Nintendo announce Mario Party 9". Everybody Plays. June 14, 2011. http://www.everybodyplays.co.uk/news/Nintendo-announce-Mario-Party-9/692. 
  7. ↑ kksl1der (June 9, 2011). "Mario Party 9 announced". The Nintendo Basement. http://www.thenintendobasement.com/2011/06/wii-news/mario-party-9-announced/. 
  8. ↑ Lucario (June 8, 2011). "E3 2011: Mario Party 9 trailer". Aussie Nintendo. http://www.aussie-nintendo.com/media/e3-2011-mario-party-9-trailer. 
  9. ↑ "E3 2011: MARIO PARTY 9 Announcement Trailer | the Daily BLAM!". http://www.dailyblam.com/news/2011/06/09/e3-2011-mario-party-9-announcement-trailer. 
  10. ↑ Mario Party 9, Nintendo.com
  11. ↑ "Official Site - Mario Party 9 for Wii". Nintendo. http://marioparty9.nintendo.com/. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Mario Party 9 for Wii Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/mario-party-9/critic-reviews/?platform=wii. 
  13. ↑ Holmes, Jonathan (March 31, 2012). "Review: Mario Party 9". http://www.destructoid.com/review-mario-party-9-224500.phtml. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Romano, Sal (April 17, 2012). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1220". Gematsu. http://gematsu.com/2012/04/famitsu-review-scores-issue-1220. 
  15. ↑ Hilliard, Kyle (March 9, 2012). "Mario Party 9: A Small Step Towards Positive Change". Game Informer. https://www.gameinformer.com/games/mario_party_9/b/wii/archive/2012/03/09/mario-party-9-review-a-small-step-towards-positive-change.aspx. Retrieved May 24, 2016. 
  16. ↑ Severino, Anthony (March 19, 2012). "Mario Party 9 Review". GameRevolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/mario-party-9. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Raze, Ashton (March 13, 2012). "Mario Party 9 Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mario-party-9-review/1900-6365698/. 
  18. ↑ "Mario Party 9 Review". GameTrailers. March 14, 2012. http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=15005. 
  19. ↑ Gilbert, Henry (March 6, 2012). "Mario Party 9 review". https://www.gamesradar.com/mario-party-9-review/. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Claiborn, Samuel (March 9, 2012). "Mario Party 9 Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/03/10/mario-party-9-review. 
  21. ↑ Cabral, Matt (March 14, 2012). "Mario Party 9 review: Rolling like a boss". Engadget (Joystiq). https://www.engadget.com/2012/03/14/mario-party-9-review/. 
  22. ↑ Newton, James (2012-03-01). "Review: Mario Party 9 (Wii)" (in en-GB). https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wii/mario_party_9. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Mario Party 9". Nintendo Power 276: 84. March 2012. 
  24. ↑ Koopman, Daan (March 4, 2012). "Mario Party 9". https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/29440/mario-party-9-wii. 
  25. ↑ Hernandez, Pedro (March 12, 2012). "Mario Party 9". https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/29520/mario-party-9-wii. 
  26. ↑ Orry, Tom (March 2, 2012). "Mario Party 9 Review". VideoGamer.com. http://www.videogamer.com/wii/mario_party/review.html. 
  27. ↑ Scullion, Chris (February 28, 2012). "Mario Party 9 review". pp. 1–2. http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk:80/35923/mario-party-9-review. 
  28. ↑ Gallagher, Gareth (April 13, 2012). "Mario Party 9". The Digital Fix. http://gaming.thedigitalfix.com/content/id/814/mario-party-9.html. 
  29. ↑ Schirado, Tyler (February 15, 2012). "New 'Mario Party 9' Gameplay Details and Mini-Game Descriptions". GameRant. http://gamerant.com/mario-party-9-details-mini-games-ts-133066/. 
  30. ↑ Gilbert, Henry (March 6, 2012). "Mario Party 9 review". GamesRadar. http://www.gamesradar.com/mario-party-9-review/. 
  31. ↑ "Financial Results Briefing for the Six-Month Period Ended September 2012". Nintendo. October 25, 2012. p. 6. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2012/121025e.pdf#page=7. 
  32. ↑ 2020CESAゲーム白書 (2020 CESA Games White Papers). Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association. 2020. ISBN 978-4-902346-42-8. 

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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