When it started out on the Nintendo 64, Mario Party signaled a change in the way board-based video games were played. What once was simply just a reconstruction of a popular game turned into a chaotic free-for-all where the tide could turn in a heartbeat.

But does a series that has been increasingly growing stale translate to Nintendo's handheld? The answer is yes, and while the stylus is not always a perfect method for control, it's still pretty fun and will lead to hours of good game play.

The story is pretty standard fare for anything Nintendo's ever made with Mario in it. Bowser, who is once again trying to rule the world/galaxy/universe/etc., has shrunk Mario and Co. and it's up Mario and his buddies to stop them. The only time this is of any importance is in the game's story mode, where you play through five different boards with a certain character.

But there's far more than a story mode. There's a basic free play mode that lets you play all of the minigames you've unlocked, single play mode, modes that let you play in mini-game competitions, and a puzzle mode featuring all of the puzzle games from past Mario Party titles along with a brand-new puzzle game to unlock. Like in past Mario Party titles, there are several options to choose from to customize game play, including game length, selecting which minigame groups you want to play, and A.I. difficulty.

The game plays like just about every Mario Party title before it: you roll the dice, trying to collect all the coins you can to buy items and stars. In between turns, you play mini-games to collect even more coins. So, in a sense, the core game play mechanic is still there. The only big difference in that is that each board in story mode ends with a boss battle mini-game.

In regards to controls, the game uses three control methods: the mic, the stylus and touch screen, and traditional button controls. Each game lets you know beforehand which control method you'll be using, but some games feel like they've been assigned the wrong controls. Some of the stylus-related titles aren't exactly easy to pull off or don't control as they should all the time. Others can only be won by nothing more than dumb luck. It's also going to look a bit odd when you're blowing into the mic in public to blow out a fuse, isn't it?