The single player mode of MP5 is much more tolerable. MP4 basically made you play the normal 4P game with three CPU opponents. MP5 pares down the experience considerably, giving you three Koopa Kids that all move at once... plus the game boards in single are half the size of the boards in multi. And instead of the whole coins-for-stars dynamic - which made MP4's single player mode radically difficult - you just have to beat the Koopas down to zero coins. It's pretty interesting to play, since most of the mini-games turn out to be 1 on 1 duels, which are rarely seen in multiplayer games. Although this year's boss sequence at the end of the mode isn't as cool (or as long) as last year's. The pics here are from the credit roll when you beat 1P mode.

MP5 has more minigames - almost twice as many - as MP4. When it comes to Mario Party, the amount of minigames is of supreme importance. They're all newly designed, even if some repeat the gameplay of older iterations. Come on, you don't really think they'd abandon games with fast repeated A button mashing?

The gameboards are multileveled now, as compared to the flat and sort of boring looking maps from MP4. They're also much less frustrating, so you won't have as many problems with getting lost or stuck in infinite loops. There can still be an awful lot of waiting around, especially while watching a long item-attack sequence. The mini-mega system of MP4 has also been ditched, which I don't miss in the least because it was such a pain to explain to people.

There's a ton of extra modes now, which is where MP5 really gives you your $50 worth. Several mini-game only modes, for those who want to get right to the action. A "card game" which is sort of like the normal game without mini-games. A vehicle combat mode where you build custom cars and fight, arena-style. But the standouts are Ice Hockey and Beach Volleyball. Beach Volleyball is like Beach Spikers without the clumsy camera and annoying announcer. Ice Hockey is a decent 3 on 3 Mariofied sport, with CPU goalies and simplistic controls... but it works rather well. I've always thought hockey would be a great choice for the next Mario Sports title, and this little bonus game shows what it might be like. Since these two extras are just that, extras, they're not exactly fully-realized games, but they're fast and fun and a completely unexpected bonus.

By the way, I have to mention how well Nintendo's customer service department works. Every time I have emailed them, I have received a relevant and helpful response. (For customer service issues anyway, not inanities like "WHEN IS TEH NEXT ANIMAL CROSSING GAME OUT.")

Examples: when I was concerned about missing the first issue on my Nintendo Power subscription, they explained that new subscriptions often take a little longer to get moving but that I would definitely receive the January 03 issue with the kickass Smash Bros orchestral CD. When I emailed them about Toys R Us screwing me out of my Double Dash demo disc, they gave me a phone number to call... and that operator was extremely helpful, telling me what I could do and what Toys R Us might have done to fuck things up. About a week and a half later, Nintendo sent me a Double Dash demo disc at their expense.

Whatever they're doing, whatever they're spending, however many people they employ... they're doing it right. Nintendo knows how to take care of their customers.