here is an review from nintendo.com it self.
Everything you love about Mario Party...in the palm of your hand!
When Mario and his friends are shrunk down for Mario Party DS, harmless
locations take on menacing proportions in five game boards, such as
Wiggler’s Garden and Toadette’s Music Room.
The party boards and minigames are crazier than ever in a new title that
shrinks down the whole Mario crew for whimsical party play.
With 70+ minigames and five themed game boards, Mario Party DS packs
all the goods for portable play. And it’s brought to life with fun
surprises players can see only on Nintendo DS, such as touch control,
microphone control and dual-screen challenges.
Users can play as one of eight characters: Mario®, Luigi, Yoshi™,
Peach, Daisy, Toad, Wario™ and Waluigi. They’re all ready to foil
Bowser’s latest scheme. He seeks five powerful crystals and shrinks
down the crew so they can’t stop him. But each of the tiny heroes
wants to be the one and only Superstar that brings down Bowser.
Mario Party DS makes the series’ multiplayer action portable at last,
from playing with friends on the game boards to challenging them in
favorite minigames. And now players can throw a party anywhere and
play wirelessly with friends, since much of the game can be shared to
other Nintendo DS systems from just one game card.
In the Mario Party series, after everyone takes a turn moving on the
game board, the action shifts to a minigame. In Mario Party DS, the
minigames are crazier than ever, because everyday objects are a huge
threat to the minimized crew. More than 70 minigames use the Nintendo DS
Touch Screen, the microphone and standard buttons in a surprising
combination of ways. Players will fling massive hamburgers with the
stylus, drag huge leaves out of the way in a forest race and literally
blow down a gargantuan Whomp.
Story Mode (1 Player): In this solo mode, Mario and his friends
are shrunk down by Bowser. As players make their way to Bowser’s castle,
they must win first place on each game board, then beat the Boss
Minigame for each board.
Party Mode (1-4 Players): Compete against human or
system-controlled players on a party board in a Battle Royale, Tag
Battle or Duel Battle.
Minigame Mode (1-4 Players): Enjoy six games that draw upon the
pool of 70+ minigames for challenges that don’t take place on the game
boards: Free Play, Step It Up, Battle Cup, Score Scuffle, Boss Bash and
Rocket Rascals.
Puzzle Mode (1-2 Players): Play six puzzle-action games, which
include five classics from previous Mario Party games. This mode also
includes the new touch-controlled Triangle Twisters, which has two play
modes. In Frenzy Mode, players clear the field by twisting triangles so
they connect with those of the same color. In Focus Mode, they twist
them to build complex shapes, like turtles and pinwheels.
Multiplayer (2-4 Players): Using one game card, players can
wirelessly share Party Mode and Minigame Mode (2-4 players), plus Puzzle
Mode (2 players) and the download-only Extras Mode with nearby friends
who have a Nintendo DS. Extras Mode includes games that are designed for
two-player gaming: cooperative Pen Pals and competitive Desert Duel.
Gallery Mode: Check out 150 prizes, which includes figures, music
and cutscenes.
Characters: Play as eight classic characters, including Mario,
Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, Daisy, Peach and Toad. The tiny characters
will encounter many “gigantic” friends and foes from the Mario universe,
including Bowser, Toadette, Donkey Kong® and Hammer Bro.
Special powers/weapons/moves/features: Mario Party DS brings back
a play dynamic from previous games: putting traps on board spaces.
Players can obtain Hexes, such as the Coin Swap Hex, then stick them on
board spaces in the hope that other players stop on them.
