Mario Party Advance (2005). Play online

Summary

Mario Party Advance turns the GBA into a portable party board where you steer a tiny car around whimsical tracks as Mario, Luigi, Peach or Yoshi. You start with four Mushrooms – the game’s life counter – and earn more by winning one of the 60‑plus single‑player mini‑games that appear every few turns, spending the coins you collect on Professor E. Gadd’s quirky Gaddgets such as the Lip Disguise‑o‑matic, Finger X‑Ray and Compatibility Meter. Those gadgets let you extend the fun beyond the screen, unlocking hidden tricks and even a paper board that can be used with friends.

The title replaces the classic multiplayer party mode with a new “Shroom City” hub and supports limited two‑player battles via a Link Cable for around a dozen Gaddgets. Critics praised the colorful sprite work and the variety of solo challenges, but noted the reliance on random chance, sparse multiplayer options and the modest 2‑D graphics. The game later resurfaced on the Wii U Virtual Console, giving newcomers a nostalgic handheld experience of the Mario Party spirit.

Storyline

Mario Party Advance sends you roaming the streets of Shroom City on a scavenger hunt. Bowser has hidden every minigame and the quirky "Gaddgets" throughout the town, and the player must track them down by taking on quests handed out by the city’s colorful residents. Each completed quest brings you closer to reclaiming the lost games and restoring the city’s fun. The Gaddgets, a line of interactive gadgets invented by Professor E. Gadd, range from a Morse‑code generator to a love‑meter, adding a playful tech twist to the adventure.