Play Mario Party DS (AC8) (K) Online

Mario Party DS came out in 2007 for the Nintendo DS, developed and published by Nintendo. It was one of the better party games on the handheld, making good use of the system's features without feeling forced. The game fit right into that era of local multiplayer, where you could meet up with friends and play together without needing extra cartridges.

You control one of several Mario characters, moving around themed boards by rolling dice blocks. The main goal is to collect more stars than your opponents, which you buy from a roaming character or sometimes earn through special events. Signature mechanics include touchscreen mini-games where you might frantically tap or scribble to win, and others that use the microphone, like blowing into it to inflate a balloon or steer a raft. The pacing is brisk, with turns moving quickly and mini-games breaking up the board action every few rounds. It feels chaotic and lighthearted, especially when you sabotage friends with clever item use or last-second mini-game reversals.