Mario Party games are interesting games to review, because for almost 10 years, it was an annual release. So even though most players wouldn't put it in the same genre as sports games, it was following effectively the same model. This led to a lack of variability from title to title, and most people's favorite Mario Party game just tends to be the one they had at the time. While the model would inevitably get stale after so many releases in such a short time, Mario Party 2 was released early enough in the series where it still felt unique. And, building on the groundwork that was laid by the debut game one year earlier, Mario Party 2 became-and has remained-one of the most enjoyable entries in the series.
All Mario Party games worth playing essentially have the same gameplay, so usually personal preference will come down to what boards they enjoy, or which mini-games are their favorite. MP2, being the 2nd entry in the series, came at a time when the mini-games still felt fresh, and it removed most of the mediocre ones from its predecessor as well. This results in a much more pleasant-and less painful-gameplay experience. Each of the boards are unique and enjoyable enough, and the gameplay is attractive enough even to those who normally don't enjoy games. Players that are more competitive might not appreciate the RNG heavy nature of Mario Party 2 (or any of its sequels), but it's fun enough as a casual party game. The graphics, while poorly aged, aren't as bad as other titles from the same era; the game is still able to convey what is happening to the players relatively well. There's a single player mode as well, but it's mostly irrelevant.
Mario Party 2 doesn't really do anything unique, and it doesn't offer a great gaming experience, but it's content with what it is, and players most likely will be, too. It's not fair, but it's fun. The games generally do tend to go on for slightly too long, and it relies on all players being invested in finishing the game for it to be truly enjoyable. The Nintendo 64 was the king of multiplayer games at its time, and while there were certainly more engaging multiplayer games available on the system, Mario Party 2 is the best at what it strives to do. It's simple enough for anyone to play and enjoy, and it doesn't need to be anything more than that.
All Mario Party games worth playing essentially have the same gameplay, so usually personal preference will come down to what boards they enjoy, or which mini-games are their favorite. MP2, being the 2nd entry in the series, came at a time when the mini-games still felt fresh, and it removed most of the mediocre ones from its predecessor as well. This results in a much more pleasant-and less painful-gameplay experience. Each of the boards are unique and enjoyable enough, and the gameplay is attractive enough even to those who normally don't enjoy games. Players that are more competitive might not appreciate the RNG heavy nature of Mario Party 2 (or any of its sequels), but it's fun enough as a casual party game. The graphics, while poorly aged, aren't as bad as other titles from the same era; the game is still able to convey what is happening to the players relatively well. There's a single player mode as well, but it's mostly irrelevant.
Mario Party 2 doesn't really do anything unique, and it doesn't offer a great gaming experience, but it's content with what it is, and players most likely will be, too. It's not fair, but it's fun. The games generally do tend to go on for slightly too long, and it relies on all players being invested in finishing the game for it to be truly enjoyable. The Nintendo 64 was the king of multiplayer games at its time, and while there were certainly more engaging multiplayer games available on the system, Mario Party 2 is the best at what it strives to do. It's simple enough for anyone to play and enjoy, and it doesn't need to be anything more than that.