Which Video Game for X-mas?

[Markio]

OK, I know the poll option is overused and probably could have been avoided... but too bad!  Gwahaha! 

...Anyway, which game do you think would be a better gift for Christmas?  I have never played any form of Yoshi's Island, and I've only played a Mario Party or two for the N64, but only as a rental.  What do you think makes this of that game better than the other?  Are the controls hard to master?  What exactly is "Adventure Mode" for MPA?  Is Yoshi's Island difficult?  How many worlds?  What are the strong and weak points of each game?  You know, things like that.  This poll is only running for an arbitrary twenty days, so vote now!  I just wanted the statistics and the opinions separate, so feel free to like or make fun of both games in your post.  And if it's any consolation, I already feel guilty for making such a self-centered poll.

[HolyAarom]

Go for Mario Party Advance. I know your saying "why get thet Re-hash?" This one is actually good. For the adventure mode, you have to beat quests to get gadgets. This isn't easy, because the world where the adventure takes place spans over 5 areas. However, there are 4 characters to choose.

SMA3 is a re make of YI with 6 new stages and the inclusion of Mario Bros. The gameplay is the same, but after a while Yoshi's voice gets annoying. It's up to you to decide but I suggest MPA.

[Mr. Wiggles]

Yoshi's Island is a smarter investment. It's longer and harder than Mario Party Advance. Plus it's got some killer secret worlds and of course, the Mario Bros. Arcade game.

[gunblade88]

Indeed I agree with Mr. Wiggles. They've overused Mario Party way too much. But it's popular somehow. Besides, Yoshi's Island is probably one of my favorite Mario games. Meh, it's a bias.

[BP]

I played Mario Party Advance and my opinion is it SUCKED in capital letters. No offense Aarom, but SMA3 is way better. SMA3 is 6 worlds, 8 levels, a secret level, and a bonus level for each world. That's 60 levels! 2 egg-throwing configurations, the challenge of getting 100/100 points per level, and a few mini games to collect coins, spit seeds, or play hot potato with a bandit that you can access by finding a key and a door in some levels. I believe there's a code to play them from the level menu... And you've never played YI? You need to.
The poll's already 10-1. 

[Insane Steve]

Anyone who has read my thought on SMA3/YI and the later Mario Party games should already know my opinion. I, personally, think that SMA3 has a lot more replay value, maybe unless you've never played any Mario Party game at all, but if that's the case I'd tell you to get a copy of the original N64 Mario Party.

To address your questions: Yoshi's Island is not a difficult game to beat. I've done it with my feet (no, seriously). To clear with a perfect file, though, is an entirely different matter. You can strive for 100s on all 60 levels, which is hard enough on certain levels (e.g., Secret 5), or you can go for a truly perfect file and pass the game without dying (well, if you miss, you can reset and try again, but 100 on levels like Extra 5 without a Middle Ring is VERY difficult). I know Fifth's done it; I haven't yet.

Mario Party? My worry about this game is that, even if you've just RENTED a Mario Party game, it feels like you've played the game before. Even if you haven't. I haven't played MPA, though, so you never know.

That said, assuming you can only get one game, I'd go with SMA3. Yoshi's Island is really unlike any game ever made (Even the past Mario platformers), and you'll enjoy it, I'm certain. If Mario gets too annoying, you CAN turn off the sound (although there are audio cues that you may need for certain levels... There's a part in 5-4 where you ride a platform ghost that sticks out in my mind).

[Mr. Melee]

I'm not going to get any of them. Know why? I have MPA and it sucks, and I have SMW2:YI on SNES. On a second note, I don't play my GBA:SP often, so it doesn't matter.

[BP]

Sell MPA on eBay. I never played the SNES version of YI, but I guess that, other than the new secret levels that you get for beating the game, it's the same. If you're curious about the 100 points...

There's 30 for the stars you have: you can get stars from ? clouds, middle rings, red eggs etc. You get stars by picking them up before they disappear or jump off a cliff or something. You lose them, one for every second that Mario's not on Yoshi's back. If it goes below 10 and you get him back, it refills up to 10.

There's 20 for the 20 red coins. Red coins look exactly like regular coins, so you won't know it's red until you get it. They also get counted as coins that you colect for 1-Ups. The magnifying glass turns the red coins red so that you can tell which are red and which aren't.

There's 50 for the 5 flowers. They're big and hard to miss, but are often in hidden rooms or difficult to reach. Getting all 5 results in a 1-Up. Also, every flower you get adds 20% to your chance at getting an item or a few extra lives in a mini-challenge after you beat the level.
 

[Mr. Melee]

Never say what you said in your 1st paragraph after your 1st sentence and before your last sentence! Nostalgia isn't the same as remakes of "the same thing." Newer versions aren't as unique as the originials. Just remember what started the things you love.

[Yoshi55]

13 to 1 SMA3

[gunblade88]

Indeed, I prefer the one on SNES more than the one on GBA. And I can't place my finger on it, but I'm sure that I remember there being some secret levels in Yoshi's Island, but then again, i never had the patience to beat the one on GBA. Even though it's not very different, I just prefer the originals.