Fortune Street Review

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It seems too many people can't do a little research on the games they buy or even bother to look at the back of the packaging either. Fortune Street is the newest game on the Nintendo Wii featuring characters from the Super Mario games and Dragon Quest series coming together to play a board game very much in style to Monopoly. If you can't stand Monopoly or slower, strategic board games, this is not going to be the game for you especially if you only want quick play sessions.

Yes, there is an easier mode where they take away the stock market trading but again, this is a board game in play. It will take you a while to finish a game. Don't really expect fast play sessions here. If you enjoy Monopoly and understand this is not trying to be Mario Party, you will enjoy and have a lot of fun with this game!

As for an age group, I would say this game is more for the older crowds, if your child has a short attention span or doesn't like waiting, family game nights are going to be hard to all stay together in one room without the little ones wanting to leave very quickly. For an actual age, I would say maybe seven or eight and up here? It is hard to say, remember, think Monopoly in play style, if your child can't keep occupied playing the board game version, they are not going to stay interested in this video game version even though Mario and friends are up on the screen. Just a small "warning" for the parents out there of younger children who may look at Mario on the cover and think "perfect!"

This is a really great game if you enjoy the Monopoly style of play (Yes, I have said this many times, so please no Mario Party thoughts!) and wanting to experience a fun take on that same style of gameplay, give Fortune Street a chance, you will have a lot of fun but you have to be patient with this title as it plays a little slower compared to other Mario spin-off titles.

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First and foremost, this game is nothing like Mario Party. If you are expecting this game to be anything like Mario Party, you may be disappointed. It, however, is a very fun, unique, and engaging game that combines elements from Monopoly and stock market simulation games--featuring Mario and Dragon Quest characters. It is truly a treat to be able to play this, because, for the last twenty years, previous iterations of this game have been highly revered in Japan only. It is truly a treat that Nintendo has decided to localize this game, so that we, too, can enjoy this unique game.

The gameplay is very easy to get into and understand. In fact, it offers a tutorial mode, which takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete, to help ease you into the gameplay. You first start off rolling to determine which player goes first. Each turn the player rolls the dice and moves across the game-board the specified amount of spaces. It is just like monopoly where you are able to purchase property as you land on them. In the same way, if you land on a player's property, you must shop there and spend a specified amount of money. If you really want to, you have the choice to force a buyout of the player's property; however, it would cost 10x the value of the property. Each turn allows players to sell stocks, property, and etc if needed. Also, if the player passes the bank (original starting location) again with all suits collected, he/she gets a raise, containing a large sum of money. Players are able to buy stocks at this point as well. To increase stock value, the player can invest in his/her own property by expanding it, which in turn also raises the shop's cost if anyone lands on the property. Stocks generally decrease as more people sell stock for a particular district. The goal of the game is to earn as much money/assets as possible, achieving the targeted net worth. The player who reaches the targeted net worth will win the game upon passing the bank (where you start in the beginning). Among these neat elements that combine stock market simulations and monopoly, there are some fun mini-games, such as slime racing and arcade spaces. There are also venture cards which you draw upon landing on the venture spaces, which could work in your favor or your opponent's favor.

Not interested in playing the stock market? There is the option to turn this feature off, known as "Easy Rules." Whenever you are interested in spicing things up a bit, you can always switch back to "Standard Rules," which includes the stock market feature. Also, the game supports up to four players on one Wii, as well as online play. The game features many different modes, menus, and options, such as: Tour mode, Free play mode, Nintendo Wi-Fi mode, changing room menu, shops menu, display case menu, as well as a configuration menu.

Tour Mode: Tour mode features a campaign containing a series of levels to complete. Each campaign has a unique theme. For example, the first campaign features a Dragon Quest theme, containing levels related to Dragon Quest games. The second one features a Mario theme, and so on.

Free Play Mode: As for Free Play mode, this allows players to customize a game as they see fit, such as offering the player to choose which board/map, which play-style, and which (if any) NPC characters he/she wishes to play with. This mode is good for anyone who just wants to start a quick game with friends, customizing some aspects of the game.

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Mode: If you are unable to get a few friends over to play this game, luckily there is the option to play online. The experience was a very pleasant experience, as I have not experienced any lag or slow-down of any kind. What's nice about the Wi-Fi mode is, not only does it offer the ability to connect and play with added friends, it offers the ability to play with random people WITHOUT friends codes. The player is given the choice of either playing with national players or playing with international players.

Changing Room Menu: This menu allows the player to customize and change the clothes on his/her Mii, as well as the actions (emoticons) that it is capable of performing. Emoticons are especially useful when playing with others online as there is no keyboard or voice support, so it is a nice little way to communicate.

Shops Menu: The player can exchange stamps, which are earned from playing the game, to obtain new clothes and/or emoticon actions for his/her Mii.

Display Case: Now I really like this feature, as I am a huge fan of achievements/trophies. Trophies in this game are obtained by meeting certain conditions. Some are very easy, while others can be very difficult. Not only can you look at trophies here, but you are also able to look at game statistics, as well as read information about game characters.

I'd also like to mention that it is recommended to play through the various game modes, especially tour mode, because there are many unlockable Dragon Quest & Mario characters and levels that can be obtained.

In conclusion, Fortune Street is an incredibly fun Monopoly/Stock Simulation hybrid that has a touch of Mario and Dragon Quest themes to add charm to these elements. While there's plenty to do--unlocking characters, unlocking trophies, unlocking levels, and etcetera--players will get the most out of the game playing with friends and family, as it is a highly fun and engaging game. If you love Monopoly, but also love Mario and Dragon Quest characters, by all means, get this game!

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As everyone has said, Fortune Street is not like Mario Party. It is closer to Monopoly, with the added ability to purchase stock in various districts. If you think someone is about to do some major upgrades to their property, make sure you buy some shares beforehand, so you can make money from their work and expenditures. There are bonuses and minigames that add to the fun. I usually get dominated by the computer, but maybe I just need more experience. Online multiplayer is solid, and it is fun to know that you are playing with people from all over the world. (sometimes their name is in Japanese) You can also play with your friends, by trading your friend code. There is a tutorial level that takes about 20-25 minutes to beat, and it teaches you everything. I had no difficulty jumping into the game after playing the tutorial. The levels are a mix of Dragon Quest and Mario environments, divided accordingly. I would recommend the game for anyone eight years old and up, because it does involve a bit of thinking. There is an easier mode for beginners, but I skipped it. I think it removes the districts, so there is no stock option. If you are looking for a new addition to your family game night, this is one worth picking up.

Parents shouldn't worry about their children getting online to play this one, because the only interaction the players have is through a set of emoticons. (smiley faces) Send them a thumbs up when they make a mistake that works in your favor.

Bottom line: This game offers limitless replay value, because every game session is different. Buy it.

Honest reviews on Fortune Street

I won't repeat what everyone else said, but instead clarify a few things. This is a fantastic adult game for board game fanatics with graphics designed for children. This game could have been designed without Mario and crew, and used an adult theme, and been sold as a serious board game. It wouldn't have sold as many copies, but it would be more honest not getting the cheap accidental purchases from kids or parents with young kids. Young kids will likely hate this game.

That said, I read about it first and knew what was getting, and as an adult board gamer, this game is FANTASTIC. I have played about 20 games with friends and against computer players. I've won 55% of them, according to the stats. There is very deep strategy. Some games I win easily, some I am scrambling to figure out what stocks to buy to catch up. Your strategy each game will be different depending on what properties you get early in the game, and what happens when the luck portion of the game kicks in. I love it. I have been way ahead and lost, and vice versa. The computer does not cheat. I have never felt like it got a roll it needed more than the 1-7 chance it is (yes 7, many boards have a 7 sided die).

Turn off the chatter for the computer players, and the game takes about 2 3 hours, though I won one in 1 hour by bankrupting a player lots of fun. The computer players have a letter grade, and use different strategies dependidng on how high, or smart, their letter is. But even letter D computer players have a chance of winning if it gets lucky in the early game.

There is a strategy for every situation. I just won a game where I only had 3 properties, and the computer players had 8 10 each. How is that? I smartly invested in the right properties, and tiptoed around the board avoiding paying big sales.

To me, this game is the perfect combination of startegy and luck. If this sound fun, GET THIS GAME!

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I've been waiting to play an iteration of 'Itadaki Street' (as this series is known in Japan) for several years. A version came out for the Playstation 2 and PSP which starred Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest characters. Then, a version was released for the Nintendo DS. Unfortunately, none of them were localized for the North American audience. Not until now! 'Itadaki Street' has finally made its North American appearance as Fortune Street, a unique game that combines aspects of Monopoly, the stock market, and the Mario and Dragon Quest universes.

Graphics 4.0

The graphics in this game are on par with most recent Wii releases. They look pretty rough when compared to the HD capabilities of the PS3 and 360 but the Wii is no graphical powerhouse. Ultimately, they remind me of the other Mario-themed games that have been released on Wii (Mario Party 8, Mario Kart, etc). They do the job but they aren't going to make anyone's jaw drop. The Dragon Quest characters look good enough and if you've played those games, you'll probably get a kick out of seeing them done up in 3D.

Sound 4.5

The music and sound effects are all pulled directly from Mario and Dragon Quest games. Depending on whether you're using a Mario or DQ character, you'll hear different sounds (ie. When a DQ character levels up in the game, the fanfare from the series plays). For anyone who is a fan of either series, the sound will definitely bring back some good memories. In fact, there were several Mario songs that I hadn't heard since the NES days. Also, the background music corresponds to whatever level you're playing on. These may seem like small things but they add a great deal to the overall feel of the game.

Gameplay 4.5

Many of the negative reviews that I've seen have brought up the idea that this game is confusing. It's not. Sure, it takes a little bit of time to let all of the rules sink in but it's only slightly more complicated than Monopoly. In addition to this, there is both an easy (this mode leaves off building districts and buying/selling stock) and standard mode. Everyone starts off on a 'Bank' space. You roll the dice by hitting '2' or shaking the Wiimote. Then, you can pick which direction you want to move and make your way down a path. If you land on a property space, you can buy the property (just like Monopoly). Now, every time someone lands on your property, you get some money. You can increase the value of each property by investing money in it or by buying other properties in the same district (districts are very similar to the different colored spaces on a Monopoly board). The goal of the game is to be the first to collect a predetermined amount of money and return to the bank. As you go around the board, there are chance spaces and short single-player minigames that you can take part in. You can also buy and sell stock in the various districts. Once you own stock, you'll receive an extra dividend every time someone lands on a property there, even if you don't own it. All of this is done through menus that are fairly simple. Over all, the game is easy to control and if you invest some time in learning how it all works, you won't be disappointed. There are two slight problems with this game. It starts out kind of slow but if you can get through the first 10 or so minutes, it gets much better. Finally, if you play the single player mode, you might get annoyed with the constant talking between the CPU players.

Multiplayer 5.0

This game's multiplayer mode is a ton of fun. It is a real blast to play if you can get three friends together and you can even play over Wi-Fi. Nintendo did this one right.

Replay 5.0

This game has a ton of replay value. There are a number of unlockable levels, characters, and clothing/accessories for your Mii. If you unlock everything, it will take hours and hours and hours.

Overall, this game is a fantastic investment! I'd highly recommend spending more than 10-15 minutes with it though. Take the time to learn the standard rules and you won't be sorry.