As Mario and his crew are seemingly too old to party as much as they used to, the Miis have taken their place. Wii Party was an enjoyable title that was overlooked by many for not including Mario, but Wii Party U looks set to expand on this and offer a bigger experience than its predecessor.

The final game will offer three different modes of play with dozens of mini-games on offer. Unfortunately, we only got a chance to sample just three of those mini-games, but they showcased a variety that will be present throughout the final game when it is released later this year.

Nintendo has paid particular attention to the GamePad and how this can be used to offer new types of gameplay. Some games are played exclusively on the GamePad by one person, some by two (such as Table Football below) and others see it passed between players. As well as this, the Wii Remotes come into play, meaning there are a variety of options on hand.

Operation Sandbox is a 1 vs 3 tank-based game that sees one giant tank battling against three smaller ones. The giant tank is more difficult to move than the smaller ones, as each tire thread is controlled by a separate analogue stick (think of the guards in Animal Crossing: Sweet Day in Nintendo Land). The goal is, of course, survival and the cannonballs fired roll along the ground, meaning the environment plays a key part in the gameplay.

Name that Face is a facial expression guessing game. Using the GamePad, each player has one turn to receive a situation (such as 'blowing up a balloon' or 'your eyebrows ran away') and they have their photo taken pulling that expression. The other players, based on the photo alone, must guess what the expression is. It's a silly game, but one that can work well in the right group of friends. Other games in Wii Party U promise this same kind of communal humiliation that fall on just the right side of the cringe-worthy/entertaining line.

Table Football is a 2 player game that uses only the GamePad, which is laid down on a surface and each player stands either side of it. Using the analogue stick to move your players, you must try and score the most goals in the allotted time. It's a surprisingly adept rendition of table football (or 'foosball') and a good use of the GamePad.

In the grand scheme of things, the games we played were just a small number of the ones on offer. Wii Party U is shaping up to be a promising local multiplayer game (as online gameplay will not be offered). If you play with friends or family regularly, you may well want to consider Wii Party U when it launches later in the year.