If I had a nickel for every "Family" game that passed through this place... well, I wouldn't be rich but I'd have a nice stack of nickels. The problem with most "Family"-branded games is they're either watered down to the point where they're either fun for an hour and quickly forgotten, or only fun for a few members of the family. Guilty Party bucks that trend entirely.

Guilty Party's presentation is everything you would expect from a Disney production. Character designs are a lot of fun and show a lot of personality. Characters range from a few normal looking people to a kid who fancies himself a superhero. Though somewhat hindered by the Wii's lack of visual power, there's an almost Pixar level of quality running throughout the entire game. Characters are funny and the voicework is top-notch.

Guilty Party is a mystery game in the vein of Clue, but with mini-games. Playing as members of a crime solving family, the Dickens, up to four players can work together (or against each other) while solving various mysteries. Their progress is always impeded by Mr. Valentine.

Whether playing co-op or competitive, Guilty Party plays out in similar fashion. Players navigate environments, looking for clues or grilling suspects. More times than not, collecting clues or other information involves some sort of mini-game. Although Story Mode sticks to a set pattern of mini-games, Party Mode randomly tosses them out. There's a collection of around forty games, so even if you've already played through a mystery, it won't play out the same way the next time.

Each turn, players earn three coins. The goal is to collect as much information as you can before running out of coins, ending your turn. Moving between rooms costs one coin, while interrogating witnesses or searching for clues also costs one coin. Using a coin to collect evidence initiates a mini-game. Complete the mini-game and you'll walk away with a new clue.

Valentine wouldn't be a good villain if he weren't doing his very best to trip up your investigation. He'll pop up occasionally with a trap that will either give the suspect the chance to escape, or throw you off the trail. Sometimes, you'll need to complete a mini-game to escape traps, though you can also use special card abilities to trip up his traps.

Guilty Party is not without its flaws. Though fun, its best played with other people. Solo fun offers some enjoyment, but it simply doesn't compare to having someone either playing with you or going against you.

As I mentioned during our E3 coverage, Guilty Party looks easier than it is. I never came across a mystery I couldn't solve, but I usually struck out on my first and second guesses. Even if you're sure, you can never really be sure. Clues are vague enough that even on the easiest setting, clues will keep you guessing until the very end. Upping the difficulty to Diabolical ups things considerably. It's not uncommon for mysteries to come down to the final clue.

Mini-games get harder as you progress through Story Mode. An increase is completely expected, though games can feel a little random and, dare I say "cheap" later on. This won't shake older players, but it may cause problems with younger players.

Mini-games are fun, but without the mystery structure, Guilty Party would feel like the same mini-game collection we've seen since the Wii's launch. Whether you're swatting flies or putting out fires, it's the same twisting and flailing found in other games. There are, however, a couple of mini-games that really shine - particularly ones that require cooperation.

Ability cards offer an added boost to crime solving, but don't really shine until you jump into competitive play. Here, you're working against everyone else to solve the case, so a little boost is always a helpful thing. You can also use cards to Sabotage other players. As with any competitive experience, this generates a lot of talk of conspiracy between players. It won't demolish your family, but expect backdoor negotiations if you're playing with competitive players.

The downside to the card system is it can become cumbersome at times. Using a card that no one can combat is a sure-fire way to make enemies, or at least it was with my group. It's a minor occurrence, but can happen enough to trip up, or at least slow down, a game.

If Guilty Party were merely a collection of games, it would fail. But, with the added backing of the mystery, it is transformed into one of the system's most refreshing, unique and enjoyable family titles.