I think it’s safe to say that the numbered editions of the Mario Party series are officially a thing of the past. After the controversially unique gameplay of Mario Party 10 (2015) on Wii U, Nintendo returned the series to its beloved, classic format with Super Mario Party (2018) on Switch. Then came Mario Party Superstars (2021), which acted as a sort of celebration of the franchise by bringing back 100 fan-favorite minigames from the series’ history. Now, three years later (like clockwork), the third Mario Party on Switch, the home console’s thirteenth entry overall, and second to use the “Super” naming convention, Super Mario Party Jamboree, is almost here. With promises of it being the “biggest and boldest” Mario Party game yet, let’s see if the Jamboree will really be worth RSVPing.
Ever since the Wii introduced motion control to the Mario Party minigames, the fan community has been divided on whether or not it was their way to play. Super Mario Party relied heavily on the use of motion controls and Mario Party Superstars exclusively used standard button controls, but Super Mario Party Jamboree takes a ‘best of both worlds’ approach by offering a balanced combination of both. With the newly added option to completely disable motion-controlled minigames, every kind of fun-loving person can join in on the fun. There are over 110 minigames in Jamboree, more than any Mario Party game that has come before.
The number of playable characters in Jamboree also reaches new heights for the series with a total roster of 22, over double the number in Superstars and two more than the original Super Mario Party. However, while most of the characters from the previous two games returned, Diddy Kong, Hammer Bro, Dry Bones, and Pom Pom were cut in favor of older returning characters. Toad and Toadette, both last playable in Mario Party: Super Rush on 3DS, and Spike, whose last and only appearance came in Mario Party 10, return, and Pauline and Ninja also join the party for the first time time.
The main event of Super Mario Party Jamboree is, of course, the classic board game mode; known simply as “Mario Party”. Playable locally or online with up to 4 players, the basic formula of Mario Party remains the same: take turns rolling blocks, collect more stars than your opponents, collect coins and items along the way, and compete in various mini-games. Jamboree changes things up a bit with the inclusion of Jamboree Buddies, a new mechanic (not too dissimilar to the Allies in Super Mario Party) where a character randomly appears somewhere on the board. The first player to reach the space where the Jamboree Buddy is located will gain an advantage in a skirmish minigame where the winner will receive a character as an ally. This will give the player a unique special ability depending on which character they are, but don’t get too attached, because if another player passes you on the board, Jamboree Buddy will immediately start helping them for them.
There are many custom rules and options before starting the game. You can choose CPU difficulty and movement speed (only needed if you play with less than 4 people), turn on/off star bonus (random conditions or “classic mode” only with rich bonus and rich bonus), change the number of total moves (10, 15, 20, 25, or 30), give the player a handicap by starting them with 1-5 stars, choose whether minigames are chosen randomly or by vote, skip minigame explanations, and as mentioned before, turn minigames on/off controlled by movements. On top of all that, as if Mario Party wasn’t competitive enough, Jamboree also introduces “Pro Rules,” which prioritize strategy and skill by removing some of the luck-based aspects of the RNG.
This time there are 7 different game boards available, with 5 brand new ones (Mega Wiggler’s Tree Party, Roll ’em Raceway, Goomba Lagoon, King Bowser’s Keep and Rainbow Galleria) and 2 reimagined classics (Mario’s Rainbow Castle from the original N64 Mario Party and Western Land from Mario Party 2). Each board has a unique look, style, tactics and exclusive item that can benefit you or hinder your opponents. These panels also appear outside of Mario Party mode, as they can also be experienced in a different way in the single-player campaign, Party-Planner Trek.
Super Mario Party Jamboree is obviously best enjoyed with friends or family, but for times when you’re unable to get a group together (or maybe while you’re waiting for your guests to arrive), that’s where the Party-Planner Trek comes in. Starting at Goomba Lagoon, Party-Planner Trek allows you to freely travel from space to space on each of the game boards to help NPCs (such as Frogs and Goombs) with tasks and thus earn mini-stars. There are a total of 60 mini-stars to collect per board, but only 30 are needed to move on to the next one. Task types include winning first place in a mini-game, finding and retrieving an item somewhere on the board, or answering trivia questions. Completing quests will also reward you with decorative items that can be used in the Party Plaza, a small open area that functions as the main navigational hub for the entire game.
Party Plaza connects you to everything Super Mario Party Jamboree has to offer. In addition to the Party-Planner Trek and the all-important hot air balloon that prompts you to choose between different game modes, there’s also an antenna for connecting with friends online, a frog guide for tweaking game settings, a Reaction Shop where you can buy and collect a selection of total 109 reactions that can be used while playing, Mario Party Card Shop for various cards and stickers to decorate, Music Shop to listen to all the beautiful music from the game, online Rankings Board where you can view world ranking and friend ranking and a data house that contains a list of achievements. Completing achievements will add more stock options to the shops, and the currency used to purchase items, Party Points, are earned progressively just by playing either mode.
Party-Planner Trek and the main Mario Party mode only scratched the surface of the game modes included in Super Mario Party Jamboree. There are also two online-focused modes: Bowser Kaboom Squad, an 8-player co-op mode where you work together to defeat Bowser, and Koopathlon, a 20-player competitive race where every coin you collect in a minigame moves you forward. Additionally, there are three local multiplayer modes that focus on motion controls: Rhythm Kitchen, a co-op 4-player mode where you move the Joy-Con in rhythm in food-themed mini-games, Toad’s Item Factory, a 2-4 player game a co-op mode where you tilt the Joy-Con to move machines and steer a ball through an obstacle course, and Paratroopa Flight School, a 1-2 player mode (either co-op or competitive) where you fly through the sky by flapping your arm like a wing while hold the Joy-Con. Finally, if you’re just in the mood to play some minigames, Minigame Bay will more than suit your needs. I’ll go into more detail about each of these unique modes in our upcoming review, but first impressions are very positive.
Super Mario Party Jamboree combines all of my favorite aspects of Super Mario Party and Superstars and turns it into something that feels fresh and familiar. With an almost unbelievable number of brand new modes and gameplay options, Nintendo didn’t exaggerate when they called Jamboree a “bigger, bolder” Mario Party, but is it best yet to be determined. Don’t miss your invitation to find out the final verdict in our review right here on iGamesNews before Super Mario Party Jamboree launches for Nintendo Switch on October 17, 2024. The fun is just getting started!
A copy of Super Mario Party Jamboree was provided by Nintendo UK for the purposes of this review.
