Where’s the party? Here’s the party! It’s a party, and you are all invited! Super Mario Party Jamboree brings back the old-school Mario Party vibes. It combines it with an overload of new features into one of the best versions of Mario Party I have played in ages. Let’s go!
Boards, boards, boards!
Rejoice! The Super Mario Party Jamboree developers listened, and it’s clear that they were aware of what was missing in the editions before this title. It feels like a difference between day and night when I compare this version of Mario Party with Mario Party Superstars. There is no unlocking board per board; when you jump in this game, you start with five different boards – and you can unlock two ‘older’ boards on the go—Striking a balance between the old and the new showcases Jamboree’s profound understanding of successful elements from the past, while decisively carving out its unique path. I won’t discuss the boards in detail, but they have their own ‘thing’ that makes them unique and less ‘Oh, this felt like the last boards we played.’ I don’t want to spoil the … surprises.
Modes!
With the new path, I mostly point toward the new modes added to the Super Mario Party Jamboree, which offer quite a fresh take on Super Mario mode.
Rhythm Kitchen:
The first motion-controlled mode is Rhythm Kitchen. It lets players work together in rhythm-based minigames themed around cooking. It’s pretty energetic and feels a bit like Just Dance mixed with the cooking levels from Princess Peach Showdown. It’s a perfect mode for kids and adults to enjoy something different from board minigames.
Toad’s Factory:
Toad Factory is probably one of my favorite minigame modes. It is a ball physics-based puzzler that tasks players with working together to move different contraptions to get a ball to a goal. I completed the 30 levels in two sittings, and the final two levels gave me severe headaches and arm cramps (from frustration). But it felt like a breeze of fresh air combined with a hint of Snipperclips. I highly recommend working through this game mode.
Paratroopa Flight School:
The last motion-controlled mode is Paratroopa Flight School. This game mode requires players to use two singular Joy-Con controllers to mimic flapping wings and flight. Paratroopa Flight School has various sub-modes that allow players to compete in time-based collection matches, cooperate in carrying characters to their destination, or freely fly around a map without any predetermined objective. Taxi mode is enjoyable since you transport a wide range of characters. Bowser is a heavy hitter, which needs more ‘flaps’ to carry around, while a stack of Goomba’s is a fall risk (you don’t want to lose a Goomba along the way).
Bowser Kaboom Squad
Next to the motion modes, two new multiplayer modes were added, which can be played locally and online. My favorite was Bowser Kaboom Squad, a cooperative mode in which eight players race to defeat Imposter Bowser by collecting bombs and occasionally playing a minigame to obtain items that help them defeat him quicker. It felt like a MOBA in structuring, pinging crates with bombs, shouting out for enemies along the way, and loading up the cannon while placing support items to make you run faster. Faster completion gets you better results, and I can’t wait to see how this plays out when the game gains more online traction.
Koopathalon
The other new addition is the Koopathalon, a race where twenty players compete to complete a set number of laps around a board by collecting minigame coins. After three minigames, a themed browser minigame will be played. If players lose, they will be sent backward a different number of spaces determined by their current position. Losing when you are in the top 3 spots can set you back quite a bit (40 spaces is child play), so this can be a pretty competitive mode.
Fresh take
Jamboree’s new content is not simply about increasing the number of activities; it is a bold step forward, introducing inventive and experimental modes that redefine the Mario Party series. Modes like Paratroopa Flight School demand intense engagement from players, utilizing motion controls that require constant input to expertly navigate Toads to various destinations. This approach delivers a vibrant, more active, engaging party experience than the (sometimes) sluggish turn-based Party Mode. And if you always wondered how the boards came to be what they are, Nintendo finally gave you an answer.
An often-heard criticism is the lack of single-player story content – well, that’s partially okay since it’s a multiplayer game. Luckily, for people like myself, Super Mario Party Jamboree also contains a single-player mission mode called the Party Planner Trek in which players help various NPCs by either talking to them, fetching an item, or playing a minigame in exchange for Mini-Stars, which are then used to further progress in the mode and unlock hub customization options. After collecting a certain number of mini-Stars, the player must complete a boss minigame to progress to the next area. It’s enjoyable to watch boards come to life and help NPCs set up certain aspects of the board (like a rope bridge) so you can use it when played in party mode. And to top it off, you get the Boss Minigame, in which the player’s goal is to deplete a large enemy’s health bar, similar to traditional video game boss fights.
Oh, and to top it all off, the traditional Minigame area is called Minigame Bay. Here, players can freely play any of the minigames or a set number of pre-selected minigames based on their specific type or theme, such as 1 vs 3. And yes, there is also a Boss Rush sub-mode, which is unlocked after earning a set number of in-game achievements, which makes players compete in every boss minigame with the final goal of having the highest score by the end.
Conclusion
We brought you the party, and you can decide how to party. It seems to be the slogan that fits Super Mario Party Jamboree best. Its grand scale can initially feel overwhelming, but it feels correct and complete when skimmed through the different options. Super Mario Party Jamboree is filled with nostalgia, ambition, and hope for a bright Mario Party future. Super Mario Party Jamboree demonstrates multiple ways to enjoy a party. If the series continues to embrace the same experimentation shown in Jamboree, then the future of Mario Party looks very promising.
