is a
party video game
Party games are games that are played at social gatherings to facilitate interaction and provide entertainment and recreation. Categories include (explicit) icebreaker, parlour (indoor), picnic (outdoor), and large group games.Frankel, Lillia ...
series featuring characters from the ''
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
'' franchise in which up to four local players or computer-controlled characters (called "
CPUs
A central processing unit (CPU), also called a central processor, main processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and ...
") compete in a
board game
Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well.
Many board games feature a comp ...
interspersed with
minigame
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than th ...
s. The games are currently developed by
NDcube
is a Japanese video game developer and a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo based in Japan with offices in Tokyo and Sapporo. The majority of the company is made up of former employees of Hudson Soft. They have also been the developers of the ...
and published by
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
, being previously developed by
Hudson Soft
was a Japanese video game company that released numerous games for video game consoles, home computers and mobile phones, mainly from the 1980s to the 2000s. It was headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo ...
. The series is known for its party game elements, including the often unpredictable multiplayer modes that allow play with up to four, and sometimes eight, human players or CPUs.
After the development of ''
Mario Party 8
''Mario Party 8'' is a 2007 party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The game is the eighth main installment in the ''Mario Party'' series, and the first title in the series released for the Wii. It wa ...
'', several of Hudson Soft's key designers left to work for Nintendo subsidiary NDcube, developers of ''
Wii Party
''Wii Party'' is a party video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game heavily borrows game play elements from the ''Mario Party'' series, another Nintendo franchise. It is also the first game in the ''Wi ...
''. Starting in 2012 with ''
Mario Party 9
is a party video game developed by NDcube and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The ninth main installment in the ''Mario Party ''series, it was announced at E3 2011 and released in Europe, North America, and Australia in March 2012, followed by ...
'', NDcube has taken over development of the series from Hudson Soft. The first instalment in the series on the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
, ''
Super Mario Party'', was released on October 5, 2018.
The series received generally favorable reception in the beginning, but as the series has progressed, the reception has become more mixed. The series holds the record for the longest-running minigame series. As of December 2014, Nintendo reported cumulative worldwide sales of 39.6 million game copies in the ''Mario Party'' franchise.
Gameplay
Over the course of the ''Mario Party'' series, gameplay has changed to suit the technology of the hardware. There are several
game mode
In tabletop games and video games, game mechanics are the rules or ludemes that govern and guide the player's actions, as well as the game's response to them. A rule is an instruction on how to play, a ludeme is an element of play like the L-shap ...
s available in each of the games, each of which provides its own rules and challenges.
Party Mode
Every game in the main series has a standard Party Mode in which up to four players play through a board, trying to collect as many stars as possible. In every turn, each player rolls a
die
Die, as a verb, refers to death, the cessation of life.
Die may also refer to:
Games
* Die, singular of dice, small throwable objects used for producing random numbers
Manufacturing
* Die (integrated circuit), a rectangular piece of a semicondu ...
(Dice Block) and progresses on the board, which usually has branching paths. Coins are primarily earned by performing well in a
minigame
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than th ...
played at the end of each turn. On most boards, players earn stars by reaching a star space and purchasing a star for a certain amount of coins. The star space appears randomly on one of several pre-determined locations and moves every time a star is purchased, usually occupying a blue space.
Every ''Mario Party'' game contains at least 50 to 100 minigames with a few different types. Four-player games are a free-for-all in which players compete individually. In 2-vs-2 and 1-vs-3 minigames, players compete as two groups, cooperating to win, even though they are still competing individually in the main game. Some minigames in ''Mario Party'' are 4-player co-op, even though it doesn't say it. In most situations, winners earn ten coins each.
Battle minigames first appeared in ''
Mario Party 2
is a 1999 party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. The second game in the ''Mario Party'' series, it was released in Japan in December and worldwide in 2000. The game received mostly positive revi ...
''. These games are like the four-player games, but instead of winners earning ten coins each, each player contributes a randomly selected number of coins (or all coins if the player falls short of the pot amount). The winner of the minigame receives approximately 70% of the pot, the second-place winner receives the other 30%, and a random player occasionally gets coins left over from rounding.
Duel minigames debuted in ''Mario Party 2'', and were omitted in ''
Mario Party 4
''Mario Party 4'' is a 2002 party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. The game is the fourth installment in the ''Mario Party'' series and is the first game in the series to be released for the GameCube. ...
'' (although the story minigames are all duels) but return again in ''
Mario Party 5
is a party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the fifth installment in the ''Mario Party'' series and the second game in the series to be released for the GameCube. It was first released in N ...
''. Duel games pit two players against each other. In Party Mode, one player initiates the duel, wagering coins or even a star against another player.
The winner of the duel receives all coins or stars wagered.
Starting with ''
Mario Party 7
is a party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the GameCube in November 2005. The seventh main installment in the ''Mario Party'' series, it makes use of the microphone peripheral introduced in ''Mario Party 6' ...
'', the player no longer chooses the wager in a duel, rather, the duel takes place and the prize to the winner, if any, is randomly determined.
Bowser
, or King Koopa, is a fictional character, the primary antagonist in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise, and the arch-nemesis of Mario. In Japan, the character bears the title of . Bowser is the leader of the turtle-like Koopa ...
minigames are introduced in ''Mario Party 4'' in which players try to avoid being burned by Bowser's
fire breath if they lose. When this happens, players must give up coins, stars, or
items. In ''Mario Party 7'', a single-player version of the games were introduced and only one person can play.
''
Mario Party 9
is a party video game developed by NDcube and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The ninth main installment in the ''Mario Party ''series, it was announced at E3 2011 and released in Europe, North America, and Australia in March 2012, followed by ...
'' introduced a new set of
Bowser Jr.
in Japan) is a fictional character who appears in Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise as an antagonist. He is the son of the series' main antagonist, Bowser. Since his debut in ''Super Mario Sunshine'' in 2002, Bowser Jr. has been a recurring chara ...
-related minigames. In these minigames, Bowser Jr. challenges two players to compete in a minigame to battle him. If they successfully defeat him, both players will receive five Mini Stars. If not, then Bowser Jr. will take five from each player.
''Mario Party 9'' also introduced a car mechanic.
In ''Mario Party 9'' and ''
Mario Party 10
is a 2015 party video game. Developed by NDcube and published by Nintendo for the Wii U, it is the tenth main installment in the ''Mario Party'' series and the first game in the series since ''Mario Party 4'' to have Donkey Kong as a playable c ...
'', every player navigates the board in a car rather than move independently of one another. ''Mario Party 9'' has a lesser focus on strategy, and its minigames do not impact the board game in ways that the previous ''Mario Party'' games did. Critics heavily censured the car mechanic;
''
Destructoid
''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022.
History
' ...
'' noted, "An over-reliance on random chance over strategy can quickly derail the experience when things go awry at the worst possible time ..."
The car mechanic was kept in ''Mario Party 10'', although ''
Super Mario Party'' finally lets players move individually on the board again.
In most ''Mario Party'' games, at the end of a board game, bonus stars can be awarded to players. Three specific stars are awarded in the first six games. All later games have six possible bonus stars, but only three of those stars are awarded per game. These stars add to the player's overall total. If there’s a tie in coins and stars, then a Dice Block tiebreaker will determine the game's final ranking.
Minigame modes
In addition to Party Mode, every ''Mario Party'' has a minigame mode in which minigames are played without the board game. Minigame modes vary from game to game, but later games have many different variations. In one such example from ''Mario Party 5'', each player tries to fill a board with as many spaces as possible in his or her colour by winning minigames in Mini-Game Wars. In ''Mario Party 6'' and onward, there is one game in Minigame mode intended for single-player.
Playable characters
Available in all games
The following characters appear in all twelve console ''Mario Party'' games and, except where noted, all five handheld instalments:
*
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
*
Luigi
is a fictional character featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the younger fraternal twin brother and sidekick of Mario, Nintendo's masc ...
*
Princess Peach
is a fictional character in Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise, created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the 1985 original ''Super Mario Bros.'' installment. She is the princess regnant and ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, where she resides in ...
*
Yoshi
Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in ''Super Mario World'' (1990) on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Yoshi is the title character of the List of Y ...
*
Wario
is a fictional character in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' series, designed as an Arch rival, arch-rival to Mario. He first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy game ''Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins'' as the main antagonist and final Bos ...
(except
''Advance'')
The first four games also add
Donkey Kong
is a video game franchise created by Shigeru Miyamoto and owned by Nintendo. It follows the adventures of a gorilla named Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong and his clan of other Ape, apes and monkeys. The franchise primarily consists of plat ...
to this roster. In ''Mario Party 5'', he is relegated to the Super Duel Mode, and he was omitted from subsequent games as a playable character until ''Mario Party 10''.
''Mario Party 3'' onwards
*
Princess Daisy
is a fictional character in the ''Mario'' series of video games. She debuted in 1989's '' Super Mario Land'' as the ruler of Sarasaland. Described as a tomboy, she used to be rumored to be Luigi's love interest, similarly to Princess Peach ...
*
Waluigi
is a fictional character in the ''Mario'' franchise. He plays the role of Luigi's arch-rival and accompanies Wario in spin-offs from the main ''Mario'' series, often for the sake of causing mischief and problems. He was created by Camelot em ...
''Mario Party 10'' onwards
*
Rosalina
The default sorting is by first appearance, then by number of appearances. For alphabetical order, click on "Character".
Home console games
These characters were included or excluded in home console releases, starting with ''
Mario Party 4
''Mario Party 4'' is a 2002 party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. The game is the fourth installment in the ''Mario Party'' series and is the first game in the series to be released for the GameCube. ...
''.
Handheld console games
These characters were included or excluded in portable console releases, starting with ''
Mario Party DS
is a 2007 party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. The second handheld game in the ''Mario Party'' series, and the last game to be developed by Hudson Soft, who was replaced by NDcube in 2012 ...
''.
Games
Main series
''Mario Party'' (1998)
''Mario Party'' is the first in the series. It was released in 1998 and 1999 for the
Nintendo 64
The (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was released on June 23, 1996, in Japan, on September 29, 1996, in North America, and on March 1, 1997, in Europe and Au ...
. Its roster of playable characters includes Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Donkey Kong (referred to as DK in-game), Yoshi, and Wario. It features 50 minigames, ten of which are
single-player
A single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. A single-player game is usually a game that can only be played by one person, while "single-player mode" is usuall ...
-only. ''Mario Party''s standard game mode, Party Mode, lets up to four players play on a
board
Board or Boards may refer to:
Flat surface
* Lumber, or other rigid material, milled or sawn flat
** Plank (wood)
** Cutting board
** Sounding board, of a musical instrument
* Cardboard (paper product)
* Paperboard
* Fiberboard
** Hardboard, a ty ...
interspersed with minigames. The game features eight different boards with varying difficulties. It is hosted by Toad, who guides the characters on their journeys throughout each board.
In addition to the standard Party Mode, the game also features a single-player mode called Mini-Game Island, where the player's goal is to navigate an island and beat all 50 minigames as supplied. The player starts with four lives and loses a life every time they fail at a minigame. Winning a minigame gives the player coins, and collecting 100 coins grants the player one additional life. ''Mario Party'' also features
Rumble Pak
The is a removable device from Nintendo which provides force feedback while playing video games. Games that support the Rumble Pak cause it to vibrate in select situations, such as when firing a weapon or receiving damage, to immerse the player ...
support, which lets players know when their turn has started.
Upon completing Mini-Game Island, a Bumper Ball Maze is awarded, a single-player minigame playable in the Mini-Game House. The player can unlock two additional Bumper Ball Mazes by completing all 50 minigames in Mini-Game Island and, respectively, setting new time records in the first two Bumper Ball Mazes.
''Mario Party'' received praise for its unique party and social elements; however, ''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' criticized the slow pacing of the game and the lack of enjoyment when played alone.
''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' said, "The games that are enjoyable to play in multi-player are nowhere near as good in the single player mode. Really, it's that multi-player competitive spark of screaming at and/or cheering for your friends that injects life into these often-simple little games, and without it, they're just simple little games."
''Mario Party 2'' (1999)
''Mario Party 2'' is the sequel to ''Mario Party'' and was released in 1999 and 2000 for the Nintendo 64. While ''Mario Party 2'' is similar to the original game, it introduced a variety of new gameplay elements, such as collectible
items that players can buy from item shops and three new minigame types: "Battle", "Item", and "Duel".
Toad returns as the host in ''Mario Party 2''. The game also has 15 more minigames than the original game, with a total of 65 minigames (or 88 if one counts the different courses in some of the minigames).
''Mario Party 2'' features the same characters as the original game with no additions; however, each character dresses according to the theme of the board. ''Mario Party 2'' is the only ''Mario Party'' game where this occurs. ''Mario Party 2'' does not reuse any of the original game's boards but does have references to them and reuses some of their gimmicks in the new boards.
''Mario Party 2'' features a mode called Mini-Game Land, where players can buy minigames that the player can play freely from a tree character called Woody.
''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' praised ''Mario Party 2''s minigames, noting that they were a lot more fun than those of the first game.
''IGN'' noted that the game is "more of the same" and said that the game might not be worth its price unless the buyer considers themselves a "Mario Party fanatic". ''IGN'' rated the game a 7.9 out of 10, further noting that the sequel was better than the original but that it did not "offer enough new to warrant a higher score". It recommended the game only to those who did not own the original.
''Mario Party 3'' (2000)
''Mario Party 3'' was released in 2000 and 2001 for the Nintendo 64. It features the same cast of playable characters as the previous two games with the addition of
Princess Daisy
is a fictional character in the ''Mario'' series of video games. She debuted in 1989's '' Super Mario Land'' as the ruler of Sarasaland. Described as a tomboy, she used to be rumored to be Luigi's love interest, similarly to Princess Peach ...
and
Waluigi
is a fictional character in the ''Mario'' franchise. He plays the role of Luigi's arch-rival and accompanies Wario in spin-offs from the main ''Mario'' series, often for the sake of causing mischief and problems. He was created by Camelot em ...
. The most notable difference in this game compared to the previous two games in the series is that each player can hold up to three items instead of only one. It also has 71 minigames,
compared to ''Mario Party 2''s 65.
''Mario Party 3''s story revolves around a new character called the Millennium Star, who replaces Toad as the host. Like ''Mario Party 2'', the game features all new boards, with some boards referencing the boards of the previous game and reusing their gimmicks. ''Mario Party 3'' is also the first game in the series to feature a
single-player
A single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. A single-player game is usually a game that can only be played by one person, while "single-player mode" is usuall ...
story campaign.
The game's story mode features "
battle royal
Battle royal (; also royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants that is fought until only one fighter remains standing, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules. In recent times, the term has been used in a ...
" boards and "duel" boards,
where players fight one another for items called "Star Stamps".
Like ''Mario Party 2'', ''IGN'' criticized ''Mario Party 3'' for not having enough new content. It also criticized the game's new story mode, noting that the player was forced to watch computer-controlled opponents for too long and too often, even while they were playing minigames on their own. It also noted that moving around the board in this mode quickly became tedious and boring. The review author further asserted, "I think it'd be better be classified as a tutorial mode."
''GameSpot'' noted, "While pure innovation may not be king in the Mario Party world, Hudson's dedication to solid, addictive puzzle gaming that makes for a wholly enjoyable multiplayer experience is apparent."
''HonestGamers'' criticized the game's boards, noting, "They're just not much fun." It further explained, "Some of them are, to be fair." It also criticized the game's options and menus, stating that it is difficult to even begin a new game. Additionally, it censured the game's "down-to-the-wire games", stating, "it's almost impossible to keep stars you win unless you're guarding them very carefully." It further explained that mostly, a player's threat is not their human opponents but rather the computer-controlled players, describing how computer-controlled opponents will quickly steal the player's stars after they get them.
''Mario Party 4'' (2002)
''Mario Party 4'' is the first game in the series to appear on a console other than the Nintendo 64. ''Mario Party 4'' was released for the
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
in 2002. ''Mario Party 4'' features the same roster of playable characters as ''Mario Party 3'' and does not feature any new playable characters. It does, however, feature a new team battle system that allows players to team up in pairs in Party Mode, the standard game mode of the series.
This game was the last game to feature Donkey Kong as a playable character up until ''Mario Party 10'' for the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
. Instead of the Millennium Star, ''Mario Party 4'' features multiple hosts, including Toad and a
Koopa Troopa
Koopa Troopas, known in Japan as , are fictional footsoldiers of the turtle-like Koopa race from the ''Mario'' media franchise. They are commonly referred to generically as Koopas, a race that includes Bowser, King of the Koopas, the Koopaling ...
. The game also featured 60 new minigames.
''Mario Party 4'' is the first ''Mario Party'' game to include side-collectibles, which are in the form of presents. It also introduces the ability for players to create their own custom minigame packs. Elements introduced in the previous game also return, such as the ability for players to team up in Party Mode and the ability to hold up to three items at a time.
''Mario Party 4'' is also the first game in the series to feature boards fully rendered in
3D, although the navigational board space layout remained 2D until ''Mario Party 5''.
As usual, ''GameSpot'' praised the minigames of ''Mario Party 4''. It called the game "arguably the most accomplished entry in the series yet", while further noting, "While more accomplished gamers may find some of the minigames too simplistic, this accessibility ensures that Mario's party is one that just about anyone can enjoy." It also mentioned the improved graphics of the game while further noting that the character models of the game were more simplified compared to their counterparts in ''
Super Smash Bros. Melee'', released about a year before ''Mario Party 4''. ''
Game Revolution
''GameRevolution'' (formerly ''Game-Revolution'') is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots ...
'' also noted the game's improved visuals while explaining that they were not representative of what the GameCube can achieve and criticized the game's textures, noting that they were not greatly detailed. ''Game Revolution'' did, however, praise its "happy" music but criticized the minigames, saying, "none really stand out". ''IGN'', however, praised the improved visuals of the game and noted, "''Mario Party 4'' is exactly how you would envision it on GameCube: all-new mini-games and better visuals". ''IGN'' also called the game "an absolute must-rent if you have a few friends over for the weekend" and "definitely an 'everybody' title".
''Mario Party 5'' (2003)
''Mario Party 5'' was released in 2003 for the GameCube. It features the same playable character roster as the previous two instalments with the exclusion of Donkey Kong and addition of
Toad
Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands.
A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scientif ...
,
Boo, and
Koopa Kid.
Rather than ''Mario Party 4''s large number of hosts, ''Mario Party 5'' features the Star Spirits, known as the Star Guards in this game, who first appeared in the 2000 ''
Paper Mario
''Paper Mario'' is a video game series and part of the Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise, developed by Intelligent Systems and produced by Nintendo. It combines elements from the role-playing video game, role-playing, action-adventure, a ...
'' for the Nintendo 64. The game also features 78 new minigames.
One of the most major changes that ''Mario Party 5'' made to the series was replacing collectible items with "capsules" (called "orbs" in later games), which players receive from a capsule machine, a talking robot vending machine that gives the player passing it a random capsule at no charge of coins, on the board.
In addition to giving the player who uses it an advantage over the other players, capsules can also allow the player to set up traps for other players by throwing them at a space in front of them.
These traps include forcing the player who lands on the capsule space to only be able to roll numbers from one to five on the Dice Block or forcing them to move ten spaces forward on the board.
''Mario Party 5'' also introduces a new mode, Super Duel Mode.
This mode is a one-versus-one battle mode where two players face off against each other using custom-assembled vehicles (called "machines" in-game). In this mode, players buy machine parts using points—awarded by playing minigames in either Party Mode or Minigame Mode—and build battle machines to use in different tournaments. There are a total of 44 different parts that can be used to customize a vehicle.
To unlock all the parts, the player must play all the tournaments
and beat certain opponents.
''IGN'' praised the multiplayer elements of the game, as usual, but criticized its "spotty" single-player mode. It called it "the perfect drinking game for college dorms ... and at the same time a great game for kids to enjoy with their siblings." It called ''Mario Party 5'' "likely as good as mini-game party games get."
''GameSpot'' criticized how the game's graphics had not been improved from the previous game in the series and said, "the boards are looking a little bland, with some inconsistent texture quality". It further noted, "The minigames, while not terribly visually enticing, tend to do their jobs well enough, without slowdown or glaring visual faults." It also criticized the voice work for, "while generally fitting the cheery tone of the game", being "largely recycled from ''Mario Party 4''." It also criticized its music that it noted was "almost painfully cheery tunes that are basically riffs from a few classic
'Super''''Mario Bros.'' themes." ''GameSpot'' said that it was "hard to recommend" the game to owners of the previous game in the series but recommended it to casual fans who had not already played a ''Mario Party'' game.
''
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
'' called the game a "mixed bag", criticizing its music, slow pace, and lack of originality. It noted that the game "can be a laugh" if "played with the right group" but also noted, "there are far better things to do with your time, your GameCube, and such marvelously entertaining friends", saying, "Western gamers are quite right to ignore this."
''Gaming Trend'' praised the
replay value
Replay may refer to:
* Replay (sports), a replayed match between two sport teams Technology
* Game replay, a recording of a game session.
* Instant replay, in motion pictures and television, a showing again of part of a film
* Replay Professional, ...
of the game but criticized the repetitive nature of the game.
''Mario Party 6'' (2004)
''Mario Party 6'' was released in 2004 and 2005 for the GameCube. It is the first game in the series to make use of the GameCube's microphone peripheral that was packaged with the game. It features the same cast of playable characters as the previous game with the addition of
Toadette
The Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise is a video game series by Nintendo. While Nintendo is usually the Video game developer, developer and publisher of games in the franchise, various series are developed by third-party companies, such a ...
, although she has to be unlocked by buying her for thirty stars in the Star Bank, a place in the game where one player can trade stars for prizes and other valuables, including new difficulty levels and rare minigames. ''Mario Party 6'' features two new characters as its hosts: Brighton and Twila, who depict the sun and the moon, respectively. It also featured 82 new minigames. This marked the last appearance of the "autoplay" function where the game plays itself in Party Mode.
''Mario Party 6'' is famous for its introduction of a day–night cycle system implemented for boards and minigames.
This is a concept that had previously only been seen in Horror Land, a board in ''Mario Party 2''. ''Mario Party 6'' is the first and only game in the series to feature a day–night cycle system for all boards and minigames.
''IGN'' noted that the graphics, sound, and minigames of the game are "just good enough", further explaining, "But when put together, ''Mario Party 6'' still manages to generate that glee of unexpectedly trouncing your opponent because you're the only one who knew that you used more capsules and thus deserve another star."
''GameSpot'' noted, "The fundamental formula isn't so different, but it's different enough that even if you've played all five previous ''Mario Party'' games, there's still something new for you." It further criticized the game's graphics, comparing it to ''
Mario Power Tennis'', which was released a month before ''Mario Party 6''. It further criticized the board designs, noting, "While the board designs are new, they're no more inventive in design than what we've seen before, and they certainly don't look any better." It further criticized the game and its developer, noting, "... we can't shake the feeling that Hudson will continue riding the same graphical technology for as long as it can still sell copies."
''Mario Party 7'' (2005)
''Mario Party 7'' was released in 2005 and 2006 for the GameCube. It was the series' last instalment on the GameCube. The microphone integration returns from the previous game, and the game introduces a new mode that allows up to 8 players to play together. It features the same roster of playable characters with the exclusion of Koopa Kid and the addition of
Birdo
Birdo, known in Japanese as , is a fictional character in the ''Mario'' franchise. Her first appearance was as an enemy in '' Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic'', which was localized for English-language audiences as ''Super Mario Bros. 2''. Since th ...
and Dry Bones as unlockable characters. Toadette is now unlocked from the start. Rather than the ''Mario Party 6''s Brighton and Twila,
Toadsworth
The ''Mario'' franchise is a video game series by Nintendo. While Nintendo is usually the developer and publisher of games in the franchise, various series are developed by third-party companies, such as Hudson Soft and Intelligent Systems. ...
, who first appeared in the 2002 GameCube game ''
Super Mario Sunshine
is a 2002 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the second 3D game in the ''Super Mario'' series, following ''Super Mario 64'' (1996). The game was directed by Yoshiaki Koizumi and Kenta Usui, produced by ...
'', is the host of ''Mario Party 7''.
The game also features 88 new minigames.
Former ''IGN'' author
Matt Casamassina
Matt Casamassina is a video game journalist, businessman, and novelist, and a founding editor of '' IGN''. He quit working for IGN on April 23, 2010. In his time at the site, he was the author of many reviews and previews of games by video game ...
wrote in a review for ''Mario Party 7'', "''Mario Party 7'' is still entertaining, but I'd be a liar if I wrote that I'm not growing bored with new iterations of the same old formula." He further noted, "To its credit, the title delivers some fun new boards and mini-games, and the multiplayer experience is as robust and enjoyable as ever." He then went on to criticize the game's single-player mode: "But it in contrast dishes out a worthless single-player mode marred by tediously slow computer-controlled character interactions. And the overall presentation of the story, cut-scenes and real-time achievements is only passable." He called the game "a decent sequel to an aging franchise", noting, "the only people that should truly be interested in it are those dedicated to multiplayer parties. Everybody else can either make due with last year's version or avoid the series altogether."
Former ''GameSpot'' writer
Ryan Davis criticized the game's lack of originality, as he usually does when reviewing ''Mario Party'' games, but he commended the game's new eight-player multiplayer mode, noting, "The addition of eight-player minigames is really the only new feature worth considering buying the game for, as the rest of the changes are token gestures. So it's otherwise the same old ''Mario Party'' all over again." He further declared, "this compulsive level of sameness is counterbalanced by the fact that (besides the ''Mario Party'' series) there are not a lot of other games like this on the GameCube these days—or anywhere else, for that matter."
In its review of the game, ''Nintendo World Report'' praised its support for up to eight players and large number of minigames but censured its relatively small roster of playable characters (16), poor microphone implementation, and the long waiting times when playing with computer-controlled opponents.
''Mario Party 8'' (2007)
''Mario Party 8'' was the first ''Mario Party'' game for the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
, released in 2007 and 2008. It was also the last home-console game in the series to be developed by
Hudson Soft
was a Japanese video game company that released numerous games for video game consoles, home computers and mobile phones, mainly from the 1980s to the 2000s. It was headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo ...
, before
NDcube
is a Japanese video game developer and a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo based in Japan with offices in Tokyo and Sapporo. The majority of the company is made up of former employees of Hudson Soft. They have also been the developers of the ...
took over the games' development starting from the next game in the series. The game features 73 new minigames, most of which utilize the
motion control
Motion control is a sub-field of automation, encompassing the systems or sub-systems involved in moving parts of machines in a controlled manner. Motion control systems are extensively used in a variety of fields for automation purposes, includi ...
capabilities of the
Wii Remote
The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with ...
.
''Mario Party 8'' features all the characters from the last game with the addition of Blooper and
Hammer Bro
The Hammer Bro (plural: ''Hammer Bros.'' or ) is a recurring enemy in the ''Mario'' video game series. Created by Japanese video game designer Kazuaki Morita, it is a Koopa that walks upright and attacks by throwing hammer projectiles at the play ...
. Players can also play as their
Mii
A Mii ( ) is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the 3DS, Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices. Miis c ...
character in certain modes.
The game features new items called "candies",
which replace "capsules", or "orbs", from the last three games in the series. These items are found throughout the boards and can be collected by players to aid themselves or hinder the progress of opponents. Positive effects range from getting to roll two dice blocks instead of one to getting to move to another player's board space. Other candies may let players steal stars from opponents or change the position of other player characters on the board.
The game's story revolves around a
ringmaster, named MC Ballyhoo, and his talking hat, Big Top.
After inviting Mario and his friends to a carnival, called the Star Carnival,
Ballyhoo promises that whoever wins is crowned the Superstar and receives a year's supply of candy. This begins the board games.
''Mario Party 8'' takes use of the Wii Remote's motion control features,
allowing the player to wave it, point and shoot, and more during minigames. In addition to the standard Party Mode, the game also features a single-player mode
called Star Battle Arena, where the player can compete with a computer-controlled character on boards and in minigames.
''Mario Party 8'' sold nearly nine million copies, making it the eleventh
best-selling Wii game
This is a list of video games for the Wii video game console that have sold or shipped at least one million copies. The best-selling game on the Wii is ''Wii Sports''. First released in North America on November 19, 2006, it was a launch title ...
. Despite the impressive sales numbers, ''IGN'' and ''GameSpot'' criticized the game's lack of originality.
''IGN'' lambasted the game, citing the game's few changes from the last games in the series, slow pace, lacklustre single-player mode, and "loose attention to detail". It finally noted, "In spite of our issues with the game, people who loved Mario Party 7 will probably enjoy Mario Party 8, too, but we've chosen not to reward Nintendo with an undeserved high score for a copy/paste sequel."
Similarly, ''GameSpot'' said that the game's developer, Hudson Soft, had gotten "a little too comfortable" with ''Mario Party'' being "the only persistent minigame
eries
The Erie people (also Eriechronon, Riquéronon, Erielhonan, Eriez, Nation du Chat) were Indigenous people historically living on the south shore of Lake Erie. An Iroquoian group, they lived in what is now western New York, northwestern Pennsylvania ...
for years". It further noted, "The fact that there are more interesting minigame collections out there now, like ''
Rayman Raving Rabbids
''Rayman Raving Rabbids'' is a 2006 party video game developed and published by Ubisoft. The game is a spinoff in the '' Rayman'' series. The game consists of 75 minigames. The game was released for the PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, and Microso ...
'', puts that laziness in stark relief and makes it more difficult to tolerate. If you've got the patience to dig past the skill-free board game portions of ''Mario Party 8'', there are some genuinely inventive minigames to be played. The point, though, is that you shouldn't have to dig at all." ''GameSpot'' also criticized the game's "lacklustre presentation", noting its "garish color palette" and "stomping, blaring marching-band soundtrack". It explained that the visual fidelity of the game had not been improved in the move from the GameCube and further noted, "in some ways, it actually looks worse now." It criticized the game's
aliasing
In signal processing and related disciplines, aliasing is an effect that causes different signals to become indistinguishable (or ''aliases'' of one another) when sampled. It also often refers to the distortion or artifact that results when a ...
and how the game would not fill a widescreen display during gameplay, instead using black borders, further describing, "It's awkward, and it's borderline embarrassing that a Nintendo-published Wii game doesn't have full widescreen support."
''Eurogamer'' noted the game's many "obvious missed opportunities", criticizing the limitation of the Mii character and how it could only be played in a few game modes. Like ''GameSpot'', ''Eurogamer'' criticized the lack of widescreen support, lack of originality, and poor motion controls. Additionally, it criticized the game's single-player mode, calling it "so utterly wretched it scarcely warrants discussion", further noting, "To add insult to injury, you have to go through it twice to unlock the mere two extra characters." Finally, ''Eurogamer'' said, "Fun could be had here, but even with the most forgiving group of friends, it's going to be short-lived."
''Mario Party 9'' (2012)
''Mario Party 9'' was released in 2012 and 2013 for the Wii. It was the first game in the series to be developed by NDcube instead of Hudson Soft, who developed all the previous ''Mario Party'' games. The game's playable character roster consists of the same characters as in the previous game with the exclusion of Toadette, Boo, Dry Bones, Blooper, and Hammer Bro; and the addition of Koopa Troopa, Shy Guy, and Magikoopa, named "
Kamek
The ''Mario'' franchise is a video game series by Nintendo. While Nintendo is usually the developer and publisher of games in the franchise, various series are developed by third-party companies, such as Hudson Soft and Intelligent Systems. ...
" in the
PAL
Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is a colour encoding system for analogue television. It was one of three major analogue colour television standards, the others being NTSC and SECAM. In most countries it was broadcast at 625 lines, 50 fields (25 ...
version of the game. The game features 82 new minigames.
Replacing MC Ballyhoo and Big Top as the hosts of the game is Yellow Toad, who hosts the board games, and
Blue Toad, who hosts the minigames. A green Toad also appears near the end of board games to initiate an event similar to the "Last Five Turns Event" from past ''Mario Party'' games.
''Mario Party 9'' also introduces the Mini Stars and Mini Ztars. Mini Stars are small white stars that the characters need to obtain in order to advance on each board. Mini Ztars are the counterpart to Mini Stars, being small, dark, and purple stars that cause a player to lose as many Mini Stars as the amount of Mini Ztars they collected.
The most notable feature that ''Mario Party 9'' introduced to the series was the car mechanic.
In ''Mario Party 9'' and ''Mario Party 10'', every player navigates the board in a car rather than move independently of one another. ''Mario Party 9'' has a lesser focus on strategy, and its minigames do not impact the board game in ways that the previous ''Mario Party'' games did. Critics heavily censured the car mechanic;
''
Destructoid
''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022.
History
' ...
'' noted, "An over-reliance on random chance over strategy can quickly derail the experience when things go awry at the worst possible time ..."
In an interview with ''
Nintendo Life
Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British mass media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and other ...
'', Shuichiro Nishiya, a game redirector from
NDcube
is a Japanese video game developer and a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo based in Japan with offices in Tokyo and Sapporo. The majority of the company is made up of former employees of Hudson Soft. They have also been the developers of the ...
, said in relation to the car mechanic, "In past instalments, everyone would move separately through the board. As a result, the actions of the other players often didn't affect you. You could just look at the TV screen when it was your turn and during the minigames." He further noted, "In ''Mario Party 10'', though, players move together in a car, so each player's action will affect the others, meaning you'll need to keep an eye on the TV screen."
In spite of the infamous car mechanic, ''IGN'' called ''Mario Party 9'' "the best Mario Party since the series reached its heights in the early GameCube days", further noting, "But throughout its many generations, Mario Party has carried a fatal flaw ...: In spite of your proficiency at mini-games, or penchant for board game strategy,
he ''Mario Party'' seriesis dictated by the dice roll. Randomness, which ''Mario Party 9'' flaunts with a particularly annoying brand of euphoric abandon, ultimately ruins what could be a very good game."
''GameSpot'' once again criticized the lack of originality. It also criticized one "problematic" minigame where the motion controls were "fussy" and "needlessly
omplicated. It complimented the game's minigames, noting that they make the game "entertaining for a few hours, and there's enough content to make it worth coming back for more"; however, it noted that it is "highly preferable to play with friends" due to the game's focus on luck rather than strategy. ''GameSpot'' also criticized the game's single-player story campaign, describing it as "
otvery engaging". It noted that each game lasts for too long and that it was unfortunate that the player is forced to beat the single-player mode to unlock the game's sixth board and two of the twelve playable characters. It finally called the game "a decent package with a lot of content, even if the Story mode is something you'll wish you could avoid." It then went on to say, "It's colorful, good looking, and fun with others, but after so many games, the appeal just isn't going to last for many people. There's no denying that what ''Mario Party 9'' does, it largely does well; it's just that it's largely been doing it well for nine console games and two handheld games. Once you've spent a few hours with mates, seen all the different boards, and played all the minigames, there's very little incentive to return. Much like that high school reunion, it is fun for a night, but you won't have any hesitation about moving on."
''Mario Party 10'' (2015)
''Mario Party 10'' was released in 2015 for the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
. It was the first and only ''Mario Party'' game for the system, and most of the playable characters from the previous game return, although Birdo, Koopa Troopa, Shy Guy, and Magikoopa are absent. The game does, however, introduce Rosalina, Spike, and Bowser (playable in the Bowser Party mode) as playable characters for the first time in the series and additionally re-introduces Donkey Kong, who had not been in a ''Mario Party'' game since ''Mario Party 4'', and Toadette. The game also introduced two new modes: Bowser Mode and amiibo Party. It also re-introduces the car mechanic from the previous game, where players navigate the board together in a car rather than move individually as seen in older games in the series.
In ''Mario Party 10'', the game's standard board game mode is called "Mario Party". In this mode, players compete to get the most Mini Stars, as in previous games. In the game's new Bowser Party mode, one player controls Bowser using the primary controller for the Wii U, the
Wii U GamePad
The Wii U GamePad is the standard game controller for Nintendo's Wii U home video game console. Incorporating traits from tablet computers, the GamePad has traditional input methods (such as buttons, dual analog sticks, and a D-pad), touchscreen ...
,
and up to four other players control Mario and his friends
using Wii Remotes.
In this mode, Mini Stars are replaced by hearts, which serve as the players'
health points
Health is an attribute in a video game or tabletop game that determines the maximum amount of damage or loss of stamina that a character or object can take before dying or losing consciousness. In role-playing games, this typically takes the for ...
. The goal of the player playing as Bowser is to deplete the health of the players in Team Mario,
while the goal of the other players is to reach the Super Star at the end of the board with at least one player with at least one heart remaining. If Bowser catches up to Team Mario, every player has to play a randomly-selected "Bowser Battle" minigame, where the hearts of players on Team Mario are lost if they are hit by Bowser's attacks. If Team Mario's players lose all their hearts, Bowser wins.
The game also introduces the amiibo Party mode. In this mode, up to four players can scan the
amiibo
(, ; officially stylized as amiibo; plural: ''Amiibo'') is a toys-to-life platform by Nintendo, which was launched in November 2014. It consists of a wireless communications and storage protocol for connecting figurines to the Wii U, Ninten ...
for a character and play as that character on small boards. Players compete for the most stars, which can be bought with coins. Rather than traditional characters, the players control Amiibo figures of the characters whose Amiibo they scanned. If a player does not own an Amiibo figure, they play as a
cardboard cutout
A standee is an American term for a large self-standing display promoting a movie, product or event, or point-of-sale advertising, often in the form of a life-size cut-out figure. They are typically made of foam-board, and may range from large ...
as a character instead.
''GameSpot'' and ''
TrustedReviews
''Trusted Reviews'' is a web publication focused on technology, published in London, UK by Incisive Media.
History
Trusted Reviews was founded in 2003 by Hugh Chappell and Riyad Emeran as a response to the decline in sales of computer review ...
'' criticized ''Mario Party 10'' for being too similar to the previous games in the series. ''GameSpot'' further criticized the game's lack of strategy and cited that the game has "an annoying habit of stealing stars away from whoever is in the lead", explaining that this makes the any effort the player has put into the minigames "largely
oot
''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan and North America in November 1998, and in PAL regions the following month. ''Ocarina of Tim ...
"
It was also censured for keeping the car mechanic from the previous game.
''
Den of Geek!
''Den of Geek'' is a US and UK-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture. The website also issues a bi-annual magazine.
History
''Den of Geek'' was founded in 2007 by Simon Brew in London. In 2012, DoG Tech LLC licensed ...
'' criticized the game's new Bowser Party mode, calling it "basically a sprint to the finish line, with no depth or complexity, and one that is typically over in a handful of uneventful turns." It praised the fun minigames of the standard mode, "Mario Party" but further criticized the game, saying "it never matters whether you actually win or lose in any of the game modes", noting that most of what the game offers is already unlocked from the start. It noted that the game lacks inspiration and stated that despite the fun minigames, "everything else feels incredibly deflated" and "Bowser Party comes across as gimmicky and mundane, other modes are restricted by
Amiibo
(, ; officially stylized as amiibo; plural: ''Amiibo'') is a toys-to-life platform by Nintendo, which was launched in November 2014. It consists of a wireless communications and storage protocol for connecting figurines to the Wii U, Ninten ...
and controller types, and a clear 'everyone's a winner' mentality strips away any sense of challenge that could have been had here."
''IGN'' criticized the new amiibo Party mode, describing, "The integration of amiibo amounts to little more than constantly tapping the figures to a sensor in the corner of the GamePad. You tap to roll, tap to stop random spinners, tap to use items... You tap the GamePad a lot." It also criticized the minigames' infrequency, noting that in the standard game mode, "Mario Party", the players only get to play a minigame if one of them lands on a minigame board space, further noting that these spaces are rare on the boards. It did, however, praise the Bowser Party mode, calling it ''Mario Party 10''s "greatest achievement and one of the best uses of the
Wii U GamePad
The Wii U GamePad is the standard game controller for Nintendo's Wii U home video game console. Incorporating traits from tablet computers, the GamePad has traditional input methods (such as buttons, dual analog sticks, and a D-pad), touchscreen ...
yet".
''Eurogamer'' noted the game's "prudent" motion controls but called the Amiibo implementation "decidedly mixed", noting that the boards are "far less dynamic", further explaining, "it's the same board repurposed slightly depending on which compatible figures you own; they look different, but are otherwise functionally similar." However, like ''IGN'', ''Eurogamer'' praised the Bowser Party mode and called it the "unlikely champion" of the Wii U's various uses of the GamePad in games. Finally, it said, "This is, at least, in the upper echelons of the series: a little short of the Hudson Soft heyday, maybe, but better than every entry since the fifth, and certainly superior to the anaemic eighth entry and the pointless handheld versions."
''Super Mario Party'' (2018)
''Super Mario Party'' was released in 2018 for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
. The game features the largest roster of playable characters in any ''Mario Party'' game, featuring nearly every character from ''Mario Party 10'' (minus Spike), with the addition of Dry Bones,
Goomba
Goombas , known in Japan as , are a fictional mushroom-like species from Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise. They first appeared in the NES video game ''Super Mario Bros.'' as the first enemy players encounter. They have appeared outside video ga ...
,
Boo,
Koopa Troopa
Koopa Troopas, known in Japan as , are fictional footsoldiers of the turtle-like Koopa race from the ''Mario'' media franchise. They are commonly referred to generically as Koopas, a race that includes Bowser, King of the Koopas, the Koopaling ...
,
Hammer Bro
The Hammer Bro (plural: ''Hammer Bros.'' or ) is a recurring enemy in the ''Mario'' video game series. Created by Japanese video game designer Kazuaki Morita, it is a Koopa that walks upright and attacks by throwing hammer projectiles at the play ...
,
Shy Guy
"Shy Guy" is a song by Jamaican recording artist and songwriter Diana King for the movie soundtrack album '' Bad Boys''. It also appeared on King's debut studio album, ''Tougher Than Love'' (1995). The song was written by King, Kingsley Gardner ...
,
Bowser Jr.
in Japan) is a fictional character who appears in Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise as an antagonist. He is the son of the series' main antagonist, Bowser. Since his debut in ''Super Mario Sunshine'' in 2002, Bowser Jr. has been a recurring chara ...
,
Diddy Kong
is a fictional character who appears in games belonging to the ''Donkey Kong'' and ''Mario'' video game franchises, debuting in the 1994 ''Donkey Kong'' series game, ''Donkey Kong Country''. Nintendo designer Kevin Bayliss commented Diddy Kong wa ...
,
Pom Pom
A pom-pom – also spelled pom-pon, pompom or pompon – is a decorative ball or tuft of fibrous material.
The term may refer to large tufts used by cheerleaders, or a small, tighter ball attached to the top of a hat, also known as a ...
, and Monty Mole. Additionally, Bowser, who had only previously been playable in ''Mario Party 10''s Bowser Party and amiibo Party modes, is now playable in the standard Party Mode.
''Super Mario Party''s most notable change is the removal of the car mechanic. In this game, players navigate the board individually like in past ''Mario Party'' instalments.
The game also introduces a new mode called "Toad's Rec Room", where players can pair up two Nintendo Switch units to form a single connected board to play minigames on.
''Super Mario Party'' also introduces
online multiplayer
A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
for the first time in the series. While the standard board games are restricted to the game's standard Party Mode, players are able to play the game's 80 minigames with other players either locally or online, independent of the board games, in the game's new "Online Mario-thon" mode. In this mode, players compete in five randomly-selected minigames, aiming to get the highest score. It also features
leaderboards
A ladder tournament (also known as a ladder competition or pyramid tournament) is a form of tournament for games and sports. Unlike many tournaments, which usually have an element of elimination, ladder competitions can go on indefinitely. In a lad ...
and a ranking system, as well as rewards that the players can receive for playing the mode.
Some sources criticized the game's lack of an online board game mode,
although others still praised the lack of the infamous car mechanic and the focus on traditional ''Mario Party'' gameplay.
Nearly three years after release, a late patch has made the board game mode available for online play for the first time in the series.
Handheld console games
''Mario Party Advance'' (2005)
''Mario Party Advance'' was released for the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
in 2005. It was the first ''Mario Party'' game for a handheld console and was the only ''Mario Party'' game for the Game Boy Advance. It features four playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Yoshi.
The hosts of the game are Tumble, Toad,
Professor Elvin Gadd
The ''Mario'' franchise is a video game series by Nintendo. While Nintendo is usually the developer and publisher of games in the franchise, various series are developed by third-party companies, such as Hudson Soft and Intelligent Systems. ...
, and Toadette. Its antagonists are Bowser and three of his children: Blue Koopa Kid, Green Koopa Kid, and Red Koopa Kid.
Its standard mode is "Shroom City", in which the player takes control of one of the playable characters and travels around the city Shroom City, completing quests and collecting minigames
and "Gaddgets" to play in other modes.
''Mario Party DS'' (2007)
''Mario Party DS'' was released in 2007 for the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
. It was the first and only ''Mario Party'' game for the Nintendo DS. It was also the last game in the series overall to be developed by Hudson Soft. It featured 73 minigames, many of which took use of the Nintendo DS's
touchscreen
A touchscreen or touch screen is the assembly of both an input ('touch panel') and output ('display') device. The touch panel is normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. The display is often ...
, microphone, and unique dual screen capabilities, in addition to traditional-style minigames using the
D-pad
A D-pad (short for directional pad or digital pad; officially referred to by Nintendo as a +Control Pad) is a flat, usually thumb-operated, often digital, four-way directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern vid ...
and buttons.
The game features Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, and Toad as playable characters.
''IGN'' noted that it was "honestly very difficult to get excited for yet another Mario Party, even though it's the first time it's been made for the Nintendo DS system." It noted that ''Mario Party DS'' is "a solid multiplayer mini-game experience with a lot of the flaws of the previous versions." It further explained, "It doesn't do anything truly special than create a bunch of touch screen and microphone-centric minigames (and even then we've seen variations of them in other DS titles), but it at least comes together as a better title than the last console ''Mario Party'' design."
''GameSpot'' praised the large number of minigames and their quality, noting, "Typically, a collection like this made for the Nintendo DS will give you 20 or 30 minigames. This one has more than 70. Remarkably, despite that lofty number, there aren't many duds." It criticized the single-player mode but described the multiplayer aspect of the game as "an outright blast".
''Mario Party: Island Tour'' (2013)
''Mario Party: Island Tour'' was the first ''Mario Party'' game for the
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
, released in 2013 and 2014. It features 81 minigames, many of which utilize the 3DS's touch screen and dual screen capabilities, as well as the system's other unique features. It features Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, Boo, Toad, and Bowser Jr. as playable characters. It was the first ''Mario Party'' game to feature Bowser Jr. as a playable character.
''IGN'' criticized ''Mario Party: Island Tour'' for its "mostly bland" minigames, additionally noting, "a handful are just bad." "If you’ve played a ''Mario Party'' game before, you’ll recognize that a majority of the games are based around returning ideas", ''IGN'' said. It cited that some of the game's minigames used the Nintendo 3DS's touchscreen "effectively" but rated the game 5.5 out of 10 for its "mostly boring minigames unfortunate system-jerking motion control."
''GameSpot'' said that many of the minigames do a good job of taking advantage of the 3DS's unique features in their design but noted, "there are still some stinkers in the mix." "Strictly luck-based minigames turn up in the rotation frequently, and they're not any fun," ''GameSpot'' said. It also cited the game's "sluggish controls that hamper your ability to move well." Finally, it said, "It's not a perfect party by any means, but some good design considerations, better-than-average variety, and always-enjoyable ''Mario'' thematics put ''Mario Party: Island Tour'' a few notches above your average video game bash-in-a-box." It rated the game 7 out of 10.
''Nintendo Life'' said that winning minigames is "inconsequential ... in the grand scheme of things". It called the game's visuals "satisfactory, getting the job done without doing anything to wow." It finally noted, "The ''Mario Party'' series isn't changing much, and when it does, it doesn't seem to be for the better. The pieces of Island Tour that work the best are the ones sticking to the form established early in the series — fun, accessible mini-games that don't over-complicate things. It's the game boards that need better ideas, and the "less is more" approach would suit future instalments better. The focus on luck, swapping places at random, and — specific to this instalment — the short length all conspire to hamper what could easily have been a much more enjoyable experience. There's still a ton of rowdy multiplayer fun to be had, but it's unfortunate that a whole portion of the game is so hit-or-miss."
''Mario Party: Star Rush'' (2016)
''Mario Party: Star Rush'' was the second ''Mario Party'' game for the Nintendo 3DS. Released in 2016 and 2017, the game was the first ''Mario Party'' game on a handheld console to be compatible with
Amiibo
(, ; officially stylized as amiibo; plural: ''Amiibo'') is a toys-to-life platform by Nintendo, which was launched in November 2014. It consists of a wireless communications and storage protocol for connecting figurines to the Wii U, Ninten ...
figures. The game features Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, Toad, Toadette, Rosalina, Donkey Kong, and Diddy Kong as playable characters. Blue Toad, Yellow Toad, Red Toad, and Green Toad are also playable in the "Toad Scramble" mode, the standard game mode of ''Star Rush''. The Additionally, Bowser, Bowser Jr., and Boo can be played as by tapping their Amiibo figures in the "Mario Shuffle" mode. The only character that is not available in the "Mario Shuffle" mode is Toadette. ''Mario Party: Star Rush'' has a total of 53 minigames.
In the game's main mode, Toad Scramble, up to four players start out with a Toad, where their colour corresponds to each player. The goal of the mode is to amass the most stars; players can retrieve stars by placing first in the
boss
Boss may refer to:
Occupations
* Supervisor, often referred to as boss
* Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier
* Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization
* Fire boss, a ...
minigames. Players can battle bosses by landing on the space in front of them on the board, and every time a boss minigame is completed, a new boss appears on the board at a different spot.
Up to five bosses may appear on a board.
In the Mario Shuffle mode, two players race across a linear, one-way board to a goal as Amiibo figures. The red team's goal is to reach the very right of the board, while the blue team's goal is to reach the left side.
Players roll two dice each, and when a player crosses an opponent's Amiibo figure, the player knocks it back to the start of the board. Players can land on spaces that either make their figure continue moving farther on the board or move backwards. If players do not have an Amiibo figure, a cardboard cut-out of a character is used instead. A total amount of six characters can be used, each split into two teams of three. The first team who makes it across the board to their goal wins the game.
''Star Rush'' also features five other game modes: Coinathlon, Balloon Bash, Rhythm Recital, Challenge Tower, and Boo's Block Party. In Coinathlon, up to four players collect as many coins as they can in a set of three sixty-second coin-designated minigames. In Balloon Bash, up to four players collect coins and stars while rolling the Dice Block on a small board with 10, 20, or 30 turns and minigames. In Rhythm Recital, up to four players cooperate and play classic ''Mario'' tunes by timing touchscreen taps button presses correctly. In Challenge Tower, a single-player mode, the player climbs a tower with LED spaces on it, trying to hit the right colours and avoid Amp enemies. And finally, in the Boo's Block Party mode, a puzzle game, players spin the sides of numbered blocks to match them up for points. ''Star Rush'' also features the Character Museum, which lets players view characters and their biographies,
similar to the trophy system in the ''
Super Smash Bros.'' games.
''IGN'' criticized ''Mario Party: Star Rush'', criticizing the slow pacing of the gameplay, saying, "but ''Mario Party: Star Rush''s modes all start slow and never find ways to pick up the pace." It further criticized the board game modes for "
nfoldingnearly the same way every time." It also mentioned the luck factor of the game, noting "almost everything here hinges on luck, and there are few opportunities for sneaky plays to employ smart strategies to shift its competitive games in your favor. A lot of them boil down to roll the dice and try to make the best of what’s available on the board." However, it praised the improvements to the sluggish gameplay of the previous ''Mario Party'' games and also praised the "wacky spirit" of the minigames. It did, however, end its review with "After a few trips through ''Mario Party: Star Rush''s modes, you'll have seen nearly everything it has to offer."
''Nintendo Life'' noted that ''Star Rush''s modes and minigames are "decent", noting, "There are some enjoyable highlights, some decent alternatives and one or two outright duds; overall the positive inclusions outweigh the weak points." It mentioned that there are a limited number of minigames in the standard mode, Toad Scramble, but noted, "they're some of the stronger examples in the game and the heat of the battle is rather addictive." It also noted that Balloon Bash is "the best mode for playing the broadest ariety of minigames." It did, however, explain that the Mario Shuffle mode "feels like an odd misstep" but praised the Boo's Block Party mode. Finally, it explained, "Mario Party: Star Rush may not excel in many ways, but it addresses some complaints from past entries and delivers some harmless entertainment."
Compilation games
''Mario Party: The Top 100'' (2017)
''Mario Party: The Top 100'' was the third ''Mario Party'' game for the Nintendo 3DS, released in 2017. Unlike traditional ''Mario Party'' games, ''The Top 100'' is a compilation of 100 remade minigames originally featured in the previous ten home console games in the series. It features Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, and Rosalina as playable characters. ''The Top 100'' has the most minigames out of all games in the ''Mario Party'' series.
The main game mode of ''The Top 100'' is 100 Minigames, where players can play all 100 minigames individually, outside of a board. Its second mode, Minigame Island, is a single-player mode, where Toad is the host. After the player selects their character, they can choose a computer-controlled teammate for two-versus-two minigames. The game's third mode is Minigame Match, which serves as the game's only board game mode. It plays similarly to Balloon Bash from the previous instalment, ''Star Rush''. It is a multiplayer mode where players travel around a small board and roll a Dice Block that determines their movement on the board. In this mode, players need to pop "Star Balloons" across the board; collecting stars is vital to winning the game. ''The Top 100''s next game mode, Championship Battles, is one hosted by Toadette and has players battling other players in random minigames from a "minigame pack", a concept first introduced in ''Mario Party 4''. Whichever player receives the best of three or five rounds wins the mode. ''The Top 100''s final mode, Decathlon, has players play either five or ten minigames against other players. The player earns points depending on how well they played the minigame, rather than whether they won, and the score in the minigame converts to points to the overall score in the mode.
At the beginning of its review, ''Nintendo Life'' said, "Just because a game has a great concept, doesn't mean the end product will be the same." It explained that ''The Top 100'' is "an incredible idea on paper" and cited that it is a "joy" to see the 100 classic minigames return but explained, "the rest of the package nevertheless delivers a lacklustre experience." It called it a "blast" to play the 100 returning minigames but criticized the small amount of content and the low replay value. It noted that the game accomplished remastering 100 classic minigames "with great results" and called the initial time spent playing the game "an awesome walk through nostalgia lane" but criticized the rest of the game as "a rushed project" and noted that it "fails to live up to its full potential." Similarly, ''
Polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
'' explained that ''The Top 100'' "goes hard on the minigames and light on everything else". It criticized the Minigame Island mode for feeling like "a random, obligatory grind". It noted that ''The Top 100'' "does a very good thing by giving us tons of minigames to play" but criticized the structure board game aspect of the game.
''Mario Party Superstars'' (2021)
On June 15, 2021, Nintendo announced ''Mario Party Superstars'' for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
. It is a compilation of 100 classic mini-games and five game boards stretching all the way back to the first ''
Mario Party
is a party video game series featuring characters from the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise in which up to four local players or computer-controlled characters (called "CPU (gaming), CPUs") compete in a board game interspersed with mi ...
'' on
Nintendo 64
The (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was released on June 23, 1996, in Japan, on September 29, 1996, in North America, and on March 1, 1997, in Europe and Au ...
, all remade with HD graphics. It includes full online compatibility for playing with both friends and strangers. The game was released on October 29, 2021.
Arcade games
In addition to the home console games, 6 arcade games were also developed, and released exclusively in Japan. They typically retain the core mechanics of ''Mario Party'', such as moving around a board and playing minigames, but add arcade specific features such as a coin pusher or claw device.
Other games
''Mario Party-e'' (2003)
''Mario Party-e'' is a
card game
A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific.
Countless card games exist, including families of related games (such as poker). A small number of card ...
that makes optional use of the
Nintendo e-Reader
The Nintendo e-Reader, stylized as ereader, commonly abbreviated as e-Reader, known in Japan as the is an add-on manufactured by Nintendo for its Game Boy Advance handheld video game console. It was released in Japan in December 2001, with a N ...
and was released on February 18, 2003. It was the only ''Mario Party'' game for the Nintendo e-Reader. Many of these cards contain "dot-codes" that, when scanned into the e-Reader, allow players to play minigames similar to those found in the regular ''Mario Party'' series. The ''Mario Party-e'' set contains a Play Mat, an instruction book and a pre-constructed deck consisting of sixty-four cards. An extra card was included as a promotion in an issue of
GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
.
Reception
Aggregate reviews
Sales
The ''Mario Party'' sub-series have generally performed well in sales. ''
Super Mario Party'', released in 2018, is the series' best-selling game with 18.35 million units sold,
and ''
Mario Party DS
is a 2007 party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. The second handheld game in the ''Mario Party'' series, and the last game to be developed by Hudson Soft, who was replaced by NDcube in 2012 ...
'', released in 2007, is the best-selling portable entry.
Controversies
''Mario Party'' (N64)
In the original 1998 ''Mario Party'' game for the Nintendo 64, some minigames required players to rotate the controller's
analogue stick
An analog stick (or analogue stick in British English), sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller (often a game controller) that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joy ...
as fast as they could, including one in which the player is challenged to wind up Fly-Guy at the minigame house. Some players used the palms of their hands, rather than their thumbs, to rotate the analogue stick. As a result, they would often endure blisters. In an act of contrition, Nintendo gave away free gaming gloves to the victims of these blisters. Some wore away the stick because it was not very durable. The analogue stick rotation has no longer been used since ''Mario Party 2''. The exceptions are the mini-game in ''Mario Party 5'' in which the player only needs to rotate it once and the mini-game in ''Mario Party 3'' in which players throw Bowser in a manner similar to ''
Super Mario 64
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan and North America in 1996 and PAL regions in 1997. It is the first ''Super Mario'' game to feature 3D gameplay, combining traditional ''Su ...
'' and do not need to use the palm of their hand to move the analogue stick. ''
Mario Party: Island Tour'' resumed using these types of minigames because players can spin the
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
' analogue stick safely. In ''
Mario Party Superstars
is a 2021 party video game developed by NDcube and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the twelfth home console installment in the ''Mario Party'' series, and the second for the Nintendo Switch following ''Super Mario Party'' (2 ...
'', since the game utilizes analog sticks again, a disclaimer is placed on the rules screen for the minigames Tug o' War and Cast Aways warning players to not use their palms to turn the stick to avoid hand injury and stick damage. A similar warning appears for the Nintendo Switch Online version of ''Mario Party'' when starting the game.
''Mario Party 8''
In July 2007, ''
Mario Party 8
''Mario Party 8'' is a 2007 party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The game is the eighth main installment in the ''Mario Party'' series, and the first title in the series released for the Wii. It wa ...
'' for Nintendo's
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
home console
A home video game console is a video game console that is designed to be connected to a display device, such as a television, and an external power source as to play video games. Home consoles are generally less powerful and customizable than ...
was withdrawn from stores in the United Kingdom shortly after its release date.
This was allegedly caused by
Kamek
The ''Mario'' franchise is a video game series by Nintendo. While Nintendo is usually the developer and publisher of games in the franchise, various series are developed by third-party companies, such as Hudson Soft and Intelligent Systems. ...
using the word "spastic." Complaints were raised from consumers because the term is used to refer to an
intellectually disabled
Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability in the United Kingdom and formerly mental retardation,Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010). is a generalized neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by signific ...
person and is considered highly offensive in the United Kingdom. In August 2007, Nintendo re-released the game, replacing "spastic" with the word "erratic".
Notes
References
{{Nintendo franchises
Video game franchises
Nintendo franchises
Video game franchises introduced in 1998