Debuting in 1998, the Mario Party series has delivered 10 mainline entries – and almost just as many spinoffs – in the last 26 years. While the critical reception to each Mario Party entry over the last two decades has remained fairly level, some key criticisms are starting to become more prevalent as the series progresses. Super Mario Party was criticized for having a lack of content and some weak boards, and while Mario Party Superstars fared much better, it didn't offer any original content. But Super Mario Party Jamboree looks like it could be the return to form that fans have been waiting for.
From the moment it was first announced in June, Nintendo has tried to showcase just how big Super Mario Party Jamboree will be. The announcement trailer went to great lengths to detail how Super Mario Party Jamboree will be the "biggest party yet," with more characters, boards, and minigames than ever before. And if Nintendo plays its cards right, Super Mario Party Jamboree could end up becoming the definitive entry in the franchise.
Super Mario Party Jamboree Should Follow In Mario Kart 8's Footsteps
Super Mario Party Jamboree Could Be Even Bigger With DLC
Super Mario Party Jamboree is already set to be the most complete entry in franchise history. Super Mario Party Jamboree will ship with at least 22 playable characters, five original boards, two remake boards, and over 110 minigames that encompass motion-controlled games, non-motion-controlled games, 1v3s, 2v2s, and classic free-for-alls. It seems as though Super Mario Party Jamboree might finally strike the perfect balance between offering original and remade content, and there will already be more than enough for fans to explore on launch day.
That said, if Nintendo wanted, it would likely be pretty easy to turn Super Mario Party Jamboree into a definitive all-in-one experience that lasts for multiple years, just like Mario Kart 8 before it. When Mario Kart 8 first launched in 2014, it was packed with a good mixture of original and remake tracks, but through an initial wave of DLC, it became an even more complete game. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe cemented this definitive position for the game, bringing the title to the Nintendo Switch.
Then in February 2022, almost eight years after the game's initial release, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass DLC was announced. Between March 2022 and November 2023, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe received 12 new cups, 48 new tracks, and 8 new playable characters, essentially doubling the amount of content in the decade-old game.
While a new Mario Kart is sure to be released when the Nintendo Switch's successor finally drops, it won't take away from the fact that Mario Kart 8 has been the definitive Mario Kart experience for a decade. And if Super Mario Party Jamboree follows a similar path with a Switch 2 remaster and post-launch DLC, it could be the definitive Mario Party experience for years to come.
Super Mario Party Jamboree Has No Shortage of DLC Possibilities
Thankfully, Super Mario Party Jamboree also has plenty of DLC options it could use to cement itself as the definitive Mario Party experience. Much like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass, any Super Mario Party Jamboree DLC has years' worth of content to remake, and sprinkling in some original boards and minigames would give fans the best of both worlds.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 89%
- Released
- October 17, 2024
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- NintendoWare Bezel
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Mario Party
Join the latest Mario Party™, a jamboree of seven boards and over 110 minigames
From running through merry-go-rounds to motion-control minigolf, this jamboree is jam-packed with more minigames than any Mario Party game to date. With seven boards in all, you can go with the flow in Goomba Lagoon, search the mall for stars in Rainbow Galleria, or revisit the classics of Western Land and Mario’s Rainbow Castle.
Check out all kinds of additional modes, like the 20-player online* Koopathlon
Race across the party board in Koopathlon, a series-first 20-player online* competition to see who can rack up the highest scores in minigames like the fast-paced Lane Change. The higher your score in each round, the faster you’ll get to the goal.
Koopathlon is just one of a slew of additional modes**—there’s something for every kind of Mario Party enjoyer!
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
- Genre(s)
- Party Game
