Game Review: Super Mario Party Jamboree

 

Mario Party has an infamous reputation for destroying friendships for over 26 years.  Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998, the series has spanned over 20 titles across multiple consoles over the years.  My history with Mario Party actually started on the Nintendo Wii, with Mario Party 8 which I know has a questionable reputation among the fanbase.  Since then however, I’ve tried my best to pick up the Mario Party games to play with my friends as I do find them to be a genuinely enjoyable series.  The whole idea of taking a board game premise and mixing it up with interluding minigames is a simple but compelling idea which Nintendo has tried to experiment with over the years.  As of late, the Mario Party series has had a sort of resurgence after a poor reception to the franchises Nintendo Wii and Wii U offerings. As of today, there are 3 mainline Mario Party games on the Nintendo Switch, the one we’ll be talking about today is the latest and arguably best of the 3; Super Mario Party Jamboree.

Developed by Nintendo Cube and published by Nintendo, Super Mario Party Jamboree is the latest iteration of the long running Mario Party series.  The core objective of the game is to have fun with up to 4 players in a string of board-style game modes with a multitude of minigames littered throughout.  While Jamboree doesn’t tout a distinct feature, the main allure behind this entry in the series is its insane level of content. It holds the core gameplay on offer but alongside it is a single player mode as well as many other game modes to play around in.  Critically, the title holds a respectable 81 aggregate score on OpenCritic. On the sales front, information is limited but what I could find seems positive as the title totaled over 1 million copies sold in Japan as of January 2025.

The gameplay offerings behind Super Mario Party Jamboree are extensive to say the least.  The game is anchored around a central hub area titled the Party Plaza.  In this area you have the ability to select one of over 22 playable characters for both you and your fellow party members.  From here you have the ability to explore a number of vendors which feature the ability to customize your plaza, listen to in game-music, check stats and change player settings.  One of the primary elements of the Party Plaza is the single player mode called Party Planner Trek.  In this mode you’ll be helping Kamek with his desire to get the party boards ready by having you explore them and help NPCs with their requests and complete minigame challenges.  At the end of each respective board, you’ll be facing off against a unique boss.  This mode is a nice side feature if you’re out to do something different to the primary Mario Party modes, though they don’t really variate much in terms of structure throughout each board which is disappointing.

The primary mode though is the Mario Party mode and in this game you have the ability to play a total of seven distinct boards.  The main purpose of this mode is for you and 3 party members to compete against one another as you navigate across the respective board collecting coins in hopes of obtaining stars.  The player with the most stars at the end of the game will be declared the winner.  There’s a lot more to this mode than just that however, as each turn will be intersected with a minigame which players will have to compete against one another.  There’s over 110 minigames you can potentially play and the winner get’s a majority share on coins to use towards buying a coin.  The main addition found in this game is Jamboree buddies.  As you play the game, NPC characters will be deployed onto the map and offer players the ability to recruit them and their unique abilities to give them an edge on the board.  The board variety is a nice mix between new and old boards and what really helps is there’s a unique flair and function behind each of them.  Whether you’re looking for a fairly simple session or something with a bit more unpredictability, there’s a board here to fit your needs.  The Jamboree buddy feature is a nice bit of variation too, as it gives players even more ways to upend the ranking of the game in their favour and the fact each character has a unique ability and minigame associated to them is a extra positive. 

Outside the main Mario Party mode there’s a whole plethora of other modes to give this game some serious definition.  These modes range considerably, with a Minigame Bay which allows players to experience the games many minigames within 4 separate setups.  On top of that is a range of motion control game modes. Firstly there’s Rhythm Kitchen, in which you work together to do motions with the JoyCon in an attempt to cook and create a five-star dish.  Paratroopa Flight School has you and another player working together to fly a bunch of NPCs across designated areas.  Toad’s Item Factory has you and 3 other players work together to lift platforms in an attempt to help the Toad’s manufacture items in their factory.  Last but not least is the online-centric modes; Koopathlon and Bowser Kaboom Squad. Koopathlon puts you against 19 other players in a race to lap a course based on your total score in a range of minigames.  Bowser Kaboom Squad has you team up with 7 other players as you work together to load a cannon to take down Imposter Bowser. 

It's fair to say the level of content tucked into this game is very impressive.  The mileage you’ll get out of these additional modes is debatable dependent on your level of enjoyment, but it cannot be denied just how much there is to play around with here.  The distinct variation between these modes is really appreciated also.  I think there’s little risk of getting fatigue with the game as a whole just because of the sheer level of options available to shift your play session up rather than playing board games over and over. While there’s a lot of options to pick from, it’s easy to note how these modes don’t really last all that long compared to the main Mario Party board and through enough exposure there is the risk of the allure behind these modes fading fairly quickly. 

There’s a lot to appreciate about the visuals behind this game.  Obviously it’s bound by the hardware limitations of the Nintendo Switch, but even then it’s use of colour and detailing is notable.  The boards themselves have so much life to them with how much detail the developers tucked away into them. Animations all across the game are so full of life and really help add a memorable aura to the game that helps it from feeling static.  The musical score by Shigenobu Okawa and Yuta Yamaguchi is fun, if a little unmemorable, it doesn’t really do much else than any prior Mario Party soundtracks haven’t already done.

Super Mario Party Jamboree is a product full of value.  The level of depth and engagement behind the games overall content will vary ranging from player to player but it’s hard to ignore the games overall objective value.  There’s so much packed away in this game that you can have fun with friends for tons of sessions and never for one minute feel like the game is getting repetitive.  Out of all the Mario Party games I’ve spent time playing, it’s probably this particular one that feels like it really captures the essence of what makes a really good Mario Party experience for friends and family alike to enjoy.