Nintendo’s long history means there are certain series central to the company’s history that I haven’t played from the start. Mario Party, however, is a series I’ve played and loved for years. Okay, and sometimes I’ve hated it. It’s not just the cutthroat gameplay that has left a sour taste in my mouth, but Nintendo’s lack of capitalizing on the best video game board game in some of its past entries. Luckily, Super Mario Party Jamboree hits the mark and might just be the most fun entry in the series to date.

Some of the difficulties Nintendo has had in succeeding with this series in the past include a few different issues. Firstly, entries like Super Mario Party simply don’t offer game boards or minigames that are all that fun. Entries back on the Wii and Wii U forced all players into a car together rather than traversing the game board separately. Even entries Mario Party 6 and Mario Party 7, which were mostly good, forced you to use a microphone peripheral. How hard can it be to get this right?

Luckily, Super Mario Party Jamboree gets just about everything right in a way that players who have avoided the series lately will be pleased to hear. Jamboree contextualizes the entry’s setting with a long cutscene upon first booting the game up. Mario and his pals have traveled to a tropical party paradise and instead of soaking up the sun, they’re going to steal stars and battle it out in mini-games against one another.

The game features 7 distinct boards with friends, including the brand-new Goomba Lagoon and Rainbow Galleria boards as well as Mario’s Rainbow Castle from Mario Party and Western Land from Mario Party 2. What makes this a Jamboree exactly? Well, you can now land on a Jamboree Buddy during the game. These Jamboree Buddies unlock game-changing abilities, from copying opponents’ items to launching you across the board.

Is the Jamboree Buddy twist what makes this game great? No, but it doesn’t get in the way of the core gameplay loop, as past gimmicks have. The boards and minigames are the focus, as is the way you can sabotage those closest to you during the game. Minigames tally over 110 that utilize motion controls and button mashing. I didn’t find the motion control games to be poor in response or fun, so don’t let that scare you away from checking out Jamboree. The game’s 22-character roster is also solid, with old friends, newer allies, and enemies making the list.

Sometimes, the difficulty with Mario Party titles is that it’s not always fair to every player. In some cases, this is purposeful, thanks to the game’s rules. In other cases, younger less efficient players lose all the minigames and can’t really have a shot at winning. Two major updates are included to combat both of these issues, and these additions are very welcome. Firstly, Pro Rules allow you to downplay the luck element of Super Mario Party Jamboree in favor of skill. On the other hand, Party Rules allow you to use Star handicaps, disable motion minigames, and more to equal the playing field.

Truly, something that makes this game great is that these updates, the focus on minigame quality, and the downplay of gimmicks allow Super Mario Party Jamboree‘s game boards to shine. Rainbow Galleria is potentially my favorite board ever in a Mario Party game, taking place in a mall with an elevator, escalators, and a massive sale that complicates things midway through the game. Other, simpler maps like Mega Wiggler’s Tree Party are straightforward and fun, allowing for less complex experiences.

New modes also offer more variation than ever to the Mario Party experience. Koopathlon allows 20 players to take each other on in a minigame race for high scores. Bowser Kaboom Squad allows players to team up against an AI Bowser. Other smaller experiences utilize things like rhythm games or co-op coordination to mix things up. Of course, a mini-game-only experience is also included. A single-player experience is also available, allowing players to roam the boards freely and play minigames to unlock collectibles and items.

The single-player experience isn’t really anything groundbreaking, but it’s nice that it’s included. Truly, the only criticism I see of Jamboree is just that: nothing here reinvents the Mario Party experience. To be great, however, it didn’t need to invent something new, it simply needed to get back to basics. That’s exactly what Super Mario Party Jamboree achieves. By ditching the hefty gimmicks and letting the traditional Mario Party experience take center stage, this is truly the best game for the series in years.

Super Mario Party Jamboree is the experience fans have been waiting for after a few entries that miss the mark. Outside of Super Mario Superstars, which took remakes of minigames and boards from classic Mario Party games, this is the best entry in the series in over two decades. Truly, this is the best Mario Party to date because it captures the magic of the best the series has offered and allows new additions to supplement, not dominate the experience. If you can check this one out, let us know in the comments if you agree!

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Super Mario Party Jamboree was provided by Nintendo for the purposes of this review.

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Super Mario Party Jamboree

$59.99

10

Score

10.0/10

Pros

• Great game boards and minigames
• Fun new options level the playing field should you feel like avoiding the rage associated with Mario Party luck
• Strong character roster
• A great return to form for a historic franchise

Cons

• Single-player mode is a bit simple, but really, that's the only gripe here folks