Nintendo just revealed its latest entry in theMario Partyseries withSuper Mario Party Jamboree. PreviousMario PartySwitch titles were lacking in certain areas, and the upcoming party game is already set to improve on its predecessors in plenty of ways.
Super Mario Party Jamboreewas featured prominently in the June Nintendo Direct. The reveal trailer gave prospective players a lot of enticing information, but left plenty of room for future reveals. With that in mind, there are some features that could really giveJamboreethe strength it needs to stand among the best of theMario Partyseries.
Super Mario Party Jamboree’s Philosophy Should Be “The More the Merrier”
Diverse Roster of Super Mario Characters
One of the trailer’s biggest highlights was the reveal of an all-new 20 player game mode. AssumingJamboreefollows previous series mechanics, players won’t be able to select the same character, even online. Naturally, this means the game must have twenty characters at least, and potentially more. That’s a huge roster of characters,especially for aMario Partygame.
The size ofSuperMario Party Jamboree’s roster is already a huge boon, giving players a level of expression largely unseen in the series, but the makeup of the roster could take things even further. There is already plenty of room for all themost popularSuperMariomainstays, with the reveal trailer additionally showcasing more minor characters like Spike.
Obscurity is definitely a good direction to take, but bringing in crowd-pleasers like Diddy Kong is sure to spell a good time.Donkey Kong and Diddy Kongwere unlockable characters inSuper Mario Party, so having Diddy Kong return inJamboreefeels feasible, since Donkey Kong is already available. Likewise, having additional unlockable characters could add to the game’s progression and prevent it from feeling stagnant.
Unique Mario Party Boards Are Best
Super Mario Party Jamboreeis seemingly packed to the brim with content old and new. Of course, just as important as the characters people play are the boards they play on. As much as unlockable characters would improve the lifespan of the game, the sentiment is doubly true for unlockable game boards.
Having many game boards is essential for the diversity of the game. Equally important is the gimmick each map asks players to follow. Something missing from Switch-eraMario Partytitles is the exceedingly unique gimmicks of older games. Seeing thereturn ofMario Partyboardslike Snowflake Lake or Koopa’s Tycoon Town – boards with economies that function completely different from the rest of the game – would be an absolute joy.
Jamboreealready seems to be moving in the right direction. Seven boards is already a sizable upgrade fromSuper Mario Party’s roster of boards, and each of them seems to be trying something different to keep the game fresh. Rainbow Galleria and Roll ‘em Raceway seem like particular standouts, so one can only hope that any other new boards are similarly unique.
Super Mario Party Jamboree Needs to Stay Fresh
Super Mario Party’s Custom Dice Blocks Were an Awesome Experiment
One of the coolest features inSuper Mario Partywas the game’s custom dice blocks. Each character had a custom dice block wholly unique to themselves, that players could opt for instead of a standard six-sided die if they felt like changing the odds. Unfortunately, theydid not return inMario Party Superstars, butJamboreecould be Nintendo’s chance to correct this.
Custom dice blocks seem like an unlikely inclusion at the current moment, seeing as they weren’t featured in the trailer already. However, even if they don’t make it intoJamboreeat launch, they could potentially be added in with an update. This would also allow players who prefer standard rolls to still play without them. After all, despite their absence in thelatestMario Partygame, they still feel very integral to the identity ofSuper Mario Party.
Don’t Lock Players into Joy-Cons Again
Controller support may seem like a smaller ask, but it is just as essential as any hope for the game’s content.Super Mario Partycould only be played with Joy-Cons, a controversial feature that was thankfully changed withMario Party Superstars.Jamboreefeaturing minigames that require Joy-Cons seems like a worrying sign.
However, the game may allow players to simply toggle away these minigames, which would also erase the need to use Joy-Cons at all. Joy-Cons are intentionally small, which can make them inconvenient to use. However, their helpful simplicity is likely why they’re considered default for party games.
Despite Joy-Cons’ upsides, giving players more choices for accessibility is never a bad thing. Ultimately, the larger wish is simply a question of clarity. Even if players are locked into using Joy-Cons, knowing that clearly from the get go would at least allow players to be more informed on an important aspect of play.
The Greatest Wish for Mario Party Jamboree
One wish that stands above all the others as the key to perfectingMario Partyon the Nintendo Switch:Jamboreeshould continue to receive support well after launch.Super Mario Party Jamboreeis clearly taking a lot of feedback from previousMario PartySwitch titles. This is by all means great news for fans who may have been let down by one or two aspects of the previous games. However, one of the biggest flaws inJamboree’s predecessors was how little was being done to address these minor issues at the time.
Mario Kart 8 DeluxeandAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsare highlights of the Switch. Likewise, they have received multiple additions since their launch that has only improved the experience of players who stuck with them.Mario Party, much likeMario Kart, is a game that players are likely to keep playing for quite a while.
Super Mario Partydidn’t have very many boards, andJamboreeis compensating for that. It is absolutely great to learn from its predecessors' shortcomings, butMario PartyDLC should go the extra mile. IfSuperMario Party Jamboreecontinues to address feedback during its own lifespan, it would become something truly special, and a staple of the Nintendo Switch in its own right.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Join the latest Mario Party™, a jamboree of seven boards and over 110 minigamesFrom 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* KoopathlonRace 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!
