Super Mario Party Jamboree review

In my first twenty turn match of Super Mario Party Jamboree I was four stars to the good at the halfway point. It’ll come as no surprise to series veterans, however, that by the time the final turn had finished, I was dead last, furious, and vowing to take revenge on the gaming gods who had so cruelly humiliated me in front of real people, despite my obvious skill for all to see.

You see, normally I’d say something like “Super Mario Party Jamboree is not going to change the minds of people who already dislike the series”, but there are real efforts made here by Nintendo to appeal to those who decry the lack of fairness, and the board-game random dice nature of the series to date. Don’t get me wrong, in standard mode you will still be robbed by an AI controlled WaLuigi who swaps your four stars for his none, and smashes your hopes into pieces on the penultimate turn, but this isn’t your normal Super Mario Party, either.

Fans can stop worrying, though: the modes you might already love are here and present. You can still play boards that have randomised elements and the laughs will still flow freely. But new to Super Mario Party Jamboree is “Pro Rules”. While not as malleable as the standard board-game fare, in Pro Rules Nintendo has wiped out the random nature and distilled Mario Party down to actual skill at mini-games. You will know at the start that it’s a “12 turn” game, and you will even be told which of the bonus stars for the post game will be in effect. Chance spaces are basically gone, and genuinely, the developer has thought of everything to make this competitive ruleset work for those who are tired of luck changing their fortune.

Regardless of which ruleset you do choose, the boards are all superb. From the green hills of the Wiggler-based location to the Mario-Kart themed “Roll ‘em Raceway”, where you’re in a Kart going round a track, even awarded for completing a lap with coins. The Mall is a massive board, with loads to do, and more befitting of a longer turn counter, whereas Mega Wiggler’s Tree Party (for example) is fine with a 10-turn limit. As usual, every board is littered with secrets and interactivity, and really, nobody has gotten bored in our household of playing them yet. With the online offering multiplayer match-ups as well, the combination of the standard party mode and Pro Rules might feel enough to make it feel like a broader game than ever before.

But Nintendo wants everyone to know that Super Mario Party Jamboree is the biggest game in the series yet, and boy, is this ever a “everything but the kitchen sink” title. There are just so many modes here. If you want to just play mini-games, you can do that. There’s a mixture of motion controlled and standard, and you can exclude motion-controller mini-games from the main party modes, or you can go off and play the rhythm based motion-only section of Jamboree.

What about an online, almost mini-Battle Royale mode in the form of Koopathon. Here you play against 19 other people and compete in simplified mini-games as your avatar races round a track. Do well in a mini-game and you will rush forward on the track, and it’s great fun if you just want to sit down and have a quick bash. Then there’s Bowser Kaboom Squad, another strange idea that just works. Here, eight players have to take on a larger than life Imposter Bowser by smashing boxes with a hammer, collecting the bombs that fall from them, and loading a cannon to shoot at him. Oh, then mini-games between each attempt, of course, to gain bonus items to help you, all while Bowser chases you round the map stomping you.

That’s not to say the main mode has been ignored, however. Jamboree Buddies each have their own unique set of mini-games for you to win them within, and can massively alter the flow of play since they can add effects to the board-play like giving you the chance to buy two stars at once, or doubling your coins whenever you land on a space. They last for three turns, but can utterly swing the competition in your favour if you manage to win one. In true Mario Party flavour, however, even if you land on their square you still have to face off against your opponents to actually collect them on your adventure round the board.

There’s also a brand new single player adventure called Party Planner Trek. Here you go through the boards picking up items to solve problems for the inhabitants. It’s very rudimentary, for example someone will need a fishing rod, so you find a fishing rod on the board, and bring it back to them. The freeform exploration offers a more relaxed way to play mini-games and get to know the boards, and you’re rewarded with decorative items to let you kit out the main menu, or hub area of the game itself. It’s a fun, simple distraction that is more enjoyable than I expected.

Ultimately, this is still a Super Mario Party title. By that I mean there are over a hundred mini-games, boards to dice-roll around, and a fair share of laughs at one another’s expenses in multiplayer mode. I still hesitate to say that if you dislike the series, this is the one for you, but I also don’t really know what more Nintendo could have done with Jamboree to make it appealing to as broad an audience as possible. This is the Mario Kart Deluxe of the Super Mario Party series. There are so many modes and ways to play, and the inclusion of Pro Rules means you can even eliminate chance and get seriously competitive. The mini-games are pretty much universally great, the boards are enjoyable, it’s a laugh with friends and family: what more could you want? Super Mario Party Jamboree is the biggest and best in the series to date, and it’ll be staying on my Switch for a very long time indeed.