Super Mario Party Jamboree Review (Switch)
Listen! Nintendo has recently done a great job returning to some of its long-standing franchises, things like Metroids And Pikminto bring us new entries that rely on the core strength of what made us love them in the first place, instead of just continuing to bloat them with fluff and distractions.
With Pikmin 4 In particular, we’ve seen how that series refocuses on realistic puzzle solving and exploration, moving away from the often scripted events of 3 to re-engage players at a more satisfying level. In the same way, Metroid’s horror feels like a complete return to that franchise’s roots, which is also very carefully things that are modernized and updated, so as not to interfere with the magic that makes us dig it in the first place.
Anyway, what does this have to do with anything? Super Mario reunion partyCrazy old man? Well, what Nintendo has done here is make this the biggest Mario Party ever, as promised, but in a way that carefully enhances all the best aspects of this series, kind of remove past annoyances, improve the standard of mini-games, And introduces new modes and features that are worth your while without compromising balance. In short, this is our favorite Mario Party game, which is saying something based on the positive reviews we’ve given these bad boys in the past.
If you have checked our extended preview a few weeks agoyou’ll know we’ve been having some fun with the main Mario Party mode here. You have a total of seven boards to play, with five brand new themed experiences and two returning favorites in the form of Western Land (banger) and Mario’s Rainbow Castle (sky banger). Honestly, it’s hard to pick a bad one out of so many.
Both the new and old boards look and sound absolutely fantastic — this is one of the best-looking Switch games we’ve played in ages, one that can also hit the framerates smooth across all modes — and the different interactive elements each panel has. someone who brings just enough raucous silliness to the table to ensure every session is a fun time, especially if you have a bunch of friends along.
We explored Mega Wiggler’s Tree Party, Roll ’em Raceway, Goomba Lagoon, King Bowser’s Keep and Rainbow Galleria with the two kids (ages 7 and 10) in our group, and we can confirm that Jamboree is now becoming a suitable evening staple, for as long as it lasts, that we all enjoy equally.
Focusing on one of the older panels, Western Land, and comparing it to older versions from previous Party outings, we can see that it retains the interactive ship element while still Very similar to the original in both look and feel. However, space on the board has been cut down, more item shops and intersections have been added, and it’s been given a sleek visual overhaul that makes it all look really nice. These changes deliver a faster-paced and more action-packed experience, and that’s before we add the all-new Jamboree Buddies to the game.
Friends appear as random members from a pool of 10 of the 22 powerful playable characters, falling to a position on the board over the course of a round and giving you a set number of turns to reach them. . Get to a friend in time and they will join you, giving various perks and benefits, allowing you to earn coins from people when you pass them, buy two stars at a time (collect ten stars is how you win, baby), and that sort of thing. Friends also participate through a number of special mini-games, such as Wario’s very own quiz show, which are fun touches when they appear.
With friends joining in, more shops to grab items and interactive aspects including changing tides, exploding volcanoes, on-track catapults and even attacks from Bowser himself , the core experience here feels more alive than ever. The rules remain the same, meaning it’s simple to pick up and play, but this time we get Pro rules too. As we mentioned in our preview, these rules open up a whole new way to play, removing any luck-based mini-games – from the 110 games on offer – and giving every person an item starts to play.
Pro mode, even when playing with a younger audience, will give Mario Party evenings a little more. Keeping your stars and coins is harder, there are more opportunities to ruin things for other players, and having the skill to decide mini-games…well…that’s for sure will definitely increase the heat.
The mini-games themselves are also of a much improved standard this time around. It says a lot that we can’t think of anything that we truly hate, and the combination of attempts at controlling movement (which can be turned off) and those that focus on time and work together as groups ensures that even adults encounter a suitable good time.
All of this makes for the best main Mario Party mode we’ve ever played: hands down! This is then supplemented by additional activities which are also quite enjoyable, thank you and many, we are sure, will be excited to partake in the impressive solo shenanigans that make up Party Planner Trek. Here, you can freely roam around the boards performing quests for the residents of the Mushroom Kingdom, while also collecting new equipment and decorations for your square. It’s not necessary by any means, but it’s a nice addition, especially since the rest of the game is also quite solo-friendly.
Bowser’s Kaboom Squad is definitely one of the most innovative and modern products. Here, you and up to three friends battle the rampaging Bowser on three select maps, where you need to collect bombs and load them into a massive cannon that can pierce that thick old reptile hide – while avoiding angry enemies and explosions. There’s a little strategy involved, which promotes teamwork, and while it won’t be your goal in the long run, it’s a pretty good side activity that we found ourselves playing regularly along with the main party.
One downside to the chaos in Bowser’s Kaboom Squad is that to play with your friends in local co-op, you’ll need a Switch console for each person, as each player needs their perspective about action. That’s a bit of a bummer, and so is Kooplathon, but we get it and there’s still decent online randomization and AI to play with if you don’t have a lot of Switch-indebted friends.
Kooplathon, another brand new mode, lets you play online with up to 19 other people in a race to defeat Imposter Bowser. You can also play with up to three friends and the bots will fill in the rest, and the focus on mini-games here provides a refreshing change of pace that falls somewhere between the full experience and the collection of mini games you’ll also find at Minigame Bay, this outing is a clever alternative to Superstarof Mt. Minigames.
Slightly more unnecessary additions are the Paratroopa Flight School and Toad’s Product Factory, both of which focus on motion controls to introduce a series of mini-games and free-form exploration of small areas. There’s also Rhythm Kitchen, which at least gets you up and moving as you – somewhat confusingly – stand up and cook to the beat with anyone else present who isn’t lucky enough to get hold of a controller. It’s all fun, sure, but these last three are about as fluff and filler as Jamboree comes.
It’s okay, it’s a big old pack – they promised that – but for us, the crowded glory here comes from the more modern and online aspects, the ‘battle pass’ types and the central Plaza area with music stores, decorations, etc., is neat, well implemented, and easy to navigate. The Plaza is also a pitifully small center – don’t get lost and it leads straight to the hot air balloon from which you can observe and select all the modes with ease.
This whole aspect of things is incredibly engaging, and it results in a Super Mario game that surpasses all of its predecessors in terms of core gameplay, while also creating the most modern-feeling entry to the franchise yet. up to now. Add in some other cool features, such as the ability to turn off motion controls, giving younger players a better start in the game, etc., and you’ve got yourself a trip to the Mushroom Kingdom. Family friendly and very difficult to find fault with.
Of course we found the error; The unlockable Pro mode only lets you choose a 12-play game, which is a bit long at around 90 minutes a go, but that’s really the sum of our complaints after a full month of play.
With the best visuals and performance we’ve seen in a Switch game in a while and enough boards to keep you busy for a long time to come, this is like Exactly the kind of Super Mario Party revival we’ve been waiting for.
