There’s one big way in whichSuper Mario Party Jamboreeproves itself to be better thanMario Party Superstars. There’s no denying that theMario Partyseries has found a resurgence on Nintendo Switch following an underwhelming period on Wii U and 3DS. BothSuper Mario PartyandSuperstarsfound huge success as both entries sought to revitalize the typical Party Mode that the series was known for.
Mario Party Superstarsitself was a true return to form, acting more as a celebration of the series' history by including loving recreations of iconic boards and minigames from across the series, serving as a reminder of what madeMario Partyso special. However, this nostalgia trip overlooked one major aspect in terms of the level of content thatSuperstarswas able to provide.This major flaw is whatJamboreehas set out to improve upon, and in doing so, has laid the groundwork for futureMario Partytitles to grow.
Superstars' Content Left A Lot To Be Desired
This Party Feels A Bit Stale As A Result
Superstars' cool retro style couldn’t save the title from a lack of substance, with little content that failed to offer any sense of variety. While Party Mode is always the main event ofMario Partytitles,Superstarsnever encourages the player to explore further. The other signature mode, titled Mt. Minigames, merely serves as an easy way to replay minigames with a small range of competitions to compete in. Coins that are gathered in either mode only offer small rewards, like stickers and encyclopedia pages that provide no incentive for the player to revisitSuperstars.
Even the beloved Party Mode inSuperstarslacks content, with only five boards to choose between. This small number of boards available to the player causes the main appeal ofMario Partyto quickly grow stale. As fun as it can be to revisit elements from older titles,Superstarsrelies on this nostalgia to compensate for an experience that offers little in comparison to what came before. Not only doesSuperstarsoffer nothing to push the series forward, butthe game does little to show these fan favorite boards and minigames in a new, creative light.
Jamboree Is The Biggest Mario Party Yet
New Modes Add A Lot Of Replay Value
It’s clear that developer Nintendo Cube were aware of the lack of content available inSuperstars. The approach toJamboreefeels like a stark contrast to its predecessor, quite comfortably claiming the title as the biggestMario Partyyet. Right off the bat,Party Mode now offers seven different boards to choose from.Five of them are brand new, while two are from earlier titles. Adding a balance of old and new shows a better understanding fromJamboreeof what has worked for this mode previously, while crafting a path of its own.
UnlikeSuperstars,Jamboreeis also committed to providing variety in its contentwith a slew of other modes to choose from. Modes like Minigame Bay, Paratroopa Flight School, and Koopathlon add a huge amount of replay value thatSuperstarsjust couldn’t offer.Jamboreesimply isn’t content with spinning its wheels in the same waySuperstarsdid. The game is very clear of its ambitions from the offset, made only more clear by how these new inclusions inJamboreebegin to carve a new path forward forMario Party.
Mario Party Is At Its Best When It Experiments
Jamboree Allows Many Styles Of Play
Jamboree’s new content isn’t added for the sake of there being more to do.Each new mode is inventive and experimentalon a scale not seen before in theMario Partyseries. For example, many modes, like Paratroopa Flight School, rely heavily on motion controls, requiring constant input from the player to traverse Toads across various destinations. It makes for a new party experience that’s much more active in comparison to the admittedly slower pace of turn-based Party Mode.
Jamboreedoesn’t stick to simply being a competitive experience either. Modes like Rhythm Kitchen and Bowser Kaboom Squad offer are a nice departure from Party Mode’s more competitive spirit, requiring players to work together in order to succeed. At every possibility,Jamboreeoffers a new mode and playstyle that adapts to the different ways a player might want to party. This lack of restriction and focus on experimentation makes forMario Party’s biggest and most diverse entryto date.
Jamboree’s sheer scale in comparison toSuperstarscomes with a sense of ambition its predecessor severely lacked. WhileSuperstarstakes a more straightforward approach, it’s hard to feel that the game offers a way for the series to evolve.Super Mario Party Jamboreemakes it clear that there’s more than one way to party. And if the series is willing to maintain the same experimentation thatJamboreedisplays, thenMario Partywill have a very exciting future.
Source:Nintendo of America/YouTube
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Mario and friends head to a sprawling island resort, competing across seven vibrant game boards, including the fan-favorite Western Land. Packed with over 110 minigames, the action ranges from wild races to motion-controlled challenges. Players can team up or face off online, with up to 20 participants battling in Koopathlon mode.
