Mario Party Superstars review: A party for the ages

Mario Party SuperstarsThe museum revels its own history. It’s as much a museum as it is a party, and like all good museums, Mario Party SuperstarsIt is available for all to enjoy. SuperstarsMakes what is old new again. This benefits several generations of partyiers.

All mini-games and maps in Superstars It is taken from an earlier series entry. The whole thing works more like a Mario Party compilation than a brand new game. The updated versions of these parties look modern, filled with vibrant colors and crisp edges, but the boards’ rulesets are almost entirely the same as they have been for two decades. This is how it works. Mario Party SuperstarsIt is the antithesis Super Mario Party — the only other Mario Party game on Nintendo Switch. Which? Super Mario PartyThe series evolves with new mechanics such as character-specific blocks or duos modes. Superstars Keeps it simple with only two buttons and zero movement controls. There are no characters-specific features.

While the five arenas are remasters of maps from the first three Mario Party games, the mini-games themselves are cleaved from a wider swath of the series’ history. That’s how you can play Booksquirm (from Mario Party 4 on GameCube, and the series’ best game) while on Peach’s Birthday Cake (a board from Mario Party, The 1998 Nintendo 64 video game

It is qualitative from a pure quality standpoint. Mario Party SuperstarsThis is the first Mario Party title to feature more mini-games that are good than those with bad reviews. It’s impossible to believe that it could not. Nintendo is a master of manipulating the cards. It picks the top Mario Party board and 1,000 mini-games from the entire series to stack the deck in their favor. Bumper Balls? What’s the Mushroom Mix-Up? What’s the best facelift? The Shy Guy Speaks Bowser’s Big Blast? They’re all here. Nearly every mini-game that popped up had me shouting “oh this one,” in a delighted tone. It’s the Mario Party equivalent of a greatest hits album.

Mario Party experiences have always varied widely based on the real-world crew you’re playing with. The following review is based on my experience with Mario Party. Mario Party Superstars with two full groups that couldn’t be more different, and the observations surprised me.

When I was playing with my family and my wife, the things that stood out were Superstars’ simplicity and accessibility. My mother is a huge holdup on Mario Party. However, with SuperstarsIt was the simplicity and lack of overload that kept her interested throughout. When our 20-turn game was over, my mother had actually enjoyed her first Mario Party — not because it’s magically more fun than it used to be, but because it’s as easy to pick up and understand as We’re sorry UnoYou can also call it: Dominos

Playing with my nephews on the other side Superstars This became a more important historical artifact. The screen shot of the Nintendo 64 version was displayed, and one of the twins immediately drew in. This prompted a discussion about the experience of playing on the Nintendo 64 in 1998.

This is what I believe in. Mario Party SuperstarsThis is the original version I made when they were their age. But to my nephews, this was an educational experience — a look back at boards and mini-games that were old and clunky by the time they could hold a controller. It’s odd to say a Mario Party is educational, but I was able to share some of my favorite childhood memories with my nephews because of this game — like when your parents drive you by the apartments they lived in before you were born, except less boring.

Image: Nintendo via YouTube

Mario Party Superstars is great because it’s both exciting and malleable, filling a variety of different roles depending on who is playing. For a parent, it’s an easy-to-understand game that’s fun to break out every few weeks. For younger generations, it’s an enjoyable glimpse into video game history, and a not-incredibly-boring way to connect with your grumpy, old uncle. And for those of us who’ve been partying since 1998, it’s a lovingly crafted blast of nostalgia.

In the end, however, videogame preservation and appreciation is of little value. Mario Party SuperstarsThis is much more. It’s a collection of Mario Party’s best work, perfect for veteran partiers, newcomers, and everyone in-between.

Mario Party Superstars On October 29, 2009, the following information will be available: Nintendo SwitchThis is the game. Nintendo provided a prerelease code for the game’s review. Vox Media is an affiliate partner. Although these partnerships do not impact editorial content, Vox Media could earn commissions from products sold via affiliate links. Find out more. additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here