Overview
Developed by NDCube and published by Nintendo, Mario Party Superstars is a video game released on October 28, 2021 for Nintendo Switch. The genre listed in this entry is board game and the specified game mode is Multiplayer.
The game builds its content around elements from previous Mario Party titles. It brings together five boards from the Nintendo 64 entries and a selection of 100 minigames from different periods of the series.
Mario Party mode retains the classic board-game structure. Players roll dice to move forward, collect coins, trigger different events and take part in a minigame at the end of each turn.
Coins are notably used to purchase items and Stars. The final ranking is mainly based on the number of Stars collected, while minigames are one of the primary ways to earn additional coins.
The five boards included in this collection are Yoshi's Tropical Island, Space Land, Peach's Birthday Cake, Woody Woods and Horror Land. They come from the first three Mario Party games released on Nintendo 64 and retain their main mechanics while being adapted for this version.
Each board works differently. Yoshi's Tropical Island is built around two connected islands, Space Land notably uses a countdown linked to Bowser’s beam, Peach's Birthday Cake allows players to plant elements along the route, Woody Woods changes the directions available and Horror Land alters some of its rules between day and night.
The rules of a match can be adjusted before it begins. The number of turns, the types of minigames offered and certain starting conditions can be configured to change the length and flow of the game.
The selection includes 100 minigames from the Mario Party series. The challenges cover several configurations, including free-for-all matches, two-versus-two games, one-versus-three confrontations and duels.
All of them use button controls, without requiring motion controls. The game can therefore be played with a Joy-Con controller, a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller or on Nintendo Switch Lite.
Outside the boards, Mt. Minigames brings together several formats built entirely around these challenges. Free Play allows players to select a minigame directly and practice before starting a match.
Other formats change how the challenges are arranged. 2 vs. 2 organizes team-based confrontations, 1 vs. 3 Challenge uses one-versus-three minigames, Sports and Puzzles focuses on score-based challenges, while Coin Battle rewards the accumulation of coins.
Multiplayer is available on the same system, through local wireless and online. Board games played with friends can be saved after each turn so that they can be interrupted and resumed later.
The different modes are also available online. Players can therefore take part in a complete board game or focus on minigames, with the possibility of facing friends or other players remotely.
Mario Party Superstars therefore relies less on introducing a new formula than on bringing together and adapting boards and minigames from Mario Party’s history, with standardized controls and expanded multiplayer support.
Key takeaways
- Mario Party Superstars brings together five boards from the Nintendo 64 Mario Party games.
- The game features 100 minigames from several entries in the series.
- Board games are built around dice, coins, items, Stars and minigames.
- All minigames use button controls, without requiring motion controls.
- Mt. Minigames brings together several formats dedicated directly to the different challenges.
- Multiplayer is available on the same system, through local wireless and online, and the different modes can be played online.
Conclusion
Mario Party Superstars brings together several historical elements from the series in a structure centered on five Nintendo 64-era boards and 100 minigames from different entries.
The boards retain dice-based progression, coin collection, the purchase of Stars and events capable of changing the situation of the participants during a match.
Mt. Minigames separates these challenges from the board game and uses them across several formats, while controls based exclusively on buttons make the game compatible with different Nintendo Switch configurations.
The game therefore combines a selection of classic content with local and online multiplayer features that allow the same collection to be used both on the boards and in modes dedicated to minigames.
Good to know
- Mario Party Superstars was released on October 28, 2021.
- The game was developed by NDCube and published by Nintendo.
- It is available on Nintendo Switch.
- The genre listed in this entry is board game.
- The specified game mode is Multiplayer.
- It includes five classic boards and 100 minigames from previous Mario Party titles.
- The minigames use button controls exclusively and the different modes support online play.
