Review: Super Mario Party explained to parents

Super Mario Party Featured2
What parents need to know

Mario, Luigi, Peach, Donkey Kong, Bowser, Daisy, Yoshi… they’re all back from to party in Super Mario Party. From 1 to 4 players can play a virtual board game that will be punctuated by various and varied mini-games.

Super Mario Party BoxartRelease date: 5 October 2018

Developed by: Nintendo
Published by: Nintendo
Available on: Nintendo Switch

Type of game: Board game, board game
Average time of one game: 1 hour

Estimate of the total duration of the game: About six hours.
5 p.m. if you want to finish it all.

Topics: Friendship, Mario Universe

Business model: Just need to buy the game once.

Number of players:
1 to 4 players locally

Available in cartridge or digital format (download on the console)

To buy digitally, Super Mario Party, click here.
This supports Shared Screen. Thank you!

Possible configurations of the Nintendo Switch:

Nintendo Switch Tabletop modeNintendo Switch TV Mode
The game is compatible with the Nintendo Switch Lite, however you have to buy joy-cons separately. One per player. Then you have to synchronize the joy-cons with the Switch Lite. If you want to play this game solo and you only have a Switch Lite, don’t buy this game.
Players3+ 7+ 12+16+18+
Neophytes
Intermediate
Experienced
Young children need to be guided in reading, to understand the rules and mini-games.
Replayability
Green gauge

The game can be played multiple times. There are many challenges to accomplish, and as long as you can play with multiple people at home, the game is fun.

Difficulty
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3 difficulty levels. Only the Challenge Road mode is a little harder than the rest.

Violence, fear, nudity?
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No problem.

Language level used
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No problem. Adapted for children.

Positive message

The theme game, the friendships, the games, the party.

Minimum reading level required
Jauge Orange

You have to know how to read to understand the rules of the game.

Additional costs ?
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No problem.

Minimum level of execution on the controller required
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These are mini-games that are explained each time by a tutorial. They are not difficult to understand or execute for anyone and are fun. The rest of the game is made up of menus.

Principle of the game

Super Mario Party is played exclusively with only one Joycon per player. Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers and other controllers don’t work. Super Mario Party needs the motion detection and buttons that only one Joycon provides, for its mini-games.

Local game modes

Mario Party:

The main game mode. This is the traditional board game. Each player chooses a character, and evolves through a board filled with bonuses, malus and events. To move forward, the characters must roll a roll. The games last a minimum of one hour. Ideal for a family board game game. Mini-games are played every time a round ends, allowing players to earn extra bonuses. Mini-games unlock in all other modes, once played here.

From 1 to 4 players.

River Survival:

A cooperative game where players have to paddle together and synchronized to get to the end of the river. Of course, many bonuses and malus are found on the river and players must avoid them together. They can also trigger mini-games to save time.

From 1 to 4 players.

Sound Stage:

A selection of all the mini-games that are dedicated to rhythm. We chain, for example, 3 games or must move the joycon in rhythm at the right time.

From 1 to 4 players.

Freeplay (Minigames):

You can play unlocked mini-games. at will separately.

Or play a territory-conquering game that is played by winning mini-games.

Or play a “Mariothon” of 5 mini-games against his friends.

From 1 to 4 players.

Toad’s Rec Room:

A selection of mini-games with special configurations. Contains the famous mini-game that requires 2 Nintendo Switch, and 2 Super Mario Party games. Totally optional.

From 1 to 4 players.

Challenge Road:

A solo adventure to rediscover the 80 mini-games contained in Super Mario Party. Unlocks additional Diddy Kong and Pom Pom characters.

For 1 player

Partner Party:

A team version of Super Mario Party with specific tables and rules. Makes it possible to compose teams of 2 players against 2 other players. Missing players are replaced by opponents controlled by the game.

From 1 to 4 players.

Online gaming modes

Online gaming modes require a paid subscription to the Nintendo Switch Online service.

Online Mariothon:

A sequence of 5 random mini-games against online opponents. This can be against unknown players or against friends. If a single Internet player disconnects, it interrupts the game for everyone. This should not be the case, the player should be replaced by a character controlled by the console.

For 1 player (the rest of the players comes from the Internet).

UPDATE of APRIL 27, 2021 (version 1.10 of the game)

This free update now allows you to play Mario Party, Freeplay (Minigames), and Partner Party modes online with friends.

Rhythm games are not included in the selection of mini-games available online. Online progress is not taken into account in the main game and is not backed up.

It is possible to play with 2 players on the same console and friends online to complete the group of 4 players.

We can either create games with friends registered in his Nintendo Switch console, or create a game and put a password for our contacts to join us.

Conclusion

Super Mario Party is a great game, designed to make you buy a pair of joycons in addition to the one provided with the Nintendo Switch console. There are many game modes, characters, and mini-games. This episode of Super Mario Party is particularly well thought out to appeal to everyone even those who don’t play video games often.

More information about the game: Official page of the game on the Nintendo website

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About Marc Shakour

Former video game programmer, columnist, teacher, competitor ... Marc has always been very familiar with the world and industry of video games. He decided to help neophytes about it, to discover new universes, worlds and fantastic creatures.

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