Mario Party is one of those Mario spin-offs thats easy to make fun of. A lot of people do. And thats fine! But for me personally, its an important sub-series in Nintendos catalog. I have many fond memories of getting a group together for some local 4-player gaming. Sure, its heavily reliant on luck, but thats part of the charm for me. When a player lands on one of those infamous Chance Time spaces, you know somethings about to go down. Everyone is panicking at that moment, and thats the fun of Mario Party: Screaming at each other as absurd things happen.
Basically, growing up with these games has been a blast well, at least some of the time. Its no secret that the series has had its ups and downs. What Id like to do in this thread is take a look at each of the home console games (110) and basically give a short review for each. Ill be ranking them personally. Keep in mind that no Mario Party list is the same. This is just how I feel about the franchise. Most peoples favorite Mario Party tends to be the one they grew up with, so if you have something to say about some of the games, Id love to hear it!
Anyway, lets start with number 10.
10. Mario Party 9
Mario Party 9 marked a turning point for the series in several ways. The series had, for the most part, been annualized, but after Mario Party 8 and DS in 2007 the series went silent. You could argue that the series needed this break badly and that this was a good thing. However, Hudson Soft was no longer helming the franchise. Nd Cube eventually took over, and we finally got Mario Party 9 in 2012. This game is also a turning point in the sense that it completely changed up the Mario Party formula. Some of the GameCube ones introduced elements to change it up a bit (well get to it), but Mario Party 9 shifted away from the core Mario Party elements that, in my opinion, make Mario Party what it is. Everyone now travels together in a car, no stars or coins to collect What really breaks the flow of the game for me is that mini-games dont happen after each round. Theyre now determined by a space on the board. This means that you can play an entire game of Mario Party and never play a single mini-game. If it wasnt clear yet, Im not a big fan of Mario Party 9.
9. Mario Party 10
Mario Party 10 continues the style of game that 9 introduced. The game features three main modes: Mario Party, Bowser Party, and amiibo Party. Mario Party is the main game. Basically, it suffers from the same problems as 9. One mode I do like the idea of in Mario Party 10 is Bowser Party. This is a mode where I think the car makes a lot of sense: Everyone is working together to get away from Bowser by rolling higher than him. However, the game is incredibly unbalanced and in Bowsers favor, even allowing him to reroll at certain points! Finally, theres amiibo Party mode, which is basically a lite version of the classic Mario Party gameplay. They have stars and coins, but the boards are simplistic and lame. As someone who is longing for a full Mario Party in the classic style, amiibo Party is the biggest tease in the world.
8. Mario Party 8
On the 8th spot, I put Mario Party 8. This was the first entry in the series on Wii, and the last one on the list to be developed by Hudson Soft. They basically went all in on motion controls on this one. Now, I typically dont mind motion controls. In fact, I like them in a lot of games. However, in this game, I feel that its too much. A big chunk of the mini-games has you waggling the Wii Remote. You even have to shake it to hit the dice block every turn. The boards were also hit and miss, one of them being a completely straight line. If I had to sum up Mario Party 8 in one word: Meh.
7. Mario Party 5
I see Mario Party 5 as the first entry in the series to try something a little different. Unfortunately, these changes dont get to shine until later in the series. It introduced a new item system called Capsules, which focuses on the idea of board-building. Capsules, which are given out randomly, all contain items, and players can use them to fill up spaces on the board that cause certain events to happen. If you want to use an item on yourself, you have to pay coins first. Theres also the fact that the boards feel plain, and they heavily rely on players filling them up with interesting and eventful spaces. I give Mario Party 5 credit for coming up with new ideas, but ultimately the game feels like a beta test for Mario Party 6, which follows this same style but improves on its flaws. Also, Mario Party 5 commits a great sin: It removes Donkey Kong from the roster, who is now relegated to a space. It wasnt until Mario Party 10 he became playable again!
6. Mario Party 7
After the great entry that was Mario Party 6, Mario Party 7 feels like more of the same. It continues the item system introduced in Mario Party 5, although with all the improvements from 6. What it didnt continue, however, was the inventive day and night system from 6. This might not seem like a big deal, but it makes Mario Party 7 feel like a less imaginative version of 6. The game introduces the idea of Bowser Time, which is absolutely brutal. Basically, every five turns, a meter will fill up. Every time it gets full, Bowser shows up and makes everyone suffer. He might send players back to start, steal their coins, or even their stars. This is regardless of what board you play. And honestly, its not very fun.
5. Mario Party
Here it is, the game that started it all. It has a unique charm to it, even to this day. The game is infamous for its rotate the analog stick as fast as you can mini-games. Honestly, theyre pretty bad. This is also before they introduced items into the mix, which makes the game a little hard for me to go back to. However, the boards are great, and it has the catchiest mini-game introduction music ever. Thats a win in my book.
4. Mario Party 6
If youve been reading this whole thing, you can probably already tell I really like Mario Party 6. It took the capsule system from Mario Party 5 and improved on it immensely. Theyre now called Orbs, and while theyre still given out randomly at times, you can also buy them in item shops. You also dont have to pay to use them. The changes Mario Party 6 made might not sound like a big deal, but in reality, they make a huge difference to me. This game also introduced a brand new concept to the series: A day and night cycle. This isnt just a dumb gimmick as it actually changes up the gameplay. Every couple of turns, the time of the day shifts. This changes certain aspects about the board, such as which routes you can take. Stars also become cheaper at night. This adds an extra layer to the board itself, which just makes it more fun to traverse. Basically, Mario Party 6 is awesome.
3. Mario Party 4
Mario Party 4 was the first entry on the GameCube. The game doesnt really do anything unique. It continues where 3 left off, with the same item system and a lot of the same concepts. However, I dont see this as a negative. What Mario Party 4 does, it does really, really well. While the boards may seem a little bland, especially compared to later GameCube entries, I personally believe Mario Party 4 has the best mini-game selection in the series. The Bowser mini-games are fantastic too. Mario Party 4 doesnt feel as ambitious as 6, but for some reason, this is the one game I go back to the most.
2. Mario Party 2
This is a lot of peoples favorite Mario Party, and rightfully so. Mario Party 2 irons out the flaws of the first game and creates something truly special. In fact, it actually includes a lot of the mini-games from the first game (and leaves out the analog stick abusing ones). Mario Party 2 also introduced items, although players could only hold one at a time. Still, items are a big deal and add some strategy to a predominantly luck-based game. Few things are as satisfying as finding a Magic Lamp or call for Boo using the Boo Bell. A unique touch I like about this one is the fact that characters arent dressed in their usual outfits. They dress up in costumes depending on the board. So, for example, in Western Land, everyone is dressed up as cowboys. Its a small thing, but I love it. The game oozes with personality and is certainly one of the best in the series, if not the best.
1. Mario Party 3
Heres my number one: Mario Party 3. I believe it has the best item system in the series. Its essentially the same as 2s, but this time you can hold three items. The game also introduced two new characters to the mix, who would go on to become staples in the series: Daisy and Waluigi. Another great addition was the Story Mode. Yes, a story mode. You basically battle each character on a separate board in order to get stamps. Its simple, but it works. In short, I think it takes what the first two games did right and just adds more on top of it. Thats why I believe its the best Mario Party game.
So that was my look back on the series. As you can see, I tend to favor the earlier games than the latest ones, but at the same time, I think its a shame most people dismiss the GameCube entries entirely. I actually think at least two of them are worth playing if you're into these types of games. Anyway, I mainly wrote this for fun, but I hope it sparks some discussion in here too. Feel free to disagree and tell me how wrong I am, how you feel about the games you've played, or discuss what elements you want to see in a new entry.
Basically, growing up with these games has been a blast well, at least some of the time. Its no secret that the series has had its ups and downs. What Id like to do in this thread is take a look at each of the home console games (110) and basically give a short review for each. Ill be ranking them personally. Keep in mind that no Mario Party list is the same. This is just how I feel about the franchise. Most peoples favorite Mario Party tends to be the one they grew up with, so if you have something to say about some of the games, Id love to hear it!
Anyway, lets start with number 10.
10. Mario Party 9
Mario Party 9 marked a turning point for the series in several ways. The series had, for the most part, been annualized, but after Mario Party 8 and DS in 2007 the series went silent. You could argue that the series needed this break badly and that this was a good thing. However, Hudson Soft was no longer helming the franchise. Nd Cube eventually took over, and we finally got Mario Party 9 in 2012. This game is also a turning point in the sense that it completely changed up the Mario Party formula. Some of the GameCube ones introduced elements to change it up a bit (well get to it), but Mario Party 9 shifted away from the core Mario Party elements that, in my opinion, make Mario Party what it is. Everyone now travels together in a car, no stars or coins to collect What really breaks the flow of the game for me is that mini-games dont happen after each round. Theyre now determined by a space on the board. This means that you can play an entire game of Mario Party and never play a single mini-game. If it wasnt clear yet, Im not a big fan of Mario Party 9.
9. Mario Party 10
Mario Party 10 continues the style of game that 9 introduced. The game features three main modes: Mario Party, Bowser Party, and amiibo Party. Mario Party is the main game. Basically, it suffers from the same problems as 9. One mode I do like the idea of in Mario Party 10 is Bowser Party. This is a mode where I think the car makes a lot of sense: Everyone is working together to get away from Bowser by rolling higher than him. However, the game is incredibly unbalanced and in Bowsers favor, even allowing him to reroll at certain points! Finally, theres amiibo Party mode, which is basically a lite version of the classic Mario Party gameplay. They have stars and coins, but the boards are simplistic and lame. As someone who is longing for a full Mario Party in the classic style, amiibo Party is the biggest tease in the world.
8. Mario Party 8
On the 8th spot, I put Mario Party 8. This was the first entry in the series on Wii, and the last one on the list to be developed by Hudson Soft. They basically went all in on motion controls on this one. Now, I typically dont mind motion controls. In fact, I like them in a lot of games. However, in this game, I feel that its too much. A big chunk of the mini-games has you waggling the Wii Remote. You even have to shake it to hit the dice block every turn. The boards were also hit and miss, one of them being a completely straight line. If I had to sum up Mario Party 8 in one word: Meh.
7. Mario Party 5
I see Mario Party 5 as the first entry in the series to try something a little different. Unfortunately, these changes dont get to shine until later in the series. It introduced a new item system called Capsules, which focuses on the idea of board-building. Capsules, which are given out randomly, all contain items, and players can use them to fill up spaces on the board that cause certain events to happen. If you want to use an item on yourself, you have to pay coins first. Theres also the fact that the boards feel plain, and they heavily rely on players filling them up with interesting and eventful spaces. I give Mario Party 5 credit for coming up with new ideas, but ultimately the game feels like a beta test for Mario Party 6, which follows this same style but improves on its flaws. Also, Mario Party 5 commits a great sin: It removes Donkey Kong from the roster, who is now relegated to a space. It wasnt until Mario Party 10 he became playable again!
6. Mario Party 7
After the great entry that was Mario Party 6, Mario Party 7 feels like more of the same. It continues the item system introduced in Mario Party 5, although with all the improvements from 6. What it didnt continue, however, was the inventive day and night system from 6. This might not seem like a big deal, but it makes Mario Party 7 feel like a less imaginative version of 6. The game introduces the idea of Bowser Time, which is absolutely brutal. Basically, every five turns, a meter will fill up. Every time it gets full, Bowser shows up and makes everyone suffer. He might send players back to start, steal their coins, or even their stars. This is regardless of what board you play. And honestly, its not very fun.
5. Mario Party
Here it is, the game that started it all. It has a unique charm to it, even to this day. The game is infamous for its rotate the analog stick as fast as you can mini-games. Honestly, theyre pretty bad. This is also before they introduced items into the mix, which makes the game a little hard for me to go back to. However, the boards are great, and it has the catchiest mini-game introduction music ever. Thats a win in my book.
4. Mario Party 6
If youve been reading this whole thing, you can probably already tell I really like Mario Party 6. It took the capsule system from Mario Party 5 and improved on it immensely. Theyre now called Orbs, and while theyre still given out randomly at times, you can also buy them in item shops. You also dont have to pay to use them. The changes Mario Party 6 made might not sound like a big deal, but in reality, they make a huge difference to me. This game also introduced a brand new concept to the series: A day and night cycle. This isnt just a dumb gimmick as it actually changes up the gameplay. Every couple of turns, the time of the day shifts. This changes certain aspects about the board, such as which routes you can take. Stars also become cheaper at night. This adds an extra layer to the board itself, which just makes it more fun to traverse. Basically, Mario Party 6 is awesome.
3. Mario Party 4
Mario Party 4 was the first entry on the GameCube. The game doesnt really do anything unique. It continues where 3 left off, with the same item system and a lot of the same concepts. However, I dont see this as a negative. What Mario Party 4 does, it does really, really well. While the boards may seem a little bland, especially compared to later GameCube entries, I personally believe Mario Party 4 has the best mini-game selection in the series. The Bowser mini-games are fantastic too. Mario Party 4 doesnt feel as ambitious as 6, but for some reason, this is the one game I go back to the most.
2. Mario Party 2
This is a lot of peoples favorite Mario Party, and rightfully so. Mario Party 2 irons out the flaws of the first game and creates something truly special. In fact, it actually includes a lot of the mini-games from the first game (and leaves out the analog stick abusing ones). Mario Party 2 also introduced items, although players could only hold one at a time. Still, items are a big deal and add some strategy to a predominantly luck-based game. Few things are as satisfying as finding a Magic Lamp or call for Boo using the Boo Bell. A unique touch I like about this one is the fact that characters arent dressed in their usual outfits. They dress up in costumes depending on the board. So, for example, in Western Land, everyone is dressed up as cowboys. Its a small thing, but I love it. The game oozes with personality and is certainly one of the best in the series, if not the best.
1. Mario Party 3
Heres my number one: Mario Party 3. I believe it has the best item system in the series. Its essentially the same as 2s, but this time you can hold three items. The game also introduced two new characters to the mix, who would go on to become staples in the series: Daisy and Waluigi. Another great addition was the Story Mode. Yes, a story mode. You basically battle each character on a separate board in order to get stamps. Its simple, but it works. In short, I think it takes what the first two games did right and just adds more on top of it. Thats why I believe its the best Mario Party game.
So that was my look back on the series. As you can see, I tend to favor the earlier games than the latest ones, but at the same time, I think its a shame most people dismiss the GameCube entries entirely. I actually think at least two of them are worth playing if you're into these types of games. Anyway, I mainly wrote this for fun, but I hope it sparks some discussion in here too. Feel free to disagree and tell me how wrong I am, how you feel about the games you've played, or discuss what elements you want to see in a new entry.
