Could Super Mario Party Actually Be Good?

If the Switch has proven anything in its near 2 year lifespan, it’s that Nintendo are finally delivering on the potential of some of their key franchises. Could Mario Party finally deliver too?

Just to be clear, Mario Party was never a big thing in my household. I only ever played a handful of games on the N64 and missed the GameCube/Wii era entirely. But given the popularity the series has had lately thanks to the many, many YouTube personalities I follow that have played it, I think I’m finally ready to be excited for a Mario Party entry. Then again, I was kinda excited by the last one too…

Yes, Mario Party 10 looked kinda cool, I’ll admit that, but as soon as Bowser mode kicks in and all the traditional mechanics are thrown out the window, it’s clear really quickly that Nintendo changed too much. When they announced Super Mario Party, though, the early videos made it seem more like a modern take on the original formula, taking us back to the classic board game designs and tricky mini games. Count me in, I thought.

We’re just two weeks away from launch as of this article and I’m starting to see a lot of cool previews. The boards themselves aren’t too fancy compared to some of the best of the series, but they look clean and colourful. The mini games seem to be a clever mix of platforming and Switch based mechanics, using motion control and the criminally underused rumble HD. Visually everything is precise, no over the top or weird looking gags and despite the added options and game modes, it’s all optional secondary stuff.

Honestly, there’s so much coming out over the next three months across every platform known to gaming kind, and Super Mario Party was one of the games I had on my list, though a little further down compared to Red Dead 2 or Fallout 76. But all I’m seeing of it, right now, has me pumped for a classic contest that I’d be more than happy to bring friends together for. Fingers crossed it turns out that way, I’m sure my Switch would appreciate even more love … not that it’s lacking in that right now.