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Super Mario Party Jamboree: The Focus Relies On the Boards

February 11, 2025

Super Mario Party Jamboree: I dedicated roughly 20 hours to Super Mario Party Jamboree during the review period, spending about a third of that time exploring the different boards while playing with my partner.

The remaining third of my time was spent exploring the “story” mode, where I unlocked new boards and had the opportunity to explore their mechanics at my own pace. The final portion was dedicated to the various additional features that Jamboree provides.

The initial two-thirds of my experience were enjoyable. Although Jamboree’s story isn’t as compelling as a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, it was still fun to explore the boards. It may not be groundbreaking, but it fulfilled its purpose.

The boards are definitely replay-worthy, offering a significant improvement over the lackluster square designs from Super Mario Party. Western Land stands out as a clear highlight.

Super Mario Party Jamboree Is Best Played with Others

Per thegamer.com, the last third of the game falls flat. Playing Super Mario Party Jamboree solo feels underwhelming, offering minimal content. Unlike previous Mario Party titles, which had enjoyable side elements, this one lacks appeal when played alone.

While I’ve spent hours enjoying Mario Party games like Mario Party 8, Mario Party 9, and Super Mario Party, I’ve come to realize that Jamboree doesn’t quite capture the same magic when played solo.

There’s something about the quirky features and the thrill of shared moments with friends or family that makes the experience much more enjoyable. Without that, it’s tough to revisit it the same way.

Jamboree puts in the effort, arguably to a fault. It introduces a handful of modes that don’t quite fit and could have been replaced with something more straightforward.

While Rhythm Kitchen, a food-themed twist on Super’s Sound Stage—gets a pass, the other additions feel unnecessarily excessive.

How much you enjoy the rhythm games will likely depend on your preferences. They’re not typically my go-to (years of listening to Taylor Swift haven’t done much for my rhythm), but this version is polished and does a good job.

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Unconventional Solo Modes In Super Mario Party Jamboree

In Jamboree, everything is split across various islands, so let’s visit Toad’s Item Factory, located next to Rhythm Kitchen.

In this area, you’ll operate blue switches with one Joy-Con and red switches with the other, using actions like raising or twisting.

A total of 30 levels are present. They are further broken into ten stages, and the game feels like one of those casual mobile games you end up playing without thinking while bypassing crossword ads. It’s okay for a while, but it drags on and becomes rather monotonous.

Next up is the Paratroopa Flight School, but it’s only available to Mario. You have to stand and flap your arms like wings, using awkward steering controls. It’s far too complex for a mediocre game that feels more like a major feature than a simple side activity in an extensive Mario Party.

Another mode, titled Bowser Kaboom Squad, has you teaming up with seven NPCs or online players to navigate a small city while evading a massive Bowser.

Though it features some exclusive minigames, the overall gameplay seems better suited to a classic Mario 3D platformer than a Mario Party title. It just doesn’t resonate with me.

Koopathon offers online gameplay and includes a series of unique minigames focused on collecting coins. In these, you move around a track, gaining one space for each coin you pick up as you complete a fixed number of laps. While it’s an enjoyable way to engage in online play, it feels odd when played solo.

Free Play is basic with no added elements, and Daily Challenge offers a short, fun experience by randomly selecting three related minigames. The other modes, however, don’t really build on these ideas.

Tag Match is basically an offline version of the Daily Challenge with less structure and only 2v2 matches, while Showdown simply takes the Koopathon games and strips them of their original format.

Survival, the online game, is the most engaging, but its solo mode is so highly competitive that it might alienate some players, leaving them out of the experience.

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Jamboree Requires More Multiplayer Choices Beyond the Boards

The problem isn’t just about playing alone. The boards are fun, but they can be quite long. Even the shortest game runs for 90 minutes, which isn’t always ideal for maintaining the energetic vibe of a party.

Free play is an option, but it doesn’t offer much motivation. Some solo modes can be played with two to four players, offering a little more variety.

Online versions are available too, though their performance is uncertain before release, especially considering Nintendo’s past challenges with online features.

Super Mario Party introduced River Survival, where four players navigated a dinghy through tunnels, unlocking minigames to earn more time on the clock.

Although it was an innovative mix of minigames and larger gameplay, it didn’t have the same competitive feel that earlier games in the series brought.

Mario Party 8 nailed this approach, featuring Flip Out Frenzy, where you could strategically select tiles to secure minigame victories, and Tic Tac Drop, which added a tic-tac-toe twist.

All the above modes provided a quicker, more focused experience on minigames, allowing you to compete with friends without the added distractions of the board game elements.

While Super Mario Party Jamboree happens to be a fun, it falls short when it comes to anything beyond the main attraction. The future of online play is uncertain, but many of the solo modes seem likely to be overlooked, something a well-crafted multiplayer minigame challenge might have avoided.

Jamboree remains a lot of fun, but if you’re seeking more than just the boards, you’ll need to get creative and make your own entertainment.