La philosophy of the Great N has always been one and one only: to entertain video game players by indulging their passions, pleasing their inner child who wants nothing to do with growing up and, while we’re at it, giving rise to new forms of entertainment under its unmistakable brand. And the Mario Party series, just one of the many IPs that make up a fundamental piece of Video Game history, is yet another proof of the greatness of the Kyoto house.
Party game, or rather those titles where minigames are present, usually with characters starring in a narrative universe borrowed into a much lighter context: the very first trilogy of Mario Party for the N64, released between 1998 and 2000, still represents today, perhaps, the best that can be offered to a group of friends or family gathered in the living room to play together. Although it was not the first true party game ever released, just think, for example, of the legendary Circus Charlie by Konami from 1984, so beloved by yours truly, we are talking about the milestone for the mainstream home audience.
He made his way among zombies, fantastic ocarinas, and alien half-lives with the unstoppable cheerfulness of Mario's crew, putting coins and prizes on the line depending on the result achieved by taking part in the various events. The plot? Well, things get serious here because Bowser, Wario, and even the ever-moderate Peach want to determine who the real Nintendo superstar is!
If you think the Hunger Games are the peak of dissing, then you’ve never seen a Yoshi on the warpath! In Mario Party 2, Wario is still the one sowing discord and the game board becomes an amusement park, while in the third act of 2000 the plot takes on much more whimsical connotations, dropping the characters inside a game box to recover the stars that will determine the winner.
A halfway point between the classic game of goose and board game mechanics of coin gain and loss that are much more elaborate and similar to modern board games, Mario Party N64 guarantees an experience that tests the arcade skills of its participants: the challenges are divided into categories, from those for four players simultaneously to the two versus two that legend says have ruined many friendships, all the way to single minigames, challenges where the winner is determined based on the final score achieved.
Kenji Kikuchi, creator and creative director of the first games in the series, left his mark by giving players the perfect mix of strategy, instinct, planning, and the chaotic cheerfulness that will distinguish all the game arenas right up to the very recent Jamboree: so be ready to take on Hot-Bob-omb, where we’ll have to pass the bomb around until it blows up, and the unfortunate contestant with it, and then show off your button-pressing speed with Shy Guy Says, Nintendo’s version of the colorful Simon Says. Dexterity will also be put to the test, just think of the Desert Dash race, precursor (and what do you know!) of modern run ‘n game on mobile.
Forse vi sembrerà anacronistico il concetto di party-game, in an era in which gaming experiences have actually settled on very different genres from Mario and Peach battling it out with pies to the face: from hardcore soulslikes in the style of Elden Ring to cozy games focused on relaxation like Terraria, the Mario Party series could waver and lose its historic fan base, all things considered, but fortunately that has not been the case. Recently, Mario Party Jamboree on Switch has shown how much people still feel the need to play together, shoulder to shoulder, messing around with the Joy-Cons and laughing while jumping on the couch together with their eighty-year-old grandma who “in-the-end-these-little-games-are-fun”.
Quel inner child I mentioned at the beginning, who is eager within each of us, at any age and in any place in the world and room set up with old- and new-generation consoles, can’t wait to get back in the game.
Better if in two, three, or more people. Because otherwise… what kind of party would it be?
Ideal for playing with family or friends, at parties, on cozy nights at home when you're bored, or to impress the nerdy girl or guy of the moment.
The third Mario Party boasts a single-player mode that is sure to pique your interest and provide extra hours of fun
The minigames are countless, all different from one another and with unique mechanics: Nintendo 64 at its best, and that’s no small thing
Score 5 Pro+Add pro Con+Add con Only if you don’t have friends. But even in this case, bringing Mario Party to a party can turn your evening around for the better
