Let’s be real for a second. If you’ve ever owned a Nintendo console, you know the specific brand of "Nintendo Rage" that only happens when a digital plumber steals your hard-earned Star. It’s a rite of passage. But when it comes to Mario Party on the Switch, things got a little weird for a few years. Nintendo didn't just release one game and call it a day; they gave us three distinct, somewhat confusing iterations that appeal to completely different types of players.
You’re probably standing in the eShop or looking at a shelf at Target wondering if you should get the one with the motion controls, the one with the old-school boards, or the brand-new one that just dropped. It’s not a simple choice.
Honestly, the "best" version depends entirely on whether you have a soul-crushing nostalgia for the N64 era or if you actually enjoy waving a Joy-Con around like a maniac.
The Identity Crisis of Super Mario Party
When Super Mario Party launched back in 2018, it felt like a tech demo. I mean that in the nicest way possible, but also in the most frustrating way. It was the first Mario Party on the Switch, and Nintendo was obsessed with showing off what the Joy-Cons could do.
Remember the HD Rumble? This game used it for everything. There’s a mini-game where you’re literally feeling the vibrations of "meat" browning in a pan. It’s cool. It’s also incredibly niche. The biggest problem—and the thing that still bugs people today—is that you cannot play this game with a Pro Controller. You’re locked into using a single Joy-Con held sideways. If you have large hands, it’s a nightmare. If you play on a Switch Lite, you literally can't play it without buying extra controllers.
The boards are also... small. They feel cramped. You’ve got the Fruit Island, the Gold Mine, the Bob-omb Powderkeg Mine, and the Kamek Tantalizing Tower. That’s it. Compared to the sprawling maps of the GameCube era, these felt like backyard playdates.
But it did one thing right: Character-specific dice.
This was a massive change. Bowser, for instance, has a die that can roll a 10, but it also has faces that make you lose coins. It added a layer of strategy that the series usually lacks. You weren't just picking Peach because she was cute; you were picking her because her die was "safe." This version is for the families with young kids who want to waggle the controller. It’s not for the competitive veterans who want to ruin friendships over a 20-turn marathon.
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Why Superstars is the Gold Standard
Then came Mario Party Superstars in 2021. This was Nintendo’s apology letter.
They looked at the complaints about the first Mario Party on the Switch and basically said, "Okay, we’ll just give you the hits." Superstars is a "best of" collection. It features five boards from the N64 era, including the iconic Space Land and Horror Land.
The difference here is night and day.
First off, you can use a Pro Controller. Thank goodness. No motion controls. Just pure, button-mashing gameplay. The mini-games—all 100 of them—are pulled from the entire history of the franchise. You get Bumper Balls, Shy Guy Says, and Mushroom Mix-Up. It’s a shot of pure dopamine for anyone who grew up with a controller in their hand in the late 90s.
It also fixed the economy. In the 2018 game, stars were 10 coins. Ten! That’s nothing. In Superstars, they went back to the classic 20-coin price point. It sounds like a small detail, but it changes the entire tension of the game. Coins actually matter again.
The Online Problem
We have to talk about the netcode. Nintendo isn't exactly famous for stable online play. If you're playing Mario Party on the Switch with friends across the country, Superstars is surprisingly decent, but it still has that "Nintendo jank." If one person has a microwave running near their router, the whole game stutters.
However, they did add a "save" feature for online play. If the connection drops, you can actually resume. It was a low bar to clear, but they cleared it.
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Jamboree: The New Heavyweight
Enter Super Mario Party Jamboree. Released in late 2024, this is the biggest entry yet. It’s like Nintendo finally realized they didn't have to choose between "gimmicky motion controls" and "hardcore nostalgia." They just did both.
Jamboree is massive. Seven boards. Over 110 mini-games.
The standout feature here is the "Pro Rules" mode. If you’ve ever lost a game of Mario Party because of a random "Bonus Star" at the end that you didn't earn, you know the pain. Pro Rules limits the randomness. It tells you exactly what the Bonus Star will be at the start of the game. It limits the number of turns. It makes the game feel less like a gambling simulator and more like a board game.
It also introduces the "Jamboree Buddy" system. These are allies that appear on the board and give you massive buffs, like being able to buy two stars at once. It’s chaotic. It’s polarizing. Some people hate it because it’s "too much," but it keeps the game from feeling like a repeat of Superstars.
The Koopa-thon Mode
This is where things get weird. Jamboree added a 20-player online mode called Bowser’s Koopa-thon. It’s basically a battle royale version of Mario Party. You’re playing mini-games simultaneously to move around a track. It’s frantic and totally different from the turn-based slog of the main game. If you have a short attention span, this is probably the best way to play Mario Party on the Switch.
Real Talk: Which One Should You Buy?
I get asked this constantly. "I only want one, which one is it?"
If you are a solo player or a couple who wants a long-term "main" game, get Super Mario Party Jamboree. It has the most content, the most characters (including Ninji and Rocky Wrench!), and the most varied modes. It’s the "complete" package.
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If you are a group of friends in their 30s who want to relive the N64 days without the hassle of actual N64 hardware, get Mario Party Superstars. It’s tighter, more focused, and doesn't have the bloat of the newer titles.
If you find Super Mario Party (the 2018 one) in a bargain bin for $20, maybe grab it for the "River Survival" co-op mode. Otherwise, honestly, skip it. The newer games have rendered it almost entirely obsolete.
The Complexity of the "Luck" Factor
One thing people get wrong about Mario Party on the Switch is thinking it’s all luck. It isn't. Not really.
Professional Mario Party players (yes, they exist) look at the board as a mathematical probability map. In Superstars, knowing the exact shop inventory is key. In Jamboree, managing your "Buddy" placement is the difference between winning and losing.
There's a specific nuance to how you use items. For example, the Plunder Chest. Most people use it as soon as they get it. Experts wait until someone else is within 5 spaces of a Star and has enough coins to buy it, then they steal their Triple Dice or Golden Pipe. It’s psychological warfare.
Technical Reality Check
Let's discuss performance. The Switch is old. We know this.
Super Mario Party runs at 1080p docked and is generally very smooth because the boards are small.
Superstars looks incredible—the textures on the characters' clothes (like the stitching on Mario’s overalls) are surprisingly detailed.
Jamboree pushes the hardware. You might see some frame drops in the more chaotic 20-player modes. It’s nothing game-breaking, but the aging Tegra chip in the Switch is definitely sweating.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Game Night
Don't just boot up the game and hit "start." To have the best experience with Mario Party on the Switch, follow these steps:
- Toggle the Text Speed: Go into the settings and set text to "Fast." Nintendo loves to make characters talk forever. Your friends will thank you.
- Handicaps Matter: If you’re playing with someone who has never touched a controller, give them a 1-star handicap. It prevents the "I’m losing so I’m bored" syndrome.
- The "No Motion" Rule: If you're playing Jamboree, you can actually toggle off the motion-control mini-games in certain modes. If you're in a living room with limited space, do this immediately to avoid accidental elbows to the face.
- Try the Side Modes: Don't ignore the "Mt. Minigames" or the puzzle modes. Sometimes a 15-minute burst of Stick-and-Spin is better than a 90-minute board game.
- Check Your Joy-Cons: Since two of these games rely heavily on Joy-Cons, make sure you don't have "drift." There is nothing worse than your character walking off a ledge in a mini-game because of a faulty hardware sensor.
At the end of the day, these games are designed to be "digital board games." They are meant to be loud, slightly unfair, and intensely social. Whether you're chasing the nostalgia of the 90s or the 20-player chaos of the modern era, the Switch has turned into the definitive home for the series. Just remember: it's just a game. Even when Wario steals your last Star on the final turn.