Let's be real for a second. If you grew up with a Nintendo 64 or a GameCube, the words "Bumper Balls" or "Booksquirm" probably trigger some kind of primal competitive instinct. You remember the blisters. You remember the ruined friendships. When Nintendo announced Mario Party: The Top 100 for the 3DS back in 2017, it felt like the ultimate peace offering. It was supposed to be the "Greatest Hits" album of the couch-ruining world. But looking back at it now from 2026, the game is a fascinating, frustrating relic that basically paved the way for the series' massive comeback on the Switch.
It’s a weird one.
The premise was simple: take the 100 best minigames from the first ten mainline console entries and shove them onto a handheld. No filler. Just the hits.
The Identity Crisis of Mario Party: The Top 100
Here is the thing most people get wrong about this game: it isn't actually a "Mario Party" game in the traditional sense. It’s more of a curated museum exhibit that you can occasionally play with friends. If you go into it expecting the sprawling, tactical board game experience of Mario Party 2 or even the newer Superstars, you're going to be bummed out.
There is exactly one board. One.
It’s called Minigame Match. It's basically a simplified version of the Balloon Bash mode from Star Rush. Everyone moves at the same time. You’re just chasing balloons to trigger minigames. It's fast, sure, but it lacks that "I just stole your Star and now we aren't talking for a week" energy that makes the series legendary. It feels like a side mode that accidentally became the main event.
The real meat of the game is Minigame Island. This is a solo trek through world maps where you play through all 100 games in order. It’s actually kind of relaxing? Which is a weird thing to say about a series known for causing high blood pressure. You unlock the "Master" difficulty here, and honestly, the AI at that level is terrifying. They don’t make mistakes.
Why the 3DS was the best and worst home for it
Nintendo was in a strange spot in 2017. The Switch was already taking over the world, but the 3DS had an install base of like 70 million people. They couldn't just ignore it. Mario Party: The Top 100 was clearly designed to squeeze the last bit of life out of the handheld.
The graphics are surprisingly sharp. Seeing N64 classics like Face Lift or Shy Guy Says remade with 3DS assets is a trip. They even kept the frantic button-mashing of Mecha-Marathon, though thankfully they didn't bring back the "rotate the joystick with your palm" games that literally led to a lawsuit and free gloves in the 90s.
One thing Nintendo absolutely nailed? Download Play.
You only need one copy of the game. Your three friends just need their own 3DS systems. They download the data from you, and boom—four-player chaos on a single cartridge. In an era where every modern game wants you to buy four copies and a seasonal battle pass, this feels like a lost relic of a more generous time.
The Controversy Over the "Top" 100
"Top 100" is a bold claim. It's subjective.
Fans have been arguing about the roster since day one. How do you have a celebration of the series and only include three games from Mario Party 8? That game was a motion-control fever dream, but it had some bangers. Meanwhile, Mario Party 5 got seventeen slots. Seventeen!
Someone at NDcube clearly had a favorite child.
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The distribution looks like this:
- Mario Party 1-3 (N64 era): 31 minigames. Solid representation.
- Mario Party 4-7 (GameCube era): 52 minigames. This is the bulk of the game.
- Mario Party 8-10 (Wii/Wii U era): 17 minigames. They basically ignored these.
It’s also worth noting that handheld entries like Mario Party DS were completely excluded. That’s a shame because the DS version is arguably one of the best in the entire franchise. Seeing those games upscaled would have been a nice touch for the 3DS hardware.
The "Superstars" Shadow
If you’re looking at this game today, you're probably comparing it to Mario Party Superstars on the Switch. It’s a fair fight. Superstars also has 100 minigames, but it actually has five classic boards and online play that doesn't feel like it's running on a potato.
So why even bother with the 3DS version?
Well, the 3DS is pocketable. There’s something special about having a "best-of" collection in your pocket for a long flight or a boring waiting room. Also, some of the 3DS-specific games use the microphone or the touch screen in ways the Switch version just can't. Honeycomb Havoc and Booksquirm feel "right" on the smaller screens.
What You Should Know Before Buying
If you're hunting for a copy on eBay or a local retro shop, don't overpay. The prices have stayed relatively stable, usually hovering around $15 to $30 for a loose cartridge. It isn't a rare "holy grail" game, but it’s a staple for any 3DS collection.
Wait, check your hardware first. The game works on any 3DS, 2DS, or "New" 3DS model. However, the load times are noticeably snappier on the "New" models. It’s not a dealbreaker, but when you're jumping between 100 different games, those extra seconds add up.
Also, keep in mind that online play is non-existent. Nintendo killed the 3DS servers a while back. If you want to play with others, you must be in the same room. It’s local wireless or nothing. Honestly, that’s how Mario Party is meant to be played anyway. You need to be close enough to see the betrayal in your friend's eyes.
Is it worth playing in 2026?
Honestly, yeah. But only if you treat it as a "Minigame Collection" rather than a full "Mario Party" title.
It’s the perfect "podcast game." You can sit on the couch, put on a show, and blast through Minigame Island. It’s nostalgic. It’s colorful. It’s a reminder of a time when Nintendo was experimenting with how to keep their old handheld relevant.
Actionable Tips for New Players:
- Focus on Minigame Island first: You only start with about half of the games unlocked. You have to play the solo mode to get the rest. Don't invite friends over until you've cleared at least a few worlds, or you'll be staring at a lot of locked icons.
- Use the "Packs" feature: In the 100 Minigames mode, you can create custom packs. Group your favorites together so you don't have to scroll through the ones you hate (looking at you, Tug o' War).
- Amiibo shortcuts: If you have Mario-themed Amiibo, tap them! They give you in-game currency and can unlock certain packs early if you’re impatient.
- Don't sleep on the Decathlon: If you want a real challenge, the Decathlon mode tracks your scores across a series of games. It’s the closest the game gets to a "pro" mode.
Mario Party: The Top 100 might be a flawed experiment, but it’s a concentrated dose of Nintendo history. It’s a love letter to the mini-games that defined a generation, even if it forgot to bring the actual party along for the ride.
If you want to dive deeper into the series' history, check out the specific minigame breakdowns on sites like Super Mario Wiki or Mario Party Legacy. They have frame-data and strategies for the high-level CPU fights that will save you a lot of frustration.
Go grab a 3DS, find a friend, and see if your friendships can survive a round of Bumper Balls one more time. Just watch out for the thumb cramps. They're real.
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Next Steps for Your Collection
To get the most out of your 3DS, you should look into picking up Mario Party: Island Tour and Mario Party: Star Rush. While The Top 100 has the best individual games, Star Rush actually has the most innovative board mechanics the handheld ever saw. Pairing these three together gives you the complete 3DS "Party" experience.