You've probably noticed the gaps. You boot up the game, look at the character select screen, and there are four empty circles staring back at you. It’s annoying. Most of the roster in Super Mario Party is available right from the jump, but Nintendo tucked away a few fan favorites behind some specific, albeit grindy, requirements. If you're trying to unlock characters Super Mario Party has hidden away, you don't need a secret code or a paid DLC. You just need to play the right modes.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a throwback to the GameCube era. Modern games usually just give you everything or make you pay for it. Here? You have to actually win.
The roster starts with 16 characters. You get the staples like Mario, Luigi, Peach, and even some weird ones like Goomba (who somehow plays baseball and drives karts without hands). But to round out the full 20, you need to track down Pom Pom, Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong, and Dry Bones. They won’t just pop up because you played a round of Mario Party; they’re tied to very specific milestones in the Plaza.
The Secret To Finding Diddy Kong
Diddy Kong is usually the one people miss first. To get him, you have to brave the Challenge Tower. Specifically, you need to complete World 2 of the Challenge Road.
Here is the thing about Challenge Road: you can't even access it until you’ve played every single minigame in the game at least once. There are 80 minigames total. If you haven't seen them all yet, the mode stays locked. You’ll know you’re ready when the Pipe on the right side of the Plaza finally lets you in.
Once you’re in, just play through. Diddy is waiting at the end of the second world. After you beat him, walk back out to the Plaza. He’ll be hanging out near the back. Talk to him, and he’s yours. It’s a bit of a slog if you aren’t a fan of the solo modes, but Diddy's custom die is actually pretty decent for high-risk plays—it’s got a +2 coin side but also two 0s and three 7s.
Tracking Down Donkey Kong and the Rest
Donkey Kong is tied to River Survival.
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Most people play this mode once and forget it exists. Don’t do that. You need to finish three different routes to get the big guy. You’ll see the different paths branching off as you paddle down the river. You don't have to win or get a specific rank; you just have to reach the end of three unique exits.
After you’ve hit that third goal, go check the Plaza. Donkey Kong will be standing in the crowd. Just like Diddy, he won't join your roster automatically. You have to physically walk your character up to him and press A.
Why Dry Bones Is a Pain
Dry Bones is purely random. Well, mostly.
He shows up after you play a variety of modes. There isn't a "Level 4" or a "World 2" for him. Basically, just keep jumping into different games. Usually, after you’ve spent a few hours across Mario Party and Partner Party, he’ll just start loitering in the Plaza. He’s the skeletal version of a "participation trophy," but his die is actually top-tier because it’s very predictable.
Pom Pom’s Hidden Requirement
Pom Pom is the final piece of the puzzle. You find her in Salty Sea (World 5) of the Challenge Road.
Again, this goes back to the "play every minigame" rule. If you haven't unlocked the minigames through the standard board play, you can't reach Pom Pom. It’s a recursive loop. If you’re stuck, go to the Minigame mode and look for any icons with a question mark. That’s what’s holding you back.
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Does Your Character Choice Actually Matter?
In older games, picking Peach or Bowser was just a cosmetic choice. In Super Mario Party, it’s a tactical decision. Each character has a unique Character Die.
Take Wario. His die has four sides that are just "6" and two sides that subtract two coins. If you need to move exactly six spaces, he’s a godsend. But if you’re broke? You’re stuck.
When you unlock characters Super Mario Party players often overlook the math behind the dice.
- Donkey Kong: Has a die with 0, 0, 0, 10, 10, 10. It’s the ultimate "all or nothing" move.
- Daisy: High consistency. Most of her sides are 3s and 4s.
- Bowser: He’s arguably the best character in the game because he has a 10, 9, and 8 on his die, though he can lose coins.
If you're playing against friends who know the meta, they’ll almost always pick Bowser or Wario. Unlocking the secret four gives you more options to counter those high-roll strategies.
The Gem System: The "Real" Completion
Unlocking characters is the first step, but the game doesn't actually "end" until you get the five Gems. Most players see the credits roll and think they’re done. They aren't.
Each Gem represents a different playstyle:
- Gem of Spirit: Complete all five boards in the standard Mario Party mode.
- Gem of Courage: Finish every route in River Survival.
- Gem of Strength: Win three games in the Sound Stage (the rhythm mode).
- Gem of Love: Finish all boards in Partner Party (the 2v2 mode).
- Gem of Tenacity: Complete the Challenge Road entirely.
When you collect all five, you get a special cutscene and the title of Super Star. It doesn't give you a new character, but it does unlock the ability to use the "Gold Oar" in River Survival, which makes future runs significantly faster.
Common Misconceptions and Errors
I see a lot of people complaining online that they finished Challenge Road and Pom Pom didn't appear. Usually, it’s because they didn't go back to the Plaza. The game is old-school. It won't give you a pop-up menu saying "Character Unlocked!" You have to find them standing in the crowd.
Another big one? Thinking you can unlock things in Toad's Rec Room. You can't. That’s the "extra" mode for multiple Switch consoles. It’s cool, but it won’t help you fill out your roster.
Also, don't bother looking for Rosalina or Spike in the "locked" sections. They are available from the very first time you launch the game. If you don't see them, you might be looking at the Partner Party select screen where the layout is slightly different.
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Actionable Strategy for Completionists
If you want to clear the roster in the shortest amount of time, follow this specific order. Don't just wander around the Plaza.
First, play one 10-turn game on every single board. This serves two purposes: it unlocks the Gem of Spirit and it ensures you see the majority of the 80 minigames.
Second, jump into River Survival. Focus on hitting new exits every time. This gets you Donkey Kong. Use the motion controls to aim for the balloons—minigames add time to your clock, and you’ll need it to reach the far edges of the map.
Third, check your Minigame list. If there are still silhouettes, go to the Minigame mode and play them directly. You cannot start Challenge Road until the list is 100% full.
Finally, grind through Challenge Road. It’s basically a gauntlet of every minigame with specific win conditions (like "Win with 10 coins" or "Finish in 30 seconds"). This is where you’ll bag Diddy Kong and Pom Pom.
Once you’ve done that, walk around the Plaza. Talk to the NPCs with the grayed-out speech bubbles. Those are your new characters.
Stop worrying about the "hidden" characters being behind a paywall. Nintendo 2018 wasn't doing that yet. Just play the game, hit the river, and beat the tower. You'll have the full 20-man roster by the end of the weekend.
Next Steps for You:
- Check your Minigame menu to see how many of the 80 games you have left to "discover."
- If you're missing only one or two, look for the "hidden" blocks on the boards, as some games only trigger during specific events.
- Head to the Challenge Road pipe to see if it's open; if not, Toad will tell you exactly how many games you're missing.
- Focus on the River Survival paths you haven't traveled yet to trigger the Donkey Kong appearance.