By [ad_1]
After several underwhelming entries, Mario Party Superstars marks a return to form for the series, proving that the original games were the best.
Mario Party Superstars could have been a shameless cash-grab by Nintendo, but it instead celebrates the classic board game party series. The beauty of the original Mario Party is in its simplicity. Whether that’s the mini-games or the boards themselves, these games are easy to pick up and play for any age or skill level. Unfortunately, the Mario Party series was in a rut with the subpar release of Super Mario Party in 2018. That game wasn’t well-received, containing little content and major issues that went unaddressed for years. With Superstars, Nintendo stepped back and realized what makes Mario Party so unique.
Mario Party Superstars has been well received, particularly by fans of the franchise’s older entries. It skews closer to the popular Nintendo 64 trilogy, drawing on Mario Party 1-3 for boards and gameplay elements. While the quality of recent entries made some fans skeptical that Nintendo could recapture the series’ nostalgic formula, Superstars makes one thing abundantly clear: the original era of Mario Party games has never truly been topped.
When looking back at those older Mario Party titles, what jumps out is how fun and inventive the series is, as well as how simple it is from a gameplay standpoint. It’s a virtual board game with mini-games — that’s about it. However, that simplicity is devilishly addicting and tons of fun. Later games in the series added motion controls or use the GameCube microphone accessory, which could be frustrating or even game-breaking at points. Nostalgic fans looking for the simplicity of of the N64 titles were frustrated at all the unnecessary gimmicks and control schemes in mini-games that sometimes felt they were just meant to show off the hardware or pulling off tricks rather than requiring any actual skill.
Luckily, Superstars brings the series back to basics with button controls and classic rules. 1-10 dice blocks return, stars cost 20 coins instead of 10, and items have been nerfed to make them harder to abuse. Outside of the visuals, not much has changed, and the content of the classic mini-games remain the same. Even the infamous pain-inducing one that requires players to twist the thumbstick around is back with a warning to players that they should not use the palm of their hands.
Mario Party Superstars‘ five boards (“Space Land,” “Horror Land,” “Yoshi’s Tropical Island,” “Woody Woods” and “Peach’s Birthday Cake”) all come from the first three games. That speaks volumes about the quality of the N64 era titles, making it clear that Nintendo got the formula near-perfect early on. These boards’ themes, music and competitive gimmicks have withstood test of time and work just as well on Switch as they did on Nintendo 64.
What makes these board so much better than those in later Mario Party games is that they’re simple to learn but hard to master. Later games would introduced boards that shed complex play lines for a more frenetic pace. In contrast, “Yoshi’s Tropical Island” is small, but it rewards players who make strategic choices and think ahead. The map allows for counter-play with a connected circular layout and the ability to trap other players on islands. This makes it perfect for newcomers and returning players alike. Other boards have their own tricks and surprises that make it so anyone can turn the tide and claim victory in the end.
Mario Party Superstars works so well because it brings the more engaging (but still simple) mechanics of the N64 era games to the Nintendo Switch, striking a balance for hardcore fans and new players alike. Going forward, Nintendo and Mario Party would benefit from sticking to this more traditional style, whether that’s through reviving old content or taking inspiration for new board and mini-game designs.
About The Author
[ad_2]
