The Mario Party series has been a mainstay of Nintendo consoles ever since its initial launch all the way back in 1998. Now, over 20 years on, the company are celebrating some of the most memorable game boards players have enjoyed in this revamped collection for Nintendo Switch, Mario Party Superstars.
As veterans of the series will be used to, the gameplay remains much the same. Four players hit dice blocks to make their way around a board in a bid to collect coins, win minigames and purchase Stars, in a set amount of turns.
Certain spaces will aid you on your journey, whilst others will distract you from your goal and, in the end, the person who has collected the most Stars will be named the winner.
The true focus of Superstars however, is nostalgia. It’s those long-time fans of the series that will find the greatest joy when embarking on their journeys across the five available boards, each from either the original game, or Mario Party 2/Mario Party 3. Memories come flooding back from ‘the good old days’; you may think you’ve got an advantage and you’re a few steps ahead for example, but unpredictable events lead to chaotic gameplay that can flip the entire game on its head.
The minigames are also extracted primarily from the earliest instalments; experiences that you’ve locked away at the far-reaches of your memory will be brought right back
It’s in these moments that Superstars really shines, and especially so when you take your games online. Beating strangers from across the globe really does just feel better than taking down a handful of computer-controlled characters.
Of course, if you do prefer to play alone, that’s fine too! Nintendo have made that process more streamlined, allowing you the chance to speed up text and CPU movements so that your games can zip along in a time much quicker to that than we’re used to.
Though Superstars could have done with an extra board or two, and maybe a few more characters, it’s still an essential purchase for those who enjoy traditional Nintendo titles; especially those that can be played with friends.
Mario Party Superstars is available now, exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. A code for the game was given to Female First in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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