Fans were giddy with excitement following the surprise announcement of a new epic compilation of Mario Party minigames during Nintendo's memorable E3 showing. This Switch game, known as Mario Party Superstars, looks to provide loads of multiplayer fun with an onslaught of spruced-up versions of minigame hits from past games.
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The series finds itself once again in the spotlight following this reveal, as fans revisit past MP classics and ponder the potential for even stronger versions of their favorite minigames on Switch.
10 Pushy Penguins
- Mario Party 5
- Mario Party: The Top 100
- Mario Party Superstars
Mario Party games are usually the most fun when there's a chaotic, fast-paced element. This can certainly describe this lighthearted romp, which features a thrilling race to the finish amidst gaggles of aquatic birds. Players must evade a mob of penguins as they rush across a snowy platform in this rare highlight of Mario Party 5.
The absurd quantity of scurrying penguins and their unpredictable trajectories make this a truly fun and frantic foot race.
9 Burnstile
- Mario Party 6
When it comes to the fun factor, it's often four-player free-for-alls that tend to shine. Yet, Mario Party 6's "Burnstile" definitely gives them a run for their theoretical money. The goal here is to avoid a rotating spiked turnstile by leaping over it. This starts simply enough, but the intensity swiftly picks up as the turnstile progressively gains speed.
This survival showdown would be enjoyable enough, but it's made all the more amusing with its two vs two format. This puts extra pressure on surviving teammates after one player almost inevitably wipes out.
8 Dash And Dine
- Super Mario Party
While most would consider the party hit Overcooked superior to this similar rendition, the fact remains that "Dash and Dine" is a particularly fun entry amongst the populated Super Mario Party lineup. While Team17's hit game takes a page out of the Mario Party playbook with its fun, accessible multiplayer gameplay, this two vs two game ironically mimics that recipe, whilst speeding up and simplifying the formula.
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Teams of two are tasked with working together and scrambling around a small kitchen to nab requested ingredients while avoiding a laboring Toad. It's more of a frenzied kitchen scavenger hunt than a cooking game, but it's this simplicity and action that makes "Dash And Dine" so appealing. It succeeds in offering a delectable taste of the Overcooked experience.
7 Jump, Man
- Mario Party 7
- Mario Party: The Top 100
Hudson Soft and Nintendo venture back to an old classic with this Donkey Kong-inspired gem, which fittingly received a rehash for 3DS' The Top 100. This one largely strays from quirks and gimmicks — and reminds players of the merits of a fun, straightforward platformer.
Though the allusions to this arcade classic are obvious with the barrel-hopping and upward trekking, "Jump, Man" is more sidescrolling foot race than platformer; and an exciting one at that. As its name implies, this single-player game features Mario — once known as "Jumpman" — who must race a determined Donkey Kong to the top of a treehouse while climbing ropes and dodging rolling hazards.
6 Trace Race
- Mario Party 4
- Mario Party: The Top 100
- Mario Party Superstars
A highlight of the GameCube hit Mario Party 4, this one taps into the satisfying gameplay of the MP classic on N64, "Crazy Cutters" and colors it with a bit more speed and accessibility. Trace Race has players harken all the way back to kindergarten art class, as they're tasked with tracing a scrolling line squiggle with a giant crayon.
Precision is the key here, as each player will be given a score based on how closely they're able to follow the winding, looping lines.
5 Hexagon Heat
- Mario Party 2
- Mario Party: The Top 100
Building on its spiritual predecessor known as "Mushroom Mixup," "Hexagon Heat" takes the whimsical theme of waterborne mushrooms and cranks up the heat. This time, players face off in a scramble for survival above a pit of lava.
Up to four players must scurry as fast as possible to a single mechanical platform, which is indicated by the random color of the flag raised by Toad. This must be done before the other hexagonal platforms sink into the boiling lava. As one might expect, playing in these close quarters yields plenty of roughhousing and fatal ambushes by cruel opponents. But with these frustrations comes ample laugher and excitement.
4 Sizzling Stakes
- Super Mario Party
After several iterations of Mario Party, some viewed this party classic as bordering on stale, especially after the more lukewarm Mario Party 10 for Wii U. This entertaining successor on Switch proved most doubters wrong, thanks to its range of enjoyable minigames and new features. Yet, its unique appeal can also be traced to the smooth, nuanced use of motion controls and HD rumble found in tantalizing romps like "Sizzling Stakes."
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This immersive game has players assume the role of amateur chefs as they tilt and toss around a crackling meat cube in a pan. The name of the game is to swiftly but delicately flip and rotate the cube around to cook each of its six sides. This cook-off is a deliciously good time and watching players fumble with their cube steaks proves quite amusing to boot.
3 Bob-Omb Breakers
- Mario Party 4
- Mario Party DS
Though there's no shortage of fun minigames amongst the vast MP franchise, there are few that could convincingly work as stand-alone games. But this four-player showdown shines as a rare exception to this rule, with some super addictive puzzle gameplay. Despite its straightforward nature and bite-sized bouts, "Bob-omb Breakers" can offer hours of fun on its own.
This arcade-style romp has shades of Tetris and Puyo Puyo, as players must work to wipe out blocks by matching clusters of three or more of the same type. This often yields falling blocks and satisfying combo chains.
Filling out this simple puzzle game is the game-changing Bob-ombs, which explode when being fully enclosed in blocks. Another neat feature is the ability to play in other players' zones, which feels akin to a Tetris Effect: Connected prototype; just with far more ambushes.
2 Eatsa Pizza
- Mario Party 3
- Mario Party: The Top 100
- Mario Party Superstars
It's a frenzied battle of speed and gluttony as two teams face off in a pie-gorging contest. But rather than chow down on personal portions, they'll be scurrying and gnawing their way through a giant pizza. The team that's consumed the most of the decimated pizza at the end of the allotted time is the victor.
This appetizing game has it all — fast-paced fun, accessibility, and plenty of visually-based humor to top it all off.
1 Bumper Balls
- Mario Party 1
- Mario Party 2
- Mario Party: The Top 100
- Mario Party Superstars
This rough-and-tumble survival romp is one of those minigames that never seems to lose its luster — as its Superstars revamp should no doubt prove.
The game pits up to four players on a small, circular platform in a king-of-the-hill showdown. Players must knock their opponents off this platform while running atop personalized balls, setting the stage for heart-pumping chaos and ample laughter.
MP1's more humble, subdued version of "Bumper Balls" is a smashing good time, to be sure. Yet, the N64 sequel truly ups the ante, thanks to its more distinct levels wrought with more hazardous, game-changing features like slippery ice.