How Super Mario Party Jamborees Review Scores Compare to Past Games

How Super Mario Party Jamborees Review Scores Compare to Past Games

As a longtime fan of the Mario series and someone who has spent countless hours playing these party games with friends and family, I must say that the news about Super Mario Party Jamboree being the highest-rated Mario Party game of all time is music to my ears! The nostalgia factor combined with the innovative gameplay mechanics Nintendo always brings to the table never fails to impress me.


The Mario Party games are frequently criticized for lacking depth, but the latest installment in the series, aptly named Super Mario Party Jamboree, endeavors to rectify this concern. This title, being the third release in the MP franchise on Nintendo Switch, hit the shelves on October 17, 2024. Nintendo has touted Super Mario Party Jamboree as the “largest Mario Party game yet,” and based on the abundance of features it offers, this claim seems plausible. For instance, this game boasts a roster of 22 playable characters, making it the most character-rich entry in the series thus far. Furthermore, Jamboree includes more than 110 minigames, approximately 37 items, and over 10 modes.

As a die-hard video game enthusiast, I must say that in the grand scheme of gaming, size isn’t always the key to greatness. However, when it comes to Super Mario Party Jamboree, it seems like the bigger the fun, indeed! This latest installment in the beloved Mario Party franchise has been showered with praise from various sources. At the moment, it holds a respectable 81 on OpenCritic, with about 85% of critics giving it a thumbs up. On Metacritic, it flaunts a laudable score of 82, based on 63 critic reviews. While these ratings might not place Super Mario Party Jamboree at the forefront for Game of the Year contention, they’re still quite impressive, especially considering its standing against previous mainline entries in the extensive Mario Party series.

Super Mario Party Jamboree is Getting Great Reviews, Especially Compared to Previous Entries in the Series

The Mario Party Games Have Had Some Major Highs and Lows

Since 1998, Nintendo has launched a total of 18 games in the Mario Party series, and as you might expect, it’s had its share of highs and lows throughout its lifespan. The original game in the series, known simply as Mario Party, was developed by the now-closed studio Hudson Soft. When it initially came out on the Nintendo 64, it received a score of 79 on Metacritic and a 78% rating on GameRankings. Similarly, the second and third installments in the series, which were also introduced on the N64, received generally favorable reviews when they were initially released; Mario Party 2 scored 76 on Metacritic, while Mario Party 3 got a 74.

Hudson Soft consistently produced new installments of the popular Mario Party series nearly every year during the sixth generation of gaming consoles. Games like Mario Party 4, 5, 6, and 7 were launched one after another on the Nintendo GameCube from 2002 to 2005. While these games are generally appreciated now, their initial reviews weren’t particularly impressive, with Mario Party 4 scoring a 70 on Metacritic and the other three receiving ratings of 69, 71, and 64 respectively.

During the Wii and Wii U generations, the Mario Party series experienced a dip in popularity. The last home console game developed by Hudson Soft, Mario Party 8, received a low score of 62 on Metacritic. Its successor, Mario Party 9, developed by NDCube, was slightly better received with a rating of 74 on the site. However, Mario Party 10, the only exclusive game for Wii U in the series, was heavily criticized in 2015. It scored poorly on both Metacritic and OpenCritic, receiving a 67 and 65 respectively, with only 16% of reviewers recommending it.

Aggregate Rankings of All Mario Party Games

NameRelease YearOpenCritic Rating% of Critics Recommend on OpenCriticMetacritic
Mario Party1998N/AN/A79
Mario Party 21999N/AN/A76
Mario Party 32000N/AN/A74
Mario Party 42002N/AN/A70
Mario Party 52003N/AN/A69
Mario Party 62004N/AN/A71
Mario Party Advance2005N/AN/A54
Mario Party 72005N/AN/A64
Mario Party 82007N/AN/A62
Mario Party DS2007N/AN/A72
Mario Party 92012N/AN/A74
Mario Party: Island Tour2013583%57
Mario Party 1020156516%67
Mario Party: Star Rush20166718%68
Mario Party: The Top 1002017593%59
Super Mario Party20187760%76
Mario Party Superstars20217977%80
Super Mario Party Jamboree20248186%82

Super Mario Party Jamboree is the Highest-Rated Mario Party Game of All Time

Compared to previous console generations, Nintendo’s famous party game series, including Super Mario Party, has seen exceptional success on the Switch, both in terms of critical acclaim and commercial performance. Among the three games launched for the platform, 2018’s Super Mario Party had the poorest reception, scoring a 77 on OpenCritic and a 76 on Metacritic. In contrast, Mario Party Superstars, released in 2021, boasts a top critic average of 79 and has been recommended by 77% of reviewers, according to OpenCritic. Interestingly, Super Mario Party Jamboree, another game in the series, surpasses both these titles in terms of its OpenCritic score, making it not only the highest-rated Mario Party game for this console generation, but also the best-reviewed entry in the entire franchise, even considering handheld spin-offs.

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2024-10-18 22:14