Super Mario Party Jamboree: Classic Boards That Deserve To Return As DLC

Key Takeaways

Super Mario Party
and
Mario Party Superstars
missed the opportunity to include more maps from the past, including DK’s Jungle Adventure.
The GameCube era of
Mario Party
games had many memorable maps, such as Snowflake Lake, Goomba’s Greedy Gala, and Towering Treetop
King Boo’s Haunted Hideaway from
Mario Party 8
offers a unique challenge due to its randomized layout.

As someone who has spent countless hours navigating the colorful chaos of Mario Party boards, I must say that these classic maps hold a special place in my heart. Among them, Luigi’s Engine Room stands out as a unique and challenging gem from the original Mario Party game.

Nintendo has treated fans to a fresh installment called “Super Mario Party Celebration“, the newest addition to the Mario Party series. This game boasts an impressive lineup of characters, making it the largest roster in the spin-off franchise so far. Additionally, it offers seven distinct boards for players to explore. Five of these boards are brand new and unique, while classic favorites like Mario’s Rainbow Castle and Western Land have been revamped from previous Mario Party games.

Both “Super Mario Party Jamboree” and “Mario Party Superstars” demonstrate the ability to revive classic board game maps with updated graphics and gameplay mechanics. With downloadable content, the game could explore its past even further by reintroducing boards from various eras of “Mario Party”, spanning from Nintendo 64 to Wii.

10 King Boo’s Haunted Hideaway

Players Easily Get Lost Due To Randomization

Original appearance: Mario Party 8
Number of spaces: 55

It’s not common for Mario Party games to feature boards themed around Boo characters and haunted mansions, so the board “King Boo’s Haunted Hideaway” from Mario Party 8 was particularly notable. The unique aspect of this board was that its layout changed every time it was played, turning the journey to find King Boo into an adventure, especially since King Boo would alter the map again when awarding a player with a star.

Since Boo is a playable character in “Super Mario Party Jamboree”, it would make sense for them to have access to their own territory. King Boo’s Haunted Hideaway, with its narrow passages and winding paths, only serves to heighten the challenge (and frustration). However, with improved minigames and the new Buddy system in “Super Mario Party Jamboree”, the game board could potentially surpass that of the original.

9 Snowflake Lake

Day And Night Allowed A Lot To Happen On This Serene Mountain

Original appearance: Mario Party 6
Number of spaces: 72

The term ‘pleasant’ perfectly describes Snowflake Lake from Mario Party 6, a tranquil setting that offers players a peaceful journey amidst pine forests and snow-covered peaks. It provides a refreshing change compared to other Mario games where winter levels are often considered challenging ordeals for gamers.

Snowflake Lake is unique among Woody Woods and Horror Land-like games, as it doesn’t offer the option to buy stars. Instead, players are initially provided with stars and can attempt to amass more by strategically “stealing” from one another or relying on bonus stars to secure victory. This map also includes ski lifts, Chain Chomps, and a greater number of Duel spaces, making it a likely favorite among fans once again.

8 Shy Guy’s Perplex Express

Mario Characters Going On A Deceptively Simple Train Ride

Original appearance: Mario Party 8
Number of spaces: 44

In Mario Party 8, the unique board shaped as a single straight line, unlike any other in the series, was no match for the tricky challenge presented by Shy Guy’s Perplex Express. Players had to navigate their way from the train’s caboose to the engine, where they would receive a star. This seemingly straightforward layout, however, hid a more complex design.

The arrangement of the board can quickly adapt due to events, causing cars to shuffle unexpectedly. This means that someone who was moments away from meeting the conductor might find themselves back at the start instead. Moreover, since Super Mario Party Jambree features gameplay elements based on overtaking other players, navigating the train will become an even trickier task compared to previous versions.

7 Towering Treetop

Branching Paths And Time Changes Added Layers

Original appearance: Mario Party 6
Number of spaces: 66

In Towering Treetop from Mario Party 6, you’ll find numerous paths branching out, each offering unique shortcuts to navigate up or down this towering tree. Along the way, you’ll encounter various challenges that require careful maneuvering. The gameplay is heightened by a day-night cycle, which significantly alters the environment, similar to Snowflake Lake where nighttime presents increased risks.

In Towering Treetop, there’s nothing overly complicated, which adds to its appeal as a board game that offers just the right level of challenge – neither too simple nor too difficult. It includes additional layers to keep players engaged, such that one misstep could trigger the tree to sneeze, sending everyone back to the starting point.

6 DK’s Jungle Adventure

The First Every Mario Party Board

Original appearance: Mario Party
Number of spaces: 86

In the original Mario Party, DK’s Jungle Adventure was the first board introduced, offering players a chance to traverse a lush jungle environment. The theme song was catchy, and the visuals were inviting, reminiscent of a tropical rainforest. This game setting included all the typical jungle elements such as ancient temple ruins, towering trees, and even a boulder chase similar to those seen in Indiana Jones-style adventures.

Fans were let down when they noticed the map was absent in Mario Party Superstars, a game intended to commemorate the golden age of Mario Party. To rectify this, Super Mario Party Jamboree could include it as downloadable content, especially given the improved graphics that can create a jungle environment reminiscent of Donkey Kong games. Additionally, the mechanics could be revised to suit the modern gameplay style.

5 Waluigi’s Island

Players Are Always On Edge Because Of Traps And Changing Paths

Original appearance: Mario Party 3
Number of spaces: 99

Usually, when Mario Party games feature an island-themed board, it resembles a tropical paradise similar to Yoshi’s Island in the initial Mario Party game. However, Waluigi’s Island from Mario Party 3 is far from being idyllic, as it blends industrial features with lush greenery and oceanic landscapes.

In the game of Super Mario Party Jamboree, Waluigi’s Island poses a greater challenge due to its numerous traps and ever-shifting paths. Its vast expanse and intricate layout make it particularly difficult, but with the introduction of the Buddy system and updated item system, navigating through this labyrinth becomes an exciting adventure!

4 Koopa’s Tycoon Town

Property Management And Mario Party Results In Ultimate Friendship Ender

Original appearance: Mario Party 8
Number of spaces: 75

In the spirit of Monopoly, Koopa’s Tycoon Town in Mario Party 8 incorporates a property management system. Spread throughout the city are various hotels that players can invest in using their money. The higher-ranked hotels yield more stars for the investors. This adds an extra layer of strategy to gameplay, as entire hotels, along with their accumulated stars, can be seized by other players, introducing a competitive twist to the traditional board game.

Friendships can be put to the test quite significantly through games like ‘Mario Party’, and Tycoon Town from Koopa has earned a reputation for being an especially challenging test of camaraderie. In the ‘Super Mario Party Jamboree’ remaster, they could amplify the tension by updating the board to feature the Buddy system, potentially causing even more friction than in ‘Mario Party 8’.

3 Goomba’s Greedy Gala

Traveling Through A Casino Is A Gamble In Itself

Original appearance: Mario Party 4
Number of spaces: 88

The theme for this “Mario Party 4” board revolves around neon lights and gaming, divided into four sections. You can navigate these areas by spinning the roulette wheel located in the center. Typically, luck plays a significant role in “Mario Party” games, but it’s skillfully incorporated here in Goomba’s Greedy Gala, where players wager on the likelihood of landing on their preferred section of the board or its opposite side by chance.

The game places great emphasis on accumulating substantial amounts of coins to advance, as investing more significantly increases your odds with the roulette wheel. Essentially, it’s all about balancing risk and potential gain, which aligns perfectly with the casino ambiance of the board. Consequently, each turn can bring about drastic shifts in gameplay if played strategically.

2 Luigi’s Engine Room

A Steampunk Maze Would Benefit From Modern Mechanics

Original appearance: Mario Party
Number of spaces: 77

As a dedicated gamer, I’m all for bringing back Luigi’s board from Mario Party! Just like how Mario’s world is always ready for a comeback, so should be Luigi’s Engine Room. Remember the thrill of those red and blue doors opening after each turn, or when an event space was hit? Those moments turned the Engine Room into a mind-bending maze, where we could easily get stuck or lost! It’s a classic example of a map that could greatly benefit from the exciting items featured in modern games like Super Mario Party Jamboree. Let’s hope we can navigate through it again soon!

Just like Goomba’s Greedy Gala, it relies heavily on luck, which could have easily led to chaos, but there’s enough skill required in adjusting manual switches and timing your moves to navigate through its complex design. Luigi’s Engine Room is remarkably distinct among the series, with a steampunk-inspired industrial aesthetic and a catchy soundtrack that encourages dancing.

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2024-10-23 19:55