Top 10 Most Underrated Mario Party Games
Mario Party is one of the most well-known sub-franchises of the Mario series. It was originally developed by Hudson Soft and later by ND Cube, featuring Mario and his friends competing on a board-style game.Unfortunately, the series also has one of the most divisive fanbases among Mario games. Many fans heavily praise the first few installments, holding them in extremely high regard, and often demand that newer titles follow the same formula. If they do not, these games are frequently dismissed as inferior.
Having Mario Party 10 as my first Mario Party meant that the car formula was the first thing I knew. I'm glad that was the case. Otherwise, I might have had a very different view of 9 and 10.
Mario Party 9 has surprisingly strategic Captain Events, and Magma Mine is probably the best board from both 9 and 10. It really showcases the car mechanic done right. It's always so intense! I love the car skins too.
If anything, the 30-minute games help me limit my screen time, haha!
Out of the console entries, 8, 9, and 10 are the most hated of the bunch, with 10 being the most hated and 8 being the least of the trio. Although I won't deny 10 does have its fair share of flaws that make the game slightly boring most of the time, I put 9 higher on the list instead. That's because Mario Party 9 is actually an AMAZING game.
While it was my first Mario game ever, even now, trying to look from an unbiased perspective, it really isn't bad. It changed the formula because it was necessary. Even if the car isn't as fun as walking freely, it still has things it did better than in the older games. By the way, the minigames and minigame mode are legendary in this game (especially High Rollers)!
Mario Party 8's boards are 100% the highlight.
Shy Guy's Perplex Express is the most creative board, and the DK and Bowser dynamic works so well with it. One minute you're rushing to get to the front of the train, and the next you're steering well clear, haha!
Bowser's Warped Orbit and Koopa's Tycoon Town are also great in terms of gameplay. The other three might not be as strong, especially the DK one, but King Boo's Haunted Hideaway can be quite chaotic fun when you're trying to find the Star, haha!
People hate it for being "too different" from the previous seven and the Kamek incident. Nitpicking at its finest.
So underrated! It might not be traditional Mario Party, but that's what makes it so unique and one I keep coming back to.
It has lots of engaging and dynamic modes, plus strategy with the different dice blocks and more space movement freedom. It feels more immersive with the everyone takes their turn at once method.
The interesting thing about this game is that it's probably the only one where I bother playing the other modes regularly. Coinathlon is full-on frantic fun. Balloon Bash is more like traditional Mario Party. Rhythm Recital is like the gymnastics events in the Mario & Sonic series but with instruments. Mario Shuffle is simple yet surprisingly strategic. Boo's Block Party is again simple yet strategic. Challenge Tower lives up to its name, haha!
This is a great one if you want something a little different with plenty of engaging fun to offer.
This game is honestly awesome for its time!
It has a Story Mode, which is arguably the main highlight, and plenty of fun collectibles to keep going, making it great for single-player while still requiring just one card for multiplayer.
I love the whole mini theme because it's very fitting for a handheld game. The minigames are also good fun, and the boards are pretty good too, especially Bowser's Pinball Machine. It's chaotic but fitting for Bowser, haha!
Being able to save games and come back to them later, even in Story Mode, is a huge win. It's such an awesome pick for a car journey!
Like Mario Party 8, the unique board objectives make this one not as bad as others say, in my opinion. Mario Party 8 has a slight edge because you can choose the number of turns, but the boards in this game are pretty cool, especially Bowser's Bizarre Volcano, where you actually try to avoid the goal.
Star-Crossed Skyway is also a board of great strategy, and so is Kamek's Carpet Ride. Banzai Bill's Mad Mountain and Rocket Road combine luck with strategy. Perilous Palace Path is a great long-play board as the longest board option, and the items are a cool feature in it.
Shy Guy's Shuffle City is also awesome, but I was only ever able to play it once because you need three players, which is a shame. Most boards are about the right length, but I wish Rocket Road and Banzai Bill's Mad Mountain were longer.
This game is actually amazing. Sure, the multiplayer is practically nonexistent, but before you say this game is trash, play Shroom City. It's actually a pretty good "story mode" with interesting side-quests.
It's not just fetching, but it's pretty varied, with quests from raising flags to call UFOs, to having a "footrace" with bullet bills. All the dialogue is funny. You don't have to force yourself to laugh like in that one comedian mission to get a chuckle out of this. And the guy that composed MP3 and MP4 returns, resulting in spectacular music. If you haven't tried it because of the internet, you're missing out on a lot.
Yes, minigames are pretty much all this game has going for it. But if good minigames are what you want, this one's a great pick because it combines the best ones from the previous home console entries. Obviously, some will be hit-or-miss depending on the player.
The packs can be a double-edged sword, but they allow you to see more of the minigames you love, so it works well for this game's purpose. Once you complete the Minigame Island mode, which is good fun, Minigame Match is great for replayability. Yes, it's only one board, but it uses Star Rush's Balloon Bash formula, which works well for triggering lots of minigames, keeps gameplay dynamic and engaging, and even brings back classic items.
I'd still recommend it for longstanding fans of the series, but only if minigames are your focus.
Super Duel Mode and Card Party are the main reasons for my vote, but I have to say, I actually like the main mode.
It has a pretty big number of boards (seven), which are all very aesthetically pleasing and thematic, and they each have their own unique dynamics. The Capsule Machines, while less strategic, are fun because you might add a Bowser Space to the board, but you can still play strategically with them even if they are random.
You can lose and gain coins fast in this game, haha!
It's Star Rush's Allies concept but polished, in my opinion.
It's a really strategic game because you can pick the character or characters, who all have different dice blocks, which gives character selection a whole new depth.
The lack of boards is a disappointment, yes, but I'd argue the gameplay is what shines here. It's a shame that turns are so limited and games can't be saved, but the high movement freedom is what makes this game so interesting.
People aren't a fan of this one, but I like what they incorporated.
The Newcomers
Two words: Bowser Party.
I like how it tried to be innovative with the whole car concept. It's honestly such a fun mode, and visitors love it! Amiibo Party is also awesome, and the character boards add a nice touch.
Even the Mario Party mode is pretty fun. It has some cool boards with interesting dynamics, like how you can actually go on the rides in Mushroom Park or how the airships constantly move around in Airship Central.
For standard rivals in a car, Mario Party 9 is still better, but this is great for other modes to play!