The Mario Party franchise is fascinating to study if you like tales of franchises “rising and falling” with the times. For example, when the series first started, it was on fire. It was the first of its kind in many ways, and its initial trilogy was a goldmine for the Nintendo 64. However, after that trilogy, things started to wane, with things becoming more like a gimmick than anything else, and sales plummeted. Then, with the Nintendo Switch, The Big N buckled down, made things better, and had two huge hits, leading to Super Mario Party Jamboree, which comes out on Thursday.
The game aims to be the biggest entry in the entire franchise, and based on the scores from Metacritic, things went pretty well in that attempt. At the time of this writing, Super Mario Party Jamboree has an 81 score with over 50 reviews in. That score could rise or fall a bit, depending on who else sends in a review, but for now, that’s a solid score. So, what are they saying about the game?
Of the positive reviews, of which there are basically 50, they state that this game is indeed the biggest the franchise has ever done, and that it’s a “must” for those who love the series. Some even noted that it makes the other Switch entries “pale in comparison” to what this one offers, which is quite the praise indeed. One noted that it was an “unforgettable” experience that combined much of what the past two titles did while not forsaking what the more classic entries before the Switch era did. A couple even praised Nintendo for having the ambition to go even bigger with this third Switch game and polishing things up to look better than ever before.
On the negative or “mixed” side of things, while many still praise the game for being fun, a few note that the game is “spread thin” in some areas. Some weren’t a fan of some of the side modes and there were some “balancing issues” in other areas. The sole negative review came from Eurogamer, of all places, and said that the title “failed to find the fun” with what it was doing. That rings really hollow when compared to the other reviews, so maybe don’t consider that one when making your decision on whether to buy it.
If things do go the route of the past two titles, the Switch definitely has another million-seller on its hands.
