Mario Party is a series of party video games made by Nintendo. It includes characters from the Mario games. Up to four players or computer-controlled characters (called "CPUs") play together in a board game that includes minigames. The series is known for its party game features, which allow up to four or sometimes eight human players or CPUs to compete.

The series was first created by Hudson Soft from 1998 to 2007. Capcom also made arcade games around that time. In 2010, some important designers from Hudson Soft joined Nintendo's company, Nd Cube, where they made Wii Party. Starting with Mario Party 9 in 2012, Nd Cube became the main developer of the series.

At first, the series was well-received. Later, reviews became more mixed. However, with the release of Super Mario Party in 2018, the series improved. It holds the record for the longest-running minigame series. As of March 2025, Nintendo reported that the series has sold more than 84 million copies.

Gameplay

The Mario Party series has changed its gameplay over time to match the technology of the game systems. Each game in the series includes several different game modes, each with its own set of rules and challenges.

Every main series game includes a standard Party Mode. In this mode, up to four players move along a board, trying to collect as many stars as possible. During each turn, players roll a die (called a Dice Block) to move along the board, which often has paths that branch in different directions. Coins are mainly earned by performing well in a minigame played at the end of each turn. On most boards, players earn stars by reaching a star space and buying a star for 20 coins. The star space appears randomly on one of several pre-set locations and moves each time a star is purchased, usually landing on a blue space. On some boards, the star location remains fixed.

Each Mario Party game includes at least 50 minigames of different types. In four-player games, players compete individually. In 2-vs-2 or 1-vs-3 minigames, players are divided into two groups and work together to win, even though they still compete individually in the main game. Some minigames are designed for four players to work together, even if this is not clearly stated. In most cases, the winner of a minigame earns 10 coins.

Battle minigames first appeared in Mario Party 2. These are similar to four-player games, but instead of earning 10 coins, each player contributes a random number of coins (or all coins if they cannot meet the required amount). The winner receives about 70% of the collected coins, the second-place winner gets 30%, and sometimes a random player receives leftover coins from rounding.

Duel minigames were introduced in Mario Party 2 and later removed in Mario Party 4 (though story minigames are all duels). They returned in Mario Party 5. Duel games involve two players competing against each other. In Party Mode, one player starts the duel and bets coins or stars against another player. The winner of the duel takes all the coins or stars wagered. Starting with Mario Party 7, the amount wagered in a duel is no longer chosen by the player; instead, the prize is randomly decided.

Bowser minigames were introduced in Mario Party 4. In these games, players must avoid being burned by Bowser’s fire breath if they lose. If they fail, they must give up coins, stars, or items. In Mario Party 7, a single-player version of these games was added, allowing only one person to play.

Mario Party 9 introduced new minigames involving Bowser Jr. In these games, Bowser Jr. challenges two players to compete. If they win, both players receive five Mini Stars. If they lose, Bowser Jr. takes five stars from each player.

Mario Party 9 also added a car mechanic. In Mario Party 9 and 10, players move on the board using cars instead of moving individually. Mario Party 9 had less focus on strategy, and its minigames had less impact on the board game compared to earlier games. Critics criticized the car mechanic, noting that over-reliance on chance could disrupt the experience. The car mechanic remained in Mario Party 10, but Super Mario Party returned to allowing players to move individually.

Super Mario Party Jamboree added a feature called “Jamboree Buddy,” which players can earn by winning a Showdown Minigame. Each Jamboree Buddy has special abilities, such as buying stars and items at half price. Players can also gain double the rewards or penalties for up to three turns. Super Mario Party Jamboree includes the most minigames in Mario Party history, with 112 total.

In most Mario Party games, bonus stars are awarded to players at the end of a board game. The first six games give three specific stars, while later games offer six possible bonus stars, with up to three awarded per game. These stars add to a player’s total score. If players tie in coins and stars, a Dice Block tiebreaker determines the final ranking.

In addition to Party Mode, every Mario Party game includes a minigame mode where minigames are played without the board game. Minigame modes vary between games, but later games include many variations. For example, in Mario Party 5, players compete in Mini-Game Wars by trying to fill the board with their color by winning minigames. Starting with Mario Party 6, one minigame in Minigame mode is designed for single-player use.

Playable characters

The following characters appear in all twelve console Mario Party games and, except where noted, all five handheld versions:

• Mario
• Luigi
• Princess Peach
• Yoshi
• Wario (not in Advance)

The first four games also include Donkey Kong in this list. In Mario Party 5, he is moved to the Super Duel Mode and was not included as a playable character in later games until Mario Party 10.

• Princess Daisy (not in Advance)
• Waluigi (not in Advance)

• Toad (not in Advance, The Top 100, Super, and Superstars)
• Toadette (not in 9, The Top 100, Super, and Superstars)
• Rosalina

The default order is based on when characters first appeared, followed by how many times they appeared. For alphabetical order, select "Character."

A yellow tick (Y) shows that the character must be unlocked and is not available at the beginning of the game.

These characters were included or excluded in home console versions, starting with Mario Party 4.

These characters were included or excluded in handheld versions, starting with Mario Party: Island Tour.

Games

Mario Party is the first game in the series. It was released in 1998 and 1999 for the Nintendo 64. The game includes playable characters such as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Donkey Kong (called DK in the game), Yoshi, and Wario. It has 50 minigames, ten of which are only for one player. The main game mode, Party Mode, allows up to four players to play on a board that includes minigames. The game has eight different boards with varying difficulty levels. Toad is the host and guides players through each board.

In addition to Party Mode, the game includes a single-player mode called Mini-Game Island. The goal is to complete all 50 minigames. Players start with four lives and lose one life for each failed minigame. Winning a minigame gives coins, and collecting 100 coins adds one life. The game supports Rumble Pak, a feature that vibrates the controller to signal when a player's turn begins.

After completing Mini-Game Island, players earn a Bumper Ball Maze, a single-player minigame available in the Mini-Game House. Two additional Bumper Ball Mazes can be unlocked by completing all 50 minigames and setting new time records in the first two mazes.

Mario Party received praise for its social and party elements. However, IGN criticized the game's slow pace and lack of fun when played alone. GameSpot noted that the multiplayer mode was more enjoyable than the single-player mode, saying that the competitive fun of playing with friends made the games more exciting.

Mario Party 2 is the sequel to Mario Party. It was released in 1999 and 2000 for the Nintendo 64. It is similar to the first game but adds new features, such as collectible items that can be bought from shops and three new minigame types: "Battle," "Item," and "Duel." Toad returns as the host. The game includes 65 minigames (or 88 if different courses in some minigames are counted).

Mario Party 2 has the same characters as the original game, but each character wears clothing that matches the theme of the board. This is unique to Mario Party 2. The game does not reuse any boards from the original but includes references to them and uses some of their ideas in new boards.

Mario Party 2 includes a mode called Mini-Game Land, where players can buy minigames from a character named Woody to play freely.

GameSpot praised the minigames in Mario Party 2, saying they were more fun than those in the first game. IGN said the game was "more of the same" and recommended it only for fans of the series. It gave the game a 7.9 out of 10, noting that while it was better than the original, it did not offer enough new content to justify a higher score.

Mario Party 3 was released in 2000 and 2001 for the Nintendo 64. It includes the same characters as the previous games, plus Princess Daisy and Waluigi. A key change is that players can hold up to three items instead of one. The game has 71 minigames.

Mario Party 3 introduces a new character called the Millennium Star, who replaces Toad as the host. Like Mario Party 2, it has all new boards, some of which reference previous games. It is the first game in the series to include a single-player story campaign. The story mode includes "battle royal" and "duel" boards where players compete for items called "Star Stamps."

IGN criticized Mario Party 3 for not having enough new content and for its story mode, which required watching computer-controlled opponents for long periods. It also said moving around the board in story mode became boring. GameSpot praised the game's multiplayer experience, calling it enjoyable. HonestGamers said the boards were not fun and criticized the game's menus and difficulty in keeping "Star Stamps" from computer-controlled players.

Mario Party 4 is the first game in the series to appear on the GameCube, released in 2002. It includes the same playable characters as Mario Party 3 but adds a new team battle system, allowing players to team up in pairs during Party Mode. This was the last game to include Donkey Kong as a playable character until Mario Party 10. Instead of the Millennium Star, the game features hosts like Toad and a Koopa Troopa. It includes 60 new minigames.

Mario Party 4 is the first game to include side-collectibles called presents and allows players to create custom minigame packs. It also returns features from previous games, such as teaming up in Party Mode and holding up to three items. It is the first game to have fully 3D boards, though the board layout remained 2D until Mario Party 5.

GameSpot praised Mario Party 4's minigames, calling it "the most accomplished entry in the series." It noted the game's accessibility and improved graphics, though character models were simpler than those in Super Smash Bros. Melee. GameRevolution said the visuals were not as detailed as the GameCube could achieve but praised the music. IGN praised the game's visuals and called it a "must-rent" for multiplayer fun.

Reception

The Mario Party sub-series has sold many copies. Super Mario Party, released in 2018, is the most sold game in the series with 21.16 million units sold. Mario Party DS, released in 2007, is the most sold portable game in the series.

In the original 1998 Mario Party game for the Nintendo 64, some minigames required players to move the controller’s analogue stick quickly. One minigame asked players to spin Fly-Guy at a house. Some players used their palms instead of their thumbs to move the stick, which caused blisters. Nintendo gave free gaming gloves to those who had blisters. Some players also wore down the stick because it was not strong enough. The need to spin the analogue stick was removed after Mario Party 2. Exceptions include a minigame in Mario Party 5 that only requires one spin and a minigame in Mario Party 3 where players throw Bowser like in Super Mario 64, which does not require using the palm. Mario Party: Island Tour reused these types of minigames because players could safely spin the Nintendo 3DS’s analogue stick. In Mario Party Superstars, a warning on the rules screen for minigames Tug o’ War and Cast Aways tells players not to use their palms to avoid hand injuries or stick damage. A similar warning appears in the Nintendo Switch Online version of Mario Party when starting the game.

In July 2007, Mario Party 8 for the Nintendo Wii was removed from stores in the United Kingdom shortly after its release. This was because the game included the word “spastic,” which some people found offensive as it is used to describe someone with an intellectual disability. Nintendo replaced the word with “erratic” in August 2007 and re-released the game.