Super Mario Party is a 2018 party video game created by NDcube and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the eleventh main game in the Mario Party series and the first one made for the Nintendo Switch. The game was called a "big change" for the series, as it brought back and improved parts of older games while adding new ones. It was released worldwide on October 5, 2018, and sold 1.5 million copies by the end of that month.
The game includes four game boards and 80 mini-games. It got good reviews from critics. As of December 2025, the game has sold 21.28 million copies worldwide, making it the most successful Mario Party game and one of the top 10 best-selling games on the Nintendo Switch. Mario Party Superstars, a game that includes updated versions of boards from earlier games and returns to the original style, was released in 2021. A follow-up game, Super Mario Party Jamboree, was released on October 17, 2024.
Gameplay
Super Mario Party returns to a traditional turn-based style of gameplay for the first time in over ten years. This style had not been used in home console versions since Mario Party 9. The game uses one Joy-Con controller per player, and additional controllers are needed for more players. In the game's story, Mario and his friends host a party to decide who will be the Super Star. Bowser, along with Bowser Jr. and his minions, argue that they should also be considered for the Super Star title. Toad, Toadette, and Kamek (who is working for Bowser) are chosen as judges, and the party begins.
The main game mode, "Mario Party," allows up to four players to take turns moving around the game board. During a player's turn, a dice block is rolled to determine how many spaces the player moves. Items collected can change how many spaces are moved. Each space on the board has a special function, such as blue spaces giving three coins and red spaces taking three coins. Other spaces may provide helpful or unhelpful effects.
After each player's turn, all players compete in a minigame that gives coins based on their performance. Minigames vary in rules and style, including 4-player matches, 2-on-2 or 1-on-3 battles, and games using motion controls or HD Rumble. There are 80 minigames in total, colored using the same color code as Mario Party 7. These minigames can be played separately in the Free Play section.
One star appears in a random location on the board. A player who reaches the star can spend ten coins to buy it. The player with the most stars and coins at the end of the game wins. Coins can also be used to buy one-time items that help players, such as increasing their dice roll, reducing another player's dice roll, or using a golden pipe to move directly to the star.
A major change compared to earlier versions is the use of character-specific dice blocks. Each character has a unique dice block with different numbers, such as Mario's dice having a higher chance of rolling a 3, Peach's dice only showing even numbers, and Bowser's dice offering a chance for a high roll or losing coins. Another change is the addition of the ally system from the Nintendo 3DS game Mario Party: Star Rush. Players can recruit up to three allies from the character list. These allies can help by adding extra dice rolls, sharing their character's dice block, or assisting in minigames.
In addition to the main "Mario Party" mode, the game includes other multiplayer modes. "Partner Party" has two teams of two players searching for stars. Players can move freely and cross paths, similar to the "Toad Scramble" mode from Star Rush. This mode has unique items and redesigned boards. "River Survival" requires four players to work together to navigate rapids under a time limit. This mode includes cooperative minigames that reward teams with time bonuses. "Sound Stage" has players compete in rhythm games using motion controls, with the highest score winning.
The final multiplayer mode is "Toad's Rec Room," where players can use multiple Nintendo Switch consoles to create larger, multi-monitor setups. This mode includes an improved version of the "Shell Shocked" minigame from earlier games and a new version of toy baseball. The last major mode is "Challenge Road," a single-player campaign where players complete every minigame in the game, including those from "River Survival" and "Sound Stage," with added challenges. This mode unlocks after all minigames have been played at least once.
Super Mario Party also includes online multiplayer for the first time in the series. In "Online Mariothon," players compete in five randomly selected minigames out of ten available, aiming for the highest combined score. Leaderboards, rankings, and rewards are included. At launch, the "Mario Party" and "Partner Party" modes were only playable offline. However, on April 27, 2021, Nintendo released an update that allowed these modes and "Free Play" to be played online. This update also enabled the use of the Nintendo Switch's built-in invite feature. These modes can be played with friends or in lobbies protected by a passcode. Seventy of the 80 minigames are available online, while ten from "Sound Stage" are not.
The game includes 20 playable characters. Returning characters include Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Peach, Daisy, Rosalina, Wario, Waluigi, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Koopa Troopa, Hammer Bro, Dry Bones, Shy Guy, Boo, Bowser, and Bowser Jr. Bowser is fully playable for the first time. New playable characters are Pom Pom, Goomba, and Monty Mole. Pom Pom is making its debut in the series, while Goomba and Monty Mole have appeared as non-playable characters in previous games.
Development
Super Mario Party was created by NDcube, who have been responsible for making every Mario Party game since Mario Party 9 in 2012. Nintendo announced Super Mario Party on June 12, 2018, during their Nintendo Direct presentation for E3 2018. They also said the game would be released on October 5, 2018, only for the Nintendo Switch. In August 2018, Nintendo stated that the game would not work with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. In September 2018, it was announced that Super Mario Party would not support handheld mode because the game uses one Joy-Con for each player.
Reception
Super Mario Party received "mostly positive reviews" according to Metacritic, a website that collects game reviews. At the time, it was the highest-rated game in the series since Mario Party 2. Another review site, OpenCritic, reported that 60% of critics recommended the game, showing strong approval. In Japan, four critics from Famitsu gave the game a total score of 34 out of 40.
Samuel Claiborn of IGN said, "Super Mario Party is the best in two console generations," and praised its multiplayer experience, which the series is known for. Jordan Ramée of GameSpot highlighted the game’s character-specific dice blocks, explaining that they added strategy to a series that had previously relied mostly on chance. Evan Slead of Electronic Gaming Monthly supported the decision to remove the car mechanic from earlier games, Mario Party 9 and Mario Party 10. Alex Olney of Nintendo Life also approved of this change and praised the game’s overall presentation, especially the new hub world, which he said added charm even though it was not strictly needed. While the game was praised for its variety of modes and characters, many critics especially admired the minigames. Brian Shea of Game Informer noted that the best parts of the game were so strong that even the occasional weaker minigame did not detract from the experience.
Super Mario Party sold 142,868 physical copies in Japan during its first two days, surpassing the sales of its two previous home console versions. It debuted at #5 on the United Kingdom’s physical sales chart, despite a busy release schedule. By October 31, 2018, the game had sold over 1.5 million copies, exceeding Nintendo’s expectations and becoming the fastest-selling Mario Party game since Mario Party 6. As of March 2019, the game had sold 1.22 million copies in Japan. By March 31, 2025, total sales reached 21.16 million units.