Partying all October long

Nintendo hosts a Jamboree as spooky games loom

Super Mario Party Jamboree really swings.

Both in that it’s overstuffed with boards, special modes, and minigames (too many of which are mediocre), but also in its wildly see-sawing gameplay. In one game, the ultimate victor broke a tie thanks to lucky bonus stars and a high coin total. In another, the game seemed easygoing and fair until player surged ahead on the back of a Yoshi ally and clutch minigame wins.

I reviewed all these ups and downs on NPR.org:

Mario Party might be a digital board game about rolling dice, collecting coins, and racing to buy stars, but it's always lived and died by its minigames. Jamboree’s collection ranges from satisfying to mediocre — better than 2018’s Super Mario Party but falling short of 2021’s Mario Party Superstars. Many of its worst minigames are motion-controlled, but they’re thankfully few, and there’s an option to exclude them.

The most extensive (often best) minigames occur when you collide with a “Jamboree buddy” while running around the board. These allies parachute in from the main cast and challenge players to a special competition. Yoshi has you run a footrace, Waluigi has you play pinball, Donkey Kong has you drum to a beat — and so on.

Win and you’ll recruit the buddy, gaining access to their unique power and the ability to double some normal actions — allowing you to buy two stars instead of one, for example. These allies are so powerful that, unlike their equivalents in Super Mario Party, they’ll only stick around for a few turns, and ditch you to join other players that pass you on the board.

Other revisions hearken back to earlier titles or streamline old annoyances. Stars again cost 20 coins, not 10, pushing you to hoard money and minigame victories. Bowser spaces have returned — land on one and a giant “Imposter Bowser” will steal from you or launch a “Bowser Revolution” to equalize everyone’s coin totals. The game also has a swifter tempo, with snappy animations you can fast-forward through. Finally, optional “Pro Rules” rein in the randomness — trading hilarious upsets for tighter tactics.

I’m also cooking up an October Games Roundup, out soon. In the meantime, check out this All Things Considered story on Silent Hill 2 and its recent remake — reported by the inimitable Vinny Acovino.

Other Mastromarino Here & Now Productions

• How the Asheville arts community is rebuilding after Hurricane Helene

• Hostage families pressure Israel to strike a deal after Hamas leader's death

• The view from a Gaza humanitarian worker as Israel blocks food aid

• U.S. threatens to withdraw military aid if Israel does not improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza

• UN aid agency on North Gaza strikes and second round of polio vaccinations

• Also, if you want 10 minutes of sheer lunacy, listen to this piece from Emiko Tamagawa and Robin Young: 'Hundreds of Beavers' is the little indie film that could