The evolution of the Mario Party series has been strange. Originally a simplistic party game with basic themed boards, the series went from near-yearly releases to unfocused follow-ups. Alongside the numbered titles one might expect, players also have handhelds titles named after the system they were made for (Advance and DS), and compilations of old fan-favorite minigames like The Top 100. There are also miscellaneous installments that do not fit in any broadly defined category and are often forgotten as a result, like Island Tour. Mario Party Superstars, the most recent installment, is another attempt at compiling nostalgic boards and minigames.
Ever since the second game, Mario Party has been associated with changing gimmicks. Sometimes they are conceptual, like Mario Party 5’s dream world premise; and sometimes they directly affect how the boards function, like Mario Party 6’s day-and-night mechanic. Mario Party 7 stands out due to having one of the more experimental gimmicks for a mid-2000s game: eight-player modes. While the game requires two players to share a controller if the eight people want to play at the same time, the idea of eight-player minigames is still an interesting concept. If Mario Party Superstars were to add more content, it should consider a revival of eight-player modes.
Eight-Player Modes Then and Now
Even before Mario Party 7 released, the idea of allowing more people than a console would usually permit is not new. Within the extended Super Mario franchise, Mario Kart: Double Dash provided players with opportunities to create LAN parties. They would theoretically allow every character to be picked (beyond secret unlockable racers) due to eight people playing at the same time. Although an interesting idea, most people who owned Double Dash settled with features the base game offered since not everyone can afford a LAN party. Nowadays, the biggest example of a successful eight-player mode is Super Smash Bros.
Originally introduced in the Wii U version of Smash 4, eight-player battles were polished in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The idea of having eight players fight locally is less farfetched thanks to GameCube controller adapters and the Switch’s compatibility with various wireless controllers. Additionally, while Smash for Wii U was selective with stages, basically only allowing big places like Temple to be usable with eight players, Ultimate introduced variants to make every stage in the game compatible. It made the mode more accessible and provided players with opportunities for even crazier battles.
Modernizing Mario Party 7’s Eight-Player Mode
Mario Party 7 having minigames for eight people is a remarkable idea in hindsight. After all, Mario Party is perhaps the one Nintendo multiplayer series that can rival Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. One possible way Mario Party Superstars could reintroduce minigames with eight players is by bringing back a few of Mario Party 7’s best offerings, such as “Bob-ombic Plague,” “Grin and Bar It,” and “Unhappy Trails” to see how players respond.
Similar to how Super Smash Bros. Ultimate made every stage compatible with eight-player Smash, a contemporary eight-player mode for Mario Party should also introduce recreated versions of the available minigames that tailor to eight players. Not only would this add more content and replay value, they would add more life into classic minigames. Mario Party 7 also forced people to pair up in eight-player games, but a new feature this hypothetical comeback could add is the option to have all eight players work on their own.
There are no confirmed plans for Mario Party Superstars DLC. However, if Nintendo wants to honor the game’s spirit and pay tribute to old Mario Party titles with a contemporary look, it should look into bringing back eight-player minigames. They were a unique feature similar to ones that have proven functional in other multiplayer games, and their presence can potentially add an extra layer to Mario Party games.
Mario Party Superstars is available now on Nintendo Switch.