Mario Party: The Top 100 is the collection of the greatest minigames in Mario Party history. Check out Kidwzworlds review of the 3DS game.
By: Max Cannon
Over the years, Mario has found plenty of time to relax when he's not fighting Bowser or traveling the world. A couple years into the Nintendo 64's life, Mario Party kicked things off with a new way to play that mashed up board games and mini-games. Every time that players would roll the dice and move across the board their turn would conclude with a mini-game that all 4 players would participate in. With over 10 Mario Party games, there has been a lot of mini-games throughout the series and Mario Party: The Top 100 focuses just on those top-tier mini-games.
Leaving Behind the Board
Mario Party: The Top 100 focuses on those mini-games and almost entirely removes the board game aspect initially from every other Mario Party game, almost. Right from the start, you'll be able to try out most of the mini-games straight from selecting "100 minigames," though some of them are locked until you play through a bit more of the game. Picking and choosing these mini-games, which often look much, much better than they did on their original console, will you let take a nostalgic walk down memory lane if you're a Mario Party veteran. After randomly trying some mini-games, or using the "auto" feature to select the mini-games for you, you'll probably have more fun in one of the other modes in the game.
Shy Guy Says makes a return from its days of the first Mario Party.Courtesy of Nintendo
"Minigame Island," which was also available in the very first Mario Party, is a tour through the game's many mini-games. Playing through this mode will be the best way to see every mini-game worth seeing in the game. But what brought me the most fun was a mode that's essentially a simplified version of the traditional game board. "Minigame Match" puts 4 players on a tiny game board and has players running around to collect items, coins, and stars. I had a lot of fun with this mode but it felt lackluster when compared to the regular board games of classic Mario Party. There aren't mini-games at the end of every turn, which is a shame considering the mini-games here are better than they've ever been before, to whittle down the amount of time you'd actually spend playing these mini-games is a confusing design choice. Also, the loading times between these short games are sometimes frustratingly lengthy.
The game's visuals look great on the 3DS screen.Courtesy of Nintendo
Playing the Games
There's a ton of variety to the mini-games you'll be playing. Games of chance, button-mashers, and balancing acts make up some of the best offerings here and whenever a game's core mechanics fall to running and jumping, the Mario classics, you'll find tight and responsive controls. But while these mini-games are fun and well-made, this game definitely feels a little light on content, especially with its $39.99 price tag. The first time the game was announced gamers were disappointed that it was only coming the 3DS instead of the Nintendo Switch and this game's multiplayer would've been perfect for Nintendo's hybrid console.
The 4-player chaos of Mario Party is always better off with more players.Courtesy of Nintendo
Mario Party has always succeeded as a social game and by putting it on the 3DS, and with such a high cost to entry, it seems like most players will be doomed to enjoy Mario Party: The Top 100 alone. So while the mini-games offered here are better than ever, the package that these games come in don't exactly shine the best light on the experience.
Mario Party: The Top 100 - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo 3DS
Final Thoughts
If these mini-games highlighted a more traditional Mario Party experience we would probably have the best Mario Party in the series here. But keeping the game on the 3DS, removing the boards, and asking for such a high price makes it difficult to recommend the best collection of mini-games in Mario Party history.
Pros
- Great mini-games
- Pretty visuals
Cons
- Missing the traditional boards
- Steep price
Mario Party: The Top 100 Game Rating:
Courtesy of Nintendo
Mario Party: The Top 100 is available now!
Have Your Say!
What do you think of the Mario Party games? Have you tried the new one? Comment below!
