Nintendo Switch 2 adds fun and frustrating wrinkles to Super Mario Party Jamboree

Of all the Nintendo Switch games to get updates on the Switch 2 so far, Super Mario Party Jamboree is perhaps the most unique.

With the awkwardly named Super Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV package, you get minor visual improvements over the 2024 party game, plus an expansion that includes a slew of 20 new minigames and modes that leverage the Switch 2’s unique features. But like the clunky title of the product itself, it doesn’t necessarily all come together in a neat way.

First, it should be noted that the core Super Mario Party Jamboree experience remains intact, and it’s one of the best in the series to date. You can read my full review on that from last year to learn more. But it’s how it’s all packaged this time around that proves messy.

Upon booting up the game, you can choose whether to play the original 78-minigame-strong base game or the new Jamboree TV content, the latter of which is all laid out through a bizarre Toad-hosted game show structure. While that framework certainly makes it a bit easier for returning players to quickly see what’s new, it results in a less cohesive package on the whole, especially if you’ve never played Jamboree. Making this disconnect worse is the fact that only the Jamboree TV content has bespoke visual upgrades, which are admittedly noticeable. With the base game modes, you’re basically just playing a marginally enhanced, backwards-compatible version of Jamboree. 

Disjointedness aside, though, the new Switch 2-exclusive minigames do add a fair bit to the experience. For starters, there are 14 minigames that leverage the Joy-Con 2’s mouse functionality, many of which live within stages of a new Carnival Coaster mode (an amusement park-esque rail shooter). Some of my favourites include Shell Hockey (you play air hockey with Koopa Troopa shells), Pull Back Attack (you wind up a little bumper car and launch it to reach the end while hitting opponents) and Toad-Ally Electric Escape (an Operation-style challenge in which you drag Toad to the end while avoiding dangerous edges of the maze). What’s great about these minigames, too, is that they can be played right out of the box with two players since you already have a pair of Joy-Cons.

But the camera functionality enhances this content while introducing even more minigames. Using a USB-C camera (either the proprietary Switch 2 one or third-party options), the game can capture live footage of your party to insert into the game. In something like Shell Hockey, this can be displaying the face of whoever scored a goal on an in-game jumbotron, while other instances might comically have your avatar entering and exiting Warp Pipes. It’s an endearingly goofy sight that adds an extra level of engagement to everything.

Meanwhile, the new Bowser Live! mode leverages both the camera and the Switch 2’s built-in mic, albeit to decidedly less entertaining results. Basically, two teams face off in minigames using your body or your voice. The former can be fun, with Bowser barking little “Simon Says” orders or you having to move your head to stack falling virtual Goombas. But the mic games just feel overly silly as they have you screaming at different volumes to impress Bowser or even command a car to reach the end of a track. Kids might enjoy the excuse to yell a bunch, but adults will likely want something that is just a bit more involving from a gameplay perspective. (I also live in a town house, so it would be pretty ignorant to get too loud.)

Outside of the mouse minigames, though, the best additions are the two new board rules. With Tag-Team Rules, you can work together with a friend to collectively earn coins and stars, while Frenzy Rules limits the match to five turns and gives you more coins, items and even a starting Star to speed things up. The latter option is especially welcome, giving you the opportunity to enjoy a refreshingly condensed and frenetic version of the core Mario Party experience.

It should also be noted that Jamboree on Switch 2 supports GameShare, so you can play your single copy of the game locally with up to three other people. It’s a wonderful option, although it’s unfortunately limited to just the Mega Wiggler’s Tree Party board in Mario Party mode.

In a sense, that sums up Super Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV as a whole. There’s a lot of great new stuff in there, but it suffers from awkward packaging and mode limitations. Ultimately, though, Mario Party is about quantity and variety, and so the full suite of new Jamboree TV content definitely succeeds in offering more of both. If you play Mario Party often, it’s worth the $30 upgrade from the Switch version, although more casual fans likely need not apply.

And if nothing else, this will hopefully be a promising tech demo for a brand-new Mario Party to be built from the ground up for Switch 2 using all of these features.

Super Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV is now available on Switch 2.

Image credit: Nintendo