Mario Party Superstarsis one of the most successfulMario Partygames in recent history. After over a decade of straying over from the formula that made the series one of the Nintendo mascot’s most beloved subseries, this compilation for the Switch aims to go back to the series’ roots in the most literal way possible.By remaking old boardsand minigames, the game is able to take of advantage of both the nostalgia fans have for the olderMario Partygames and reintroduce them to younger generations.
That being said,Mario Party Superstarsis a game with a lot of potential for DLC. Nintendo might have a mixed record regarding DLC, withSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatebeing an example of a game that got a lot of love with extra content, andMario Kart 8 Deluxebeing an example of the opposite.Mario Party Superstarsshould strive to be in the middle. While it is impossible for the game to excite fans beyond what they initially expected asSmashcan, it would be a waste for Nintendo to leave the game alone altogether. As a game meant to pander to nostalgicMario Partyfans,Superstarscould use DLC to its advantage. Indeed, it should do more than recreate old boards and minigames. It should bring back modes from olderMario Partygames.
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Extra Modes in Mario Party and the Super Duel Mode
The series has to yet to make a follow-up to Super Duel Mode mode or even remake it.SuperstarsDLC is an opportunity to bring it back. To most people, theMario Partygames are chaotic, friendship-breaking virtual equivalents to board games, but rolling dices, playingchallenging mini-games, and collecting currency are not entirely what the games are about. There are also several extra modes that provide players with more mini-games, sometimes extra playable characters, and overall, more replay value than one might expect out of a literal party game. The Super Duel Mode is one of the best representatives of this notion.
One of the unique extra modes in the series, the Super Duel Mode is not just glorified regular mini-games or a set of even more gimmicky boards. As its name implies, it focuses on one-on-one battles. Players can customize their vehicle from the body to the wheels to the weapons. While there is a consistent theme between parts, such as the existence of a Wiggler body, wheels, and weapon, players have the freedom to experiment with different combinations. There is an element of strategy found in the mode despite its relative simplicity. Different combinations of bodies, wheels, and weapons create different properties for the player’s vehicle. It is an entirely original mode that players can sink hours into, with a vehicle customization system that existed long beforeMario Kartimplemented it.
Super Duel Mode has three different modes within it. “Battle,” which is a straightforward game involving the two players’ vehicles, “Flag,” which pits two players against each other in a race to collect three flags as quickly as possible, and “Robo-Rabbit,” which follows the same basic gameplay as “Flag” but the eponymous Robo-Rabbits are erratic and sneaky. There is also a good selection of battle arenas with diverse settings and color schemes. For those that were unsatisfied with some character changes in the transition fromMario Party 4to5, the mode even offers an opportunity to play as Donkey Kong again. A new Super Duel Mode could addmoreMariocharactersthat would otherwise be unplayable.
IfSuperstarswere to bring it back, it could obviously have a big roster, but potentially introduce new vehicle parts, modes, and arenas. Far from being a simplistic member of a broader mini-game collection, the mode is an overlooked feature with tons of potential to have as much depth as the regular Party Mode.
Mario Party Superstarsfocused more on the Nintendo 64 games than their GameCube successors in general. This is a shame because they are not only home to memorable boards and beloved mini-games, but as elaborated beforehand, interesting extra modes. By bringing back some extra modes from olderMario Partygames, such as the Super Duel Mode inMario Party 5,Superstarshas the potential to simultaneously diversify its content and pander to fans of a vindicated era ofMario Partythat was not as represented as its predecessor, potentially bringing more people into theMario Party Superstarsplayerbasein the process.
