This unique handheld game brought the dice rolling and frantic minigames to a portable console. Unfortunately, it didn’t make full use of the hardware to deliver a fun experience.

A massive leap forward from the N64 entries, MP4 has some great boards that feel fresh even today and some fantastic minigames like Booksquirm and Lift Leapers. The graphics also look great for a 2002 game.

1. Mario Party 9

Mario Party 9 marks a real low point in the series. It tries to experiment with new mechanics, but doesn’t come close to what made the N64 games so great. It also has a lot of luck-based features that take away the control fans of older games had.

Fortunately, the five-year wait for the next game to hit the Wii did it some good. It brought back the wild fun the series is known for without relying on superfluous gimmicks and features. It may have light boards and a limited roster of minigames, but it’s still an enjoyable experience for the whole family. The graphics are a huge improvement over previous GameCube releases, thanks to widescreen support and a consistent frame rate. The characters also seem more animated, though the music isn’t memorable. It’s definitely worth a look for anyone who wants to play the Mario Party franchise on their Wii.

2. Mario Party 7

The first game that really put the Mario Party series on the map. It paved the way for future titles with a good balance of luck and skill, and even introduced the palm blistering control stick spin feature that became a staple of the games.

With this installment in the series, Peach’s longtime steward Toadsworth invited all of her friends and family on a luxury cruise, but Bowser was not welcome. It also dabbled with the microphone accessory (although not as much as the later game) and added a ton of new minigames.

While it may not have had as much new content as some of the later games, it did a great job of bringing the experience to handheld consoles. Plus, it had a great roster of characters to play with. It also didn’t rely on weird board gimmicks or dice types like some of the earlier games.

3. Mario Party 6

When the series debuted in 2021, fans were getting a little jaded with Mario Party gimmicks. Between the car, the dual screens, and the motion controls on the Wii U, it had been a long time since the series last saw a traditional setup. Mario Party Superstars brought back some classic minigames and a fun board game experience, rescuing the franchise’s reputation from years of flops.

The second instalment of the Mario Party series to appear on the GameCube, it didn’t change the formula much but offered a few more creative boards and a few fun minigames. It also tried out a few new mechanics like the capsule system and added some more memorable characters.

Featuring Toad, Boo, and one of the Koopa Kids as playable characters for the first time in this series, this game is set at Dream Depot where dreams come to life. This installment also introduced several unique board games and a fun mode where two players compete in a duel against each other.

4. Mario Party 4

The Mario Party franchise has been one of Nintendo’s cash cows for years, and for good reason. Everyone loves competing in exciting mini-games against friends, and this series has been delivering that for years.

The first GameCube entry in the series was a solid one, even though it doesn’t do much to change up the core gameplay. The board games are still pretty simple, but they’re packed with interesting features like a unique day and night cycle that affects boards and changes the minigames on them.

The DS version of the series did more with its gameplay, bringing in new boards and innovative minigames that took full advantage of the handheld’s controls and abilities. However, the gimmicks were getting a bit tired by this point, and it was starting to feel like the same old thing.

5. Mario Party 5

If you owned a Nintendo 64, chances are, you managed to wrangle the family in for some Mario Party multiplayer action. Whether you’re a fan of the board game/mini-game mashup, or just the Italian plumber’s charms in general, this is one of the best in the series for both families and casual gamers.

Though arguably not as smooth or refined as the previous games on this list, the fifth entry still delivers some of the most fun in the series. It features a decent amount of new mini-games, and a few innovative ways to compete that fans look back on fondly. This is also the first to use the microphone for some frantic family-friendly fun.

2005’s Mario Party 7 was perhaps the first time that this franchise started to show its age. It didn’t offer too many standout boards, and it seemed to be the last game that made any significant use of the GameCube’s microphone integration. However, this is still an enjoyable way to spend some time with a few friends.

6. Mario Party 7

While it’s still a great game and offers up a lot to keep players busy, this final Mario Party for the GameCube is arguably the weakest entry in the series. Sure, it features a bunch of new minigames and unique board mechanics (such as shifting bridges over a canal or linear climb up a mountain), but when you’ve played six other Mario Party games before this one comes along, there isn’t much that really sets it apart from anything else.

The highlight is definitely the inclusion of a microphone accessory that allows players to take part in voice activated mini-games. This is a fun feature and will definitely lead to some yelling between friends as they battle to win the mic-based games. Other standout features include an exciting story mode that pits Mario and his friends against the mustachioed Millennium Star, as well as twelve different game boards and exhilarating duel maps.

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