The Mario Party series has been a mainstay at Nintendo, becoming a household name almost instantly when it launched on the N64. Its board game gameplay mixed with all the gimmicks has ensured it stayed around even today. One of the things that ensured this was how varied and awesome the boards were and that each game had a good amount of them, even during the Nintendo 64 days. With such a long time in the gaming world from N64 until now on the Switch, it’s time to say which 5 of the N64 game boards were truly the best out of them all.
The boards in Mario Party titles always have a few core things to them that set them apart from each other and elevate them when folks can play with friends. The theme of the board, as well as the music, helps each one distinguish itself. They also feature unique events and gimmicks, which helps them to shine and stand out. These next few boards got the best of all of these things, and that’s why these 5 are the ones that are worthy of being called the best on this list now.
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Wario’s Battle Canyon
Wario’s Battle Canyon from the first Mario Party features a battlefield split into 5 different areas. Players use the cannons around the board to move to different parts of the board, collecting stars in an effort to stop an ongoing Bob-omb war. The shattered and separated area, mixed with the morose battle march that plays on the board, truly does well in bringing about the feel of a war-torn field. In addition, the gimmick of using the cannons to get around fits right into the theming while managing not to disrupt and slow the gameplay down.
The gimmicks around the cannons help to bring the best out too. Players can get FlyGuy to bring them to Bowser for a fee, and Bowser himself, who usually offers a forced bogus item, has a whole new trick here. Bowser will fire the player to another part of the board using his cannon, but instead of using a wheel to determine the area, he will send the player to a random area, making or breaking a player’s plan for stars. These things set the board up as one of the trickier, rewarding ones.
Mystery Land
This board from the second game sees players become adventurers in an archaeological land of the unknown. The board is complex, featuring the need to teleport around in some areas to get around. There are 4 areas, and players traverse these in a clockwise manner when landing on a happening space. The unique gimmick here is Shy Guy’s Curse House, where players can force another of their choosing to roll lower numbers in-game. The drum-heavy,ancient-sounding melody helps set the mood for a board full of treacherous terrain, where getting where you want to be isn’t certain, which is why it’s exciting.
Space Land
Another Mario Party 2 board, Space Land knocks its aesthetic out of the park, seeing players become spacefarers looking to stop Bowser. Along with a pure, bombastic music track, the gimmicks of the board support the theming amazingly. The big counter in the center of the board sees Bowser fire a beam to steal coins, and players can hire the Snifit Police to chase down Whomp or Thwomp when they chase players. The board isn’t overly tricky to navigate, and the excellent use of the space theme really makes it stand above the competition.
Creepy Cavern
Mario Party 3‘s Creepy Cavern follows Space Land’s trend and absolutely nails its theming with a stand-out design. Players hunt for stars in a large cavern, with the main gimmick being a Whomp separating the upper and lower halves. Players can land on Happening Spaces or give him an item to make Whomp move. The atmospheric, moody music definitely fits the underground vibes, as does the level’s minecart chase that moves players, which absolutely plays to what makes a unique board.
Waluigi’s Island
This is a board from Mario Party 3 that stands out more for its gimmicks than the island theme. Being based around the character of Waluigi, the board is full of devious tricks, both out of the player’s control. The starting area has a timed explosion that causes players to lose all their coins, and the other is a lift that takes players in whatever direction the arrow decides to point. Both gimmicks feel very Waluigi-like in tone, designed to trick and get under players’ skins. Like the character bearing its name, it’s a tricky map full of traps, and that in itself makes it great.
These games are noted for their variety in levels, and that can never be denied. These 5 levels took the themes they were given and made them stand above the rest with masterful use of gimmicks and music. They also nailed their tones and didn’t overcomplicate things. No matter how long Mario Party may run for, these boards will always stand head and shoulders above the rest.