Mario Party Superstarswill release in just over a week, and it looks like it might round out a very impressive October for Nintendo. After the launch of the Switch OLED andMetroid Dread, fall 2021 has quickly become Nintendo’s time to shine with other big AAA releases being delayed. There are few games better thanMario Party Superstarsto really highlight Nintendo’s past and future successes. By remastering five classic N64Mario Partyboards, it’s looking to be a big celebration of the whole era.
The concept ofMario Party Superstarsopens up a lot of opportunities for expansion. While there’s room to add even more remastered N64 boards down the line, the game has a chance to pay tribute to the expansiveGameCube era ofMario Partygames too. SpanningMario Party 4, 5, 6,and7, the GameCube was responsible for some truly unique and memorable boards. IfMario Party Superstarsis ever going to consider DLC expansions, there’s boards from each GameCube title that deserve to be represented.
RELATED:Comparing Mario Party Superstars Boards to Their Nintendo 64 Original Counterparts
Mario Party 4: Goomba’s Greedy Gala
Mario Party 4was the first entry onGameCube, and it took advantage of the new technology of the system in some exciting ways. While it’s a little barebones, the character in each board still shined. This was most apparent in the Goomba’s Greedy Gala board, where players had to navigate a literal roulette wheel to get close to the star. The roulette would favor players who put the most coins into it, raising the stakes of each minigame and cementing the board as one ofMario Party4’s most memorable.
Mario Party 5: Toy Dream
Moving intoMario Party 5, the franchise began to introduce many of the key features that would carry forward for the rest ofMario Party’s GameCube era. The standout board from this entry is Toy Dream, where players are able to chase the star across a massive playset. If someone is lucky enough to land on an event space, they could ride on a toy train or get shot out of a toy Bowser cannon. Overall, it’s a board with a lot of character, and its colorful features could really pop on the newer hardware of theSwitch.
Mario Party 6: Snowflake Lake
Mario Party 6is considered one of the best by many fans, and its creative boards are a testament to that reputation. Snowflake Lake would deserve representation inMario Party SuperstarsDLC, mainly for the sheer chaos it can create. While most boards have players chase after a Star, Snowflake Lake gives each player a set number of Stars that they must steal from one another. When combined withMario Party 6’s unique day/night cycle, it becomes an unforgettable experience.
Mario Party 7: Neon Heights
Mario Party 7served as the last game on the GameCube, and it didn’t leave without dropping some memorable boards. The standout from this entry is Neon Heights, which shakes upthe usualMario Partyformulajust as Snowflake Lake did. This board gave players three different chests to chase, containing either a bomb, coins, or a Star. This sense of uncertainty made getting Stars even more hectic, and the diverse locations across the board would look breathtaking on the Switch.
The Switch has been a great vessel for bringing back older Nintendo games, andMario Party Superstarsis another indication of that. With how much love the Nintendo 64 is getting thanks toclassic N64 games coming to the Switch, one would hope that Nintendo will show the same care toward the GameCube. If there is some kind of GameCube celebration down the line, these classicMario Partyboards would make excellent additions toMario Party Superstars.
MORE:Fan Poster Combines Mario Party and Squid Game
