Mario Party

 Nintendo 64
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 163 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 116 out of 163
  2. Mixed: 42 out of 163
  3. Negative: 5 out of 163
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  1. WhyNot?
    Feb 8, 2009
    8
    The first in a series is usually the best, and Mario Party is no exception. Although there are only 6 characters and 8 boards, once you start playing, you'll see why it doesn't need any more. The mini-games -- all 50 of them -- are what you really want to play this game for, and only a couple fall short of expectations. However, twirling the control stick can get a bit painful. The first in a series is usually the best, and Mario Party is no exception. Although there are only 6 characters and 8 boards, once you start playing, you'll see why it doesn't need any more. The mini-games -- all 50 of them -- are what you really want to play this game for, and only a couple fall short of expectations. However, twirling the control stick can get a bit painful. The one place where this game lacks is the story -- it's basically nonexistent. All you do is play a board game. A revolutionary, virtual board game. I give Mario Party an 84/100.… Expand
  2. Beastprogamer
    Mar 1, 2015
    6
    This game is okay. There are many better games but this game is worth playing. The boards were awesome,the graphics are great for the N64 and is the same as Super Mario 64. The character selection is okay. It is your choice if you want to get it or not.
  3. mutatedkangaroo
    Jun 4, 2005
    8
    The two things keeping this game from getting a ten are the broken joystick in my controller and the huge blisters on my palm
  4. Jeimz
    Jan 21, 2012
    10
    The original and still one of the best ones. This game is awesome, I love every part of it, the newer ones have more characters, more stages, a different playing styles, but this my favorite Mario Party. Nostalgia may be playing a big role in my love for this game but it doesn't matter to me. I'll still play this game on my N64 to this day.
  5. scheeplers33
    Dec 17, 2013
    10
    This is the greatest game I have ever played besides Twilight Princess. Almost every single mini-game is fun and enjoyable to play. However, it is best to play with multiple people.
  6. Mariofan
    Mar 1, 2015
    6
    This game is alright. A good start for the awesome series. The graphics are fine for N64. The minigames are pretty fun. The character selection is okay. The boards are great. Mario Party 1 is not the best in the series, but it is worth getting. The series started getting even better since 6.
  7. GamecubeLover
    Nov 3, 2016
    10
    6 amazing boards of cool characters. Amazing new idea. And much more what this game did. This game was creative, fresh, fun, original, and phenomenal. But those rotating stick games...ow.
  8. nintendo-sekta
    Nov 1, 2018
    5
    Все Mario party скучные так как предназначены для четверых человек. Но если собрать друзей то врятли станет весело. Когда четыре человека сидят и играют в игру комментируя и изредка разговаривая- это не сильно весело
  9. blackopshatred
    Nov 6, 2011
    10
    This game has survived for over 11 years. Just about everytime friends are over i try to get them to play this. It truly is an astonishing classic which revolutionised the board game industry. If i could show you my face when playing this i would
  10. blackbox64
    Apr 18, 2014
    3
    I would not recommend this. The RNG in the game is all Bias towards one character. This game could destroy friendships and severe families. For your own sakes, don't buy this game.
  11. RobertA.
    Jul 15, 2004
    7
    Yes this game was very fun. not too challenging. i was one of the sorry souls to use the palm of my hand to spin around the joystick. beware, the joystick will dig a hole into your hand. fun game though :)
  12. MichaelS.
    Aug 12, 2007
    7
    The first party game, a classic.
  13. ZeroX
    Aug 17, 2005
    7
    It's a good game but it was all mini-games and the story sucked.
  14. Caestus
    Mar 10, 2013
    7
    Makes only multiplayer sense.
  15. Zilcell
    Nov 27, 2011
    8
    Mario changed the party game genre as well. With a ton of minigames to play, it is hard to get bored of this game in a few hours. The graphics and sound in the game are okay.
  16. bestbloodyday
    May 22, 2012
    10
    The game that started the parties fashion. The adventure mode was great and still is a good fun if you manage to play with friends (if your controllers aren't all broken).
  17. KnightfallLA
    May 4, 2013
    7
    Mario Party is one of the multiplayer games that are fun, yet frustrating games, control wise. The first two games in the series are probably the best to my opinion, in terms of mini-games and gameplay. There is not much to say play with your friends!
  18. smahlt
    May 30, 2023
    8
    A very fun game, and the destroyer of control sticks. I think it succeeds as being one of the most streamlined and fun games in the series.
  19. dinosauryoshi
    Jul 1, 2014
    8
    Completely boring as a single-player game but a hell of a lot of fun in multiplayer. I loved the gameplay that the boards added and there was some great mini-games on offer. Unfortunately there was also a few that weren't so great. Overall though a hell of a lot of fun.
  20. troi4n
    Jul 24, 2014
    10
    WARNING - this game breaks friendships! This is the best advice I can tell you! Prepare to play with your friends and have the best multiplayer moments of N64! This game is the meaning of fun! Playing with family or friends, the fun is guaranteed! This game is SO legendary that we're about to have the Mario Party 10! Yes, 9 sequences of this amazing game!
  21. EpicLadySponge
    Apr 14, 2016
    9
    Unfortunately, Metacritic's critics only gave the first Mario Party a positive score, but gave the rest of the installments mixed scores. It means that the first will always be the best no matter what these users think.
  22. JPK
    Jun 8, 2019
    9
    First Is Always The Best
    The original Mario Party is fun, unintentionally friendship ending, and unique.
  23. NeoconTom
    Sep 7, 2019
    8
    A solid party game, its execution is on point, but the pain-inducing, palm spinning game activities, which happen far too often, do hurt it in the long run.
  24. CowDude121
    Aug 24, 2017
    6
    ESRB Rating - E for Everyone

    Contains:
    -Mild Violence
    -Mischief
    -Broken Analogue Sticks
    -Ruined Friendships
    -Money Loss
    -Hand injuries
    -More money loss
    -Mixed reviews
    -Anger
    -Even more anger after that
    -Blood Clots
    -Hand Blisters
    - and Eye Strain
  25. benjo24
    Jun 30, 2017
    7
    The first Mario Party Game introduced the series good with their new concepts, minigames and ideas. But not everything is perfect in the game such as the unfair dice that automaticly chose your number and some minigames were bad, But most of the boards have a very good soundtrack and good design.
    So i think Mario Party is a good game and you can have fun with your friends with it, but    The first Mario Party Game introduced the series good with their new concepts, minigames and ideas. But not everything is perfect in the game such as the unfair dice that automaticly chose your number and some minigames were bad, But most of the boards have a very good soundtrack and good design.
    So i think Mario Party is a good game and you can have fun with your friends with it, but most of the other Mario party does it better and so it isnt the best Mario Party (My is Mario Party 2)    … Expand
  26. DjAntwon03
    Oct 4, 2021
    5
    Going back to the late 90's. This game started a franchise that would spam the length of 4 decades with us soon getting the first MP of the 2020's. However, I feel that examining this game alone shows how lackluster it actually is in terms of content. There are no items, very minimal board mechanics, and some of the boards arent amazing. There also is a lack of strategy due to that and aGoing back to the late 90's. This game started a franchise that would spam the length of 4 decades with us soon getting the first MP of the 2020's. However, I feel that examining this game alone shows how lackluster it actually is in terms of content. There are no items, very minimal board mechanics, and some of the boards arent amazing. There also is a lack of strategy due to that and a lot of the game relies on luck. While the minigames were great; many of them favored a certain character in 1v3's and there was way too much coin loss in minigames. While this game is great and has a few good side modes. It isnt as great as many of our future installments.… Expand
  27. Amora
    Nov 28, 2018
    8
    The starting game for Mario Party is pretty good bringing sure fun, rage, luck, and the test of skill, while all these are good things we can't deny the bad things in this game, we already know what it is, the lawsuit that Nintendo got from this game from those stick rotation games, but besides that disaster this game is still pretty good til this day!
  28. AKthaBeast
    Mar 25, 2018
    8
    Ultimate party game that kicked off everything. This game changed the game on how party games could be played as anyone can pick up the controller and win.
  29. Leontorres7
    Nov 15, 2018
    9
    This is really a great game, there is so much to love about it, must play for sure!
  30. 360barrier
    Nov 17, 2022
    0
    I got so many blisters on my hands from this game because of that damn control stick controls. I couldn't get to the last 2 boards because of the insane grind the game makes you go through so I gave up. graphics are like welcome to 30 years. were they blindfolded when making that camera
  31. ChesterField
    May 1, 2020
    8
    Essential game to play with colleagues. Lots of minigames to which more fun. Essential.
  32. upinyocribdawg6
    Apr 8, 2021
    7
    I bought this game expecting it to be a bear but turns out it was a **** party game with the **** wario
  33. BM30
    Jun 28, 2020
    10
    The first of them all, and still is the best! This is the game for anyone at any age to play. It's so fun by yourself but with friends, it's an legendary experience and truely is the end of friendships. 10/10
  34. JWil
    Apr 15, 2021
    10
    Fun times on this game. This was awesome as a 1 player adventure against CPU’s and an awesome multiplayer party game as well. This started the whole franchise. It would be nice if Mario party’s could go back to this yet still be fresh and new. Awesome music and even voices characters, and for the time. That was magnificent thing to experience. Kudos for all those that had their palmsFun times on this game. This was awesome as a 1 player adventure against CPU’s and an awesome multiplayer party game as well. This started the whole franchise. It would be nice if Mario party’s could go back to this yet still be fresh and new. Awesome music and even voices characters, and for the time. That was magnificent thing to experience. Kudos for all those that had their palms jacked up due to spinning the control stick with it. Warriors! Lol! Definite 10 out of 10.… Expand
  35. carlosplays
    Nov 6, 2021
    10
    THE best party game of all time. I have spent hundreds of hours playing this game since I was a kid and despite new versions, none compare to the original. Just watch your palms on those mini-games and make sure to steal as many coins as possible from your friends.
  36. bonkgaming
    Jan 3, 2021
    10
    So much fun, until your star gets taken. In all seriousness, this is one of the best multiplayer games for N64, and I highly recommend it.
  37. nintendofan721
    May 30, 2023
    7
    The start of a legendary series of games, and to put it lightly, this one is very mean spirited. The rules are extremely unfair and it has ruined many friendships over the years. You go around a board collecting coins, and exchange them to get stars and whoever has the most is the superstar. There is a minigame after each turn where players compete for extra coins. Its sadistic nature isThe start of a legendary series of games, and to put it lightly, this one is very mean spirited. The rules are extremely unfair and it has ruined many friendships over the years. You go around a board collecting coins, and exchange them to get stars and whoever has the most is the superstar. There is a minigame after each turn where players compete for extra coins. Its sadistic nature is what gives the game its charm, and makes it so much more rewarding when you come on top at the end! This game has a large selection of boards with a total of eight, and while they are pretty decent, they aren’t amazing. I do like how each one is based off a different character though. The minigames are definitely one of the original game’s biggest problems. There are many fun ones like Mushroom Mix-Up, Crazy Cutters and Face Lift, but of course, we have the infamous "rotating the control stick" minigames like Tug o’ War and Paddle Battle. These are some of the absolute worst minigames in the whole series, which were physically painful to play and gave many people blisters. This issue was so bad that people sued Nintendo over it and they had to issue people GLOVES! Luckily they learned their lesson for future games. And of course, we have Chance Time, which can really flip the game upside down, and bring you from first to last place in a matter of seconds! This feature really does spice things up in a good way (unless it’s against you though). Overall this is a good start to the series, and brought us such an iconic franchise. Though as of today, it’s my least favourite of the classic Mario Party games.… Expand
  38. MarioReviewer
    Nov 21, 2022
    8
    The game is full of charm, competition and fun, making it still one of the most fun games on the N64
  39. Gorillaman
    Jun 24, 2023
    0
    I don’t think the first Mario party is a zero. I would say it is a 4/10. I am rating it this low to bring down the score. This Mario party has a lot of issues. Most of the mini games are horrible and noticeably worse than other Mario party games’ mini games. This is a big issue because the mini games are the foundation of all Mario Party games. Some games make you rotate the joystick withI don’t think the first Mario party is a zero. I would say it is a 4/10. I am rating it this low to bring down the score. This Mario party has a lot of issues. Most of the mini games are horrible and noticeably worse than other Mario party games’ mini games. This is a big issue because the mini games are the foundation of all Mario Party games. Some games make you rotate the joystick with your palm and hurt you hand. There are mini games where nobody wins or everybody wins which defeats the purpose of mini games. A lot of mini games make you lose coins. You even have to GET COINS FROM THE BOARDS AND PAY FOR MINI GAMES TO PLAY THEM IN THE MINI GAME MODE. This makes the best secondary mode, the mini game mode, awful. There is a mini game island to play all the mini games which is a little bit of fun, but most of the mini games are mediocre or lower. There are no items you can use on the boards. This makes the experience staler and less fun. The only positive I can think of is that there are a lot of boards and they are pretty good. People rate this game too high because of their nostalgia towards the N64 and specifically towards Mario Party. I grew up with the Wii and 3Ds, so I am giving this game a fair chance without the bias that makes this game seem WAY better than it actually is. This game is not a 0/10, but a 4/10 ranking without someone who grew up with the N64.… Expand
  40. BestGamReview
    Aug 1, 2023
    6
    The opening to the Mario party franchise is a game I think might show a bit of age but is still an entertaining first entry. Really didn’t lean into the story yet and the gameplay feels a little basic but I suppose I can forgive that a bit for their first attempt at this franchise. Clearly already had a good overview of what would make this games tick so no wonder many consider it to beThe opening to the Mario party franchise is a game I think might show a bit of age but is still an entertaining first entry. Really didn’t lean into the story yet and the gameplay feels a little basic but I suppose I can forgive that a bit for their first attempt at this franchise. Clearly already had a good overview of what would make this games tick so no wonder many consider it to be one of the best.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best N64 Game of 1999
3
#3 Most Discussed N64 Game of 1999
3
#3 Most Shared N64 Game of 1999

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 16
  3. Negative: 1 out of 16
  1. Weekly Famitsu
    78
    8 / 8 / 7 / 8 - 31 silver
  2. Nintendorks
    80
    A perfect, addictive blend of luck, skill, and strategy … anything can happen in a game of Mario Party, and that's what makes it such unique and enjoyable game. Throw your coat on the bed in the guest room, because you're going to be staying a while.
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  3. GamerWeb Nintendo
    89
    Mario creates another new genre and further demonstrates why the N64 is the system for party animals. The first game of it's kind … for groups of three or four people, though, Mario Party is a Nintendo 64 classic.
    Read full review
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