Nintendo has remastered Super Mario Party Jamboree for the Switch 2 and added a bunch of new game modes but is the new content worth it?
The Switch 2 isn’t even two months old yet, but it’s already become the fastest-selling console of all-time in the US and Japan, which means that Nintendo is going to have to put in a lot of effort to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. They’ve got it in them to do that but hopefully that won’t prove to be the Switch 2’s destiny.
The long-term future for its games line-up remains largely a mystery at the moment and now that Donkey Kong Bananza is out it’s going to be October before Pokémon Legends: Z-A becomes the next major first party release, and even that’s only a cross-gen title. In the meantime, Nintendo is going to be relying on smaller titles like Drag X Drive and more Switch 2 Edition games.
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles have taken the role of Wii U ports on the Switch 1, which is to say they’re ready-made filler content that’s nevertheless perfectly welcome if you’ve never played them before. Super Mario Party Jamboree is an excellent game and you can read our review of the original Switch 1 version here. Literally nothing has changed about it on the Switch 2, so the question here is whether the new content adds anything of value.
In their simplest forms, Switch 2 Editions are essentially remasters. Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and Tears Of The Kingdom added no extra content, beyond a shared mobile app, but upped the resolution and frame rate to create the definitive version of the games.
If you own the originals you can upgrade to the Switch 2 Editions for a surprisingly reasonable £8. But if you want to upgrade your Switch 1 copy of Super Mario Party Jamboree it’ll cost you £17. That’s because Mario Party (and the upcoming Kirby And The Forgotten Land) includes substantial new content, that also isn’t available via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
The new content is called Jamboree TV and also includes improved visuals. Mario Party is not a game that relies on complex graphics but somewhat shamefully these improvements are not carried through to the existing content. Sort of… it’s all very complicated, with some bits left out but not others, to the point where it surely would’ve been less trouble to just up the frame rate and resolution on everything, all at the same time.
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Jamboree TV is an entirely separate menu option, when you start the game up, where the original game has a little Switch 1 icon next to it, to denote it’s unchanged Switch 1 content. Nintendo isn’t trying to hide what they’ve done but it’s a peculiar approach given you can still play the original six boards from within Jamboree TV and enjoy the improved visuals that way.
However, ancillary modes like Bowser Kaboom Squad and Paratroopa Flight School are stuck in the original game, with no visual upgrades. Equally, options like Pro Rules, and other customisation features and all the unlockables, are not available in Jamboree TV. Nothing is shared between the two games at all, including the minigame records, to the point where they might as well be two separate cartridges or downloads.
The conceit for Jamboree TV is that Bower is hosting a TV show, in which you and up to three other friends or family can compete. If you have a camera plugged in then your face and body appears onscreen, but if not you play as one of the standard Mushroom Kingdom characters.
There are a range of new minigames and these are all orientated towards showing off either mouse controls or the camera – so if you don’t have a compatible webcam (it doesn’t have to be the official Nintendo one) you’re already missing out on some of the new content.
The 14 new mouse games are all 2v2 but there’s some very clever ones, including one where you’re aiming wind-up cars, that you have to pull back with the mouse; another where you’re spray-painting different bob-ombs; and another that involves climbing a wall in tandem with the other player, while you’re both sat in a weird looking sci-fi machine.
Bowser Live is a separate mode used to play camera games, involving minigames where you have to move your head or make a noise. One is literally just screaming and moving around as much as possible but others are more nuanced and include things like balancing Goombas on your head or moving a remote control vehicle with the power of your voice.
As well as the new mouse and camera based minigames you can also play the standard board game mode with new rules: the self-explanatory Tag-Team, where you share your pool of coins and stars with a teammate, and Frenzy Rules. The latter is a welcome new option, to play a more fast-paced game that only lasts around 30 minutes, rather than the usual 90 minutes or so, although that does mean there isn’t much time for many minigames.
Finally, there’s a new co-op mode called Carnival Coaster, which is a very literal on-rails shooter. You’re co-operating with other players though, rather than competing, and while it’s fairly well orchestrated it’s not something you’ll want to return to often.
Although we gave the Switch 1 version of the game a 9/10 we’re not going to for the Switch 2 Edition, for the simple reason that it’s £20 more expensive, which makes no sense given the upgrade is only £17. We’re long term defenders of the Mario Party concept and Jamboree is the best modern interpretation of the formula, but this somehow manages to make it worse, not better.
Some of the mouse and camera minigames are fun but they’re not really worth the upgrade price and if you don’t own the base game already you’re better off just buying that on Switch 1 and playing it via backwards compatibility. Jamboree TV is a competent tech demo, for some of the Switch 2’s new features, but as Mario Parties go it’s one you’ll want to leave early.
Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV review summary
In Short: The original game remains the best entry in the series but Jamboree TV on its own adds little of value and isn’t worth the upgrade.
Pros: Super Mario Party Jamboree is great and still the best entry in the series. The mouse minigames are all very good and so are most of the camera games.
Cons: The graphical improvements only apply to Jamboree TV, not the main game. Party mode in Jamboree TV is missing a lot of options and there’s not really that many new minigames.
Score: 8/10
Formats: Nintendo Switch 2
Price: £66.99 or £16.99 upgrade pack
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo Cube
Release Date: 24th June 2025
Age Rating: 3
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