Mario Party Star Rush Reviews
Mario Party: Star Rush can be a charming title at times, and definitely shows some promise. However, the game tries too hard to separate itself from its predecessors which causes its mechanics to fall under the pressure of trying something drastically new.
Mario Party: Star Rush isn’t the Mario Party game we all were hoping for and a return to form for the series, but I think it’s a step in the right direction after the questionable Mario Party 10 on the Wii U. The party isn’t as hype as it needs to be, but some will be able to find a good bit of enjoyment in this title.
A brilliant collection of mini games, tied together with mediocre game modes.
If you and your friends still regularly play your 3DS then Mario Party: Star Rush is a fun entry to the handhelds library, but won’t keep your interest for a prolonged period of time.
Much like the console Mario Party on the Wii U, getting the most out of the game means you probably should have a compatible Amiibo on hand. For some modes this can mean that you gain a perk, such as an extra power up collected every time in Coinatholon or an extra try in the Challenge Tower. This could be used as an unfair advantage against human players in a game where luck is the main concept, which may not sit well with some players.
Mario Party: Star Rush is not what I expected nor what I wanted.
I want Mario Party to get its mojo back. The development teams behind the games need to understand why it was so entertaining back in the day; yes, it had minigames, but those minigames were made entertaining because you were playing a glorified Snakes & Ladders game at the same time, with all the hilarity that comes when a friend rolls their dice and has the misfortune of landing on a snake. Sadly, Mario Party: Star Rush is the latest game that fails to realise that simple truth behind the appeal of the franchise.
While Star Rush isn't the horrible 'car' wreck of the past two titles in the series, it is hardly recommendable due to a lack of mini-games and thus content, even if four players can play nearly the full game pending one other in the same room has the game (there is no online play to speak of, in case you were wondering). It is a shame, honestly. If there were around 30 more mini-games, and more bosses, this would have been easily recommendable, but as it stands at $40, it feels too expensive for what little is here. Now if you'd excuse me, I'm going to go to my Reggie shrine that I have in my closet and perform a blood sacrifice in hopes of getting a remastered collection of the classic games for the Switch. Praise be to his body, as it is always ready!
What started as a fantastic idea ended up as a pile of wasted potential.
Mario Party Star Rush’s modes range from OK to uninteresting, and even the fun mini-game challenges can’t make up for the boring overall package. The sheer repetition of events is a major problem that saps the excitement out of this party. After a few trips through Mario Party Star Rush’s modes, you’ll have seen nearly everything it has to offer.
If a group of buddies all chip in Star Rush can be a cheap night or two of fun, but it’s not much more than that.
Mario Party: Star Rush had one good idea, but lost sight of everything else that makes the series great. Ditching turns, and having players roll and move at the same time is interesting and does fix a problem that many have had with the series. But in making this change, and reshaping so much of the game, most of the fun was lost along the way. It’s admirable that Nintendo is aware of the problems the series has had, and is trying to fix them, but there’s just nothing here to keep players interested, unless they’re dying for a new multiplayer experience on the 3DS.
Overall, Mario Party: Star Rush has some fun and original mini-games, and looks great. Toad Scramble’s new fast-paced simultaneous is enjoyable enough, but it’s too bad it can’t be played online.