Super party, bro

After the first one, Mario Party never really entered into my regular gaming activities. I'd try one installment or another, here and there, and the formula seemed pretty consistent: a turn-based version of the random and rubber-band-ey bullshit from Mario Kart.

(Except when Mario Party 9 and 10 did the "everyone moves in the car" thing. That was dumb.)

Super Mario Party is no different. There's a new "ally" mechanic which is kinda neat, adding a little strategy to dice selection; and there are some extra modes like a rhythm game, for some reason; but at its core, it's the same formula from 20 years ago.

And I wouldn't call that a bad thing, really. The minigames are fun enough -- and more importantly, there are enough of them to keep the game feeling fresh over a long session. And, as long as you don't care too much about winning, watching that aforementioned "random and rubber-band-ey bullshit" play out makes for a good time.

It may not have the same opportunity for wicked creativity as a Jackbox, but Super Mario Party is nevertheless a fun way to dick around with your friends.