Super Mario Party Jamboree originally launched on the Nintendo Switch with a near-universal thumbs-up. It offered seven inventive boards, strong mechanical depth, and a generous balance of returning and new mini games. Its presentation was polished, and the strategic elements like item usage, board design, and Pro Rules gave long-time fans something to rally behind. The inclusion of achievements, unlockables, and a well-paced progression system made it feel like a return to form for the franchise.
Anyone picking up the base game on Switch One will still find the same standout experience. Jamboree’s core game design remains a series high point, offering flexibility in settings, player customization, and ways to tailor the gameplay experience—features that longtime Mario Party players appreciate deeply.
Super Mario Party Jamboree TV Mouse Mini Games and New Modes
Jamboree TV—the Switch 2 expansion—introduces creative uses of the Joy-Con 2’s mouse control technology. New 2v2 mini games such as Stuffy Stacker and Gloomba Scoopas showcase fun, short-burst gameplay that benefits from the precise control. Tag Team and Frenzy modes also add compelling options to mix up standard matches. Tag Team encourages shared resources and cooperation, while Frenzy delivers a shortened five-turn format that creates high-stakes moments from the very first dice roll.
These innovations demonstrate how well Mario Party can adapt to modern input methods and shorter play sessions. Unfortunately, their impact is diminished by how this content is gated.
Split Versions Cause Frustration
The biggest issue with Super Mario Party Jamboree on Switch 2 is how the new content and the old are split into entirely separate applications. The base game and Jamboree TV run as different modules with no shared unlocks, progress, or settings. Jamboree TV lacks the achievements, side modes, and Pro Rules found in the Switch One version. On the other hand, the original version lacks the new hardware-driven content such as mouse mini games, camera features, and improved resolution.
This creates an experience where switching between features requires manually exiting and rebooting the software. For players chasing mini game records, progression goals, or multiplayer session variety, this disjointed design quickly becomes a nuisance. The result is two incomplete packages stitched together instead of a unified party experience.
Technical and Value Concerns
Technically, Jamboree TV runs at 1440p docked and uses the Switch 2 hardware effectively. However, the Switch One version sees no performance uplift and remains stuck at 1080p docked and 720p handheld. That would be more acceptable if both sides could benefit from the resolution and performance upgrades.
Selling this package at $80 compounds the problem. While the $20 expansion upgrade is a more reasonable offer for existing owners, the value proposition is questionable. New content lacks depth and is missing integration, while returning content doesn’t benefit from the new system’s capabilities.
The base game still shines as a must-play, but this re-release makes it harder to appreciate. Splitting content between two unconnected versions undermines the flexibility that made Jamboree so appealing in the first place. Without integration, the upgrade feels like a missed opportunity rather than a celebration of what made the original great. Here’s hoping future expansions learn from this and bring everything together under one banner.
