Mario Party Superstar pools together some of the most missed boards from previous entries to the series; with such maps as Peach’s Birthday Cake and Horror Land, the game will be a hit with any group who takes on the challenge.
The chaotic and chance-filled games pit players against one another in a board game setting, with mini-games and chances to win strewn about. Players shouldn't assume they're winning when they have the lead - someone with a Dueling Glove could challenge them and take all their coins and stars.
15 Dash Mushroom
A Dash Mush item, also known as simply the Mushroom, is a handy one for getting places fast. The item adds five moves to the roll a player has completed, no matter the number.
These helpful happenings can be found anywhere on the board at random; they must be used immediately, and can massively assist a player's game should they land on a good spot. The extra five spaces could overtake a player, could gain another amazing item, or even get someone to the goal.
14 Skeleton Key
Dotted around the game's map there are gates - these are locked and can only be opened with a key. One such opening item is the Skeleton Key. They can be bought for three coins from Yellow Toad’s shop. These sneaky pathways are a returning feature from Mario Party 4.
As the name suggests, Skeleton Key's allow players to open gates on the board, granting access to further areas. The Keys can only be used next to a gate - they cannot open a gate far across the map from a player.
13 Warp Block
Warp Blocks are purchasable from the store for 7 coins apiece. They're a randomizing item, so cannot be relied upon - they may create havoc or forge a fantastic path for the user.
Unlike Super Warp Blocks (wait for it), the normal Warp Blocks allow a player to swap places with a random player. Could it be Daisy near the Star? Luigi who fell back to the start? Only the block knows. Best used with caution.
12 Super Warp Block
Super Warp Blocks are a fun item... for the user. Available from the shops run by Yellow Toad, the blocks cost a few coins each. Once in a player's possession, they can be used for evil or for good.
If a player owns a Super Warp Block, they can use it to trade places with another player. Who they choose can be a friend or a foe, and can really mess up someone if they're close to the Star. Keep friends close, and enemies even closer.
11 Plunder Chest
Ah, the Plunder Chest. Resurrected from Mario Party 3, the Chest is Princess Peach’s favorite item in the game. It can be gained as a reward from item mini-games or bought from the shops that are available on Space Land and Peach’s Birthday Cake boards.
The cheeky chest can be used to swap an item with another player. In previous games, players could not choose who to take an item from, as it was randomized - and in Mario Party 3, the player could choose who to steal from.
10 Dueling Glove
As the name suggests, the Dueling Glove is to do with two players entering a fight of sorts. Unlike previous games, this time around the wager is for coins - as it was in Mario Party 2, where the user selects the number of coins to place a bet with. Mario Party Superstars’ Glove duels are not to steal another player's ally.
The Glove is incredibly rare. The player who uses the item can choose to duel a player of their choice and wager coins as the reward for winning. The Duels are minigames that players compete in - with a few different options.
9 Boo Bell
The Boo Bell is another resurrected item from previous games. Found in Mario Party 2 & 3, the Bell is now back in action. The Bell has an interesting function which returns to the game.
When used, it summons Boo to the users’ location. Boo will then go on to steal items and coins from other players - though this time the ghostly thief cannot be used to steal a Star from players. They can only be obtained from Item Minigames, and are therefore quite rare.
8 Chomp Call
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Getting frustrated with other players? Well, with this card, players can show it. First seen in Mario Party 4, players can purchase the Chomp Call from the store for a measly seven coins, and really ruin someone's day.
This little whistle-shaped item calls upon a bunch of Chain Chomps to come along and move the board's star to a different location. Say Yoshi is closing in on a star that will win him the game - purchase this item and stop their progress in its tracks.
7 Golden Pipe
Alright, here is one of the best items in Mario Party Superstars: the Golden Pipe. These are, for lack of a better phrase, like gold dust. They cost a whopping 25 coins each from the store, but can really assist in someone's play.
The Golden Pipe will warp a player right to the Star on the board. This can be a bit of a waste if the player using it doesn't have enough coins to buy the star as it will still need to be purchased, so double-check that purse first.
6 Cursed Dice Block
OK, here us out: this one isn't actually as evil as it sounds. The so-called Cursed Dice Block is used to curse the die in play so that it can only roll a number between one and three.
This sounds terrible but really, if a player only needs to go a couple of spaces so they don’t overshoot a target, this item is great news. The Block has only been seen in Mario Party: Star Rush, and the Switch's Superstars version is more like the Poison Mushroom from Mario Party 3.
5 Custom Dice Block
Similar to the Cursed Dice Block, the Custom also has an effect on the die that is being used. Players who have this item can choose what number they want the dice to show.
Freely selecting any number between one and ten can rapidly shake up a game: ten spaces can cover almost half the board. Surely any user of this can go and grab a Star. This item is another seldom seen entry to the series; having only been in Island Tour and Super Mario Party.
4 Double And Triple Dice
These two handy items are very similar. They can both be bought from the shops run by Yellow Toad, and cost five and ten coins respectively. Introduced in Nintendo's Mario Party 10, the block returns with a purpose more like the classic Mushroom from earlier games.
The Double Dice allows players to roll two dice blocks in one turn, whereas the Triple means three get rolled. The total number of the dice is added and that is how far a player can move in one turn. Neat, isn't it?
3 Double Star Card
This is basically cheating. If a player should be lucky enough to get this item, then it means they can essentially win the game. However, its rarity reflects how powerful it is. The Card was last seen in 2018’s Super Mario Party and is a welcome addition to the series.
So why is it so coveted? While holding this card, players will get two stars instead of one when purchasing a star on a board. This does rely on the player being able to afford said stars, however.
2 Hidden Block Card
Secret blocks have been a staple in Mario games since the series’ inception. Way back in Super Mario Brothers, players were rewarded with coins for finding the hidden block that contained them in each level. Mario Party has integrated this, too.
When a player receives this card, it forces a hidden block to appear - and players can stop a roulette wheel to win coins or a Star. Two hidden blocks are present on every board at all times and are hidden in any random blue spaces.
1 Item Bag
Everyone loves a mystery bag - even in Mario Party Superstars. The Item Bag can be obtained for thirty coins from the Item Shops and will be automatically used upon purchase. Buying this bag will grant the owner three random items.
These can include any item available in the game, so can make some very interesting decisions appear. There is the chance that two or more of the same item will appear. No matter what is bequeathed to the user, this is an incredibly worthwhile play.
Mario Party Superstars was released on October 29, 2021, and is available on Nintendo Switch.