After 120+ hours across chaotic dice rolls, coin-collecting showdowns, and a whole lot of sibling smack talk, I thought I knew everything Super Mario Party Jamboree had to offer. On Nintendo Switch 1, it was a blast—my go-to pick for game nights and arguably the best entry in the Mario Party series. Naturally, I was hyped for the Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV. I expected a tighter, sharper, even zanier evolution of what I loved.

What I got instead? A head-scratching mash-up.

Super Mario Party Jamboree on Switch 2 is fun in bursts—especially with the new mouse-controlled minigames—but the decision to split its content into two disconnected modes (Jamboree and Jamboree TV) makes the whole thing feel fragmented. It’s still Mario Party, still charming, but it’s not the seamless upgrade I hoped for. Think double the party hats, but also double the loading screens.

What’s Special About Mario Party Jamboree? Mouse Mayhem and Team-Based Strategy Shine

At its best, Super Mario Party Jamboree feels like a Nintendo fever dream—plushies, plows, and partnerships collide in frantic, delightful minigames. But what’s special about Mario Party Jamboree on Switch 2 is how well it leans into the Joy-Con 2’s new mouse control tech.

The highlight? Fourteen new mouse-based minigames that feel like WarioWare’s chaotic cousin. In Stuffie Stacker, you’re balancing towers of Yoshi plushies. In Goomba Scoopas, you’re plowing snow piles of Goombas into your team’s gate. Each round is 2v2, fast-paced, and surprisingly precise—these mouse mechanics actually work, especially in 45-second bursts.

And then there’s Tag-Team Rules. This co-op twist has two teams of two sharing coins, stars, and items. Suddenly, every dice roll and bonus star becomes a joint decision—and that tension? Chef’s kiss. It’s a clever layer of strategy baked into the madness.

Yes, it’s weirdly separated into its own mode, but when Jamboree TV hits, it really hits.

A Tale of Two Parties—and a Fractured Experience

One of Jamboree’s most baffling choices is its content divide. You don’t get one seamless game—you get two: the original Jamboree and its Switch 2-exclusive expansion, Jamboree TV. And they don’t talk to each other.

Want to use Pro Rules for a more strategic match? That’s stuck in the Switch 1 Jamboree mode. Want the slick new mouse minigames or the fast-paced Frenzy Rules? Those live in Jamboree TV only. There’s no way to combine them. No progression shared, No unlockables carried over, No high scores tracked across both. You’re either playing Classic or New—never both.

Even the UI signals this disconnection. Jamboree shows a Switch 1 icon. Jamboree TV shows a Switch 2 icon. It’s like Nintendo split the game in two and forgot to add a bridge. It’s clunky, confusing, and frankly, frustrating. The more time I spent switching between modes, the more it felt like I was managing two different Mario Parties instead of enjoying just one.

Super Mario Party Jamboree — Best Character to Use, Worst Frustrations

What is the best character to use in Mario Party Jamboree? That depends on your playstyle—but Rosalina’s been my go-to for weeks. Her dice block offers flexibility, and in Tag-Team mode, her versatility shines. Yoshi is a solid pick for consistency, while Bowser remains the king of chaos with his high-risk, high-reward dice. There’s more strategy here than meets the eye.

Unfortunately, that strategic depth gets lost between the fractured modes. You build progress, chase records, unlock rewards—only to have it siloed off depending on whether you’re in Jamboree or Jamboree TV. The lack of unified tracking for high scores or achievements is a real buzzkill.

Even worse, Switch 2’s version doesn’t enhance the original Jamboree’s visuals or performance. Half the package still runs at dated resolutions. You’re paying more for a game that’s split in two—and neither side feels whole on its own.

Cameras, Coasters, and Gimmicks That Fizzle Fast

Jamboree TV loves to show off the Switch 2’s camera and mic—maybe a little too much. In Bowser Live, you’ll literally see yourself on-screen before being thrown into chaotic minigames where you stack Goombas on your head or scream into a mic to score points. It’s funny—for about five minutes.

It reminds me of WarioWare: Snapped! back in the DSi days. Except that was free.

There’s also Carnival Coaster, a co-op shooter where you ride rails and shoot targets. It’s fine. But again, I don’t play Mario Party to team up. I play to win. These gimmicky modes feel more like tech demos than party essentials, and the novelty wears off quickly.

Kids might enjoy the camera feed novelty (hey, look, it’s Dad on-screen!), but for the rest of us, it’s a shrug. You can skip the camera entirely and still access most content. And honestly? You won’t miss much if you do.