The original Mario Party introduced the series’ star collecting and board romping mechanics along with 50 minigames, all on the Nintendo 64.
It’s the one that started it all. The original Mario Party included eight boards, each based on a different character. It’s 50 minigames gave life to the standard board gameplay and has since became a regular feature in every single Mario Party. It’s a bit heavy on the luck and some ideas are not fleshed out enough, but it was the first try for the series! Released on the Nintendo 64.
Hit the buttons for lists and in-depth tips for all the boards, minigames, and unlockables in Mario Party.
Read on for a rundown of Mario Party’s release dates, full character roster, list of boards, breakdown of minigames, variety of modes, and unique board spaces.
Release Dates
| Japan | North America | Europe | Australia |
| December 14, 1998 | February 8, 1999 | March 9, 1999 | March 9, 1999 |
Playable Characters
The original six playable characters. All are unlocked from the start!
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| Mario | Luigi | Peach | Yoshi |
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| Wario | Donkey Kong |
8 Boards
Every playable character gets a board of their own. View our board tips here, including how to unlock the last two boards.
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| DK’s Jungle Adventure | Peach’s Birthday Cake | Yoshi’s Tropical Island |
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| Wario’s Battle Canyon | Luigi’s Engine Room | Mario’s Rainbow Castle |
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| Bowser’s Magma Mountain* | Eternal Star* |
*These boards are unlockable!
50 Mini-Games
This is the first game so all these minigame types are technically new! View our minigame tips here. Number of minigames and their types:
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| 4-Player (25) | 2 vs. 2 (5) | 1 vs. 3 (10) |
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| Single Player (10) |
Modes
The Warp Pipe is where board games are played. The main mode! In the Mini-Game House, replay every minigame but only after you purchase them using coins collecting from playing on boards. Mini-Game Stadium features a basic board with no stars, just coins and minigames. Player with the most at the end wins.
Mini-Game Island takes you through eight worlds of consistent minigame challenges. Complete it without losing your lives! The Mushroom Shop is a place to purchase items that randomly appear while playing a board along with a few extra unlockable options. Get your coins by playing boards! Use the Mushroom Bank to check your coin count and activate any items you purchased at the Mushroom Shop. There’s also the Option House which as expected, is an entire area just for options. Plus you can listen to the soundtrack.
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| Warp Pipe | Mini-Game House | Mini-Game Stadium |
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| Mini-Game Island | Mushroom Shop | Mushroom Bank |
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| Option House |
Spaces
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Blue Space | Gain 3 coins. |
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Red Space | Lose 3 coins. |
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Happening Space | Activates event. Depends on board and placement. |
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Mini-Game Space | Activates Single Player minigame. |
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Chance Space | Starts Chance Time. |
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Mushroom Space | Either reroll or lose the next turn. |
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Bowser Space | Starts Bowser event. |