The Best Nintendo Game Every Year 1983 - 2024
26. 1999 - Mario Party 2
Whilst ‘99 saw many memorable titles land for the N64, Mario Party 2 should be recognised as the sequel that set up one of Nintendo’s most prolific franchises. Making the original game look more like a proof of concept in retrospect, Mario Party 2 put into place so many series staples.
More than just better boards and better minigames, the title introduced Dual and Battle minigame mechanics to add more direct competitive experiences. It’s strange now to think that the first game didn’t even have items and that it was something that the sequel introduced.
It also finally gave players a chance to practice before playing each game, meaning everyone finally had a chance to understand what was going on beforehand. You were no longer exclaiming “oh I think I’m getting this now” just as your friend completes every single minigame.
One of the N64’s biggest strengths over its competitors was native four-player support; a shrewd decision that Nintendo made the best of time and time again. The Mario Party series was a big part of the console’s multiplayer line-up, with the second game in particular still held aloft as the superstar of the series.