Mario Party 10 is the tenth home-console installment in the Mario Party series and the twentieth entry overall, released for the Wii U in March 2015. Developed by Nd Cube, it builds on its predecessor Mario Party 9, keeping the shared-vehicle board travel and Mini Stars scoring system while adding fresh modes built around the Wii U GamePad and amiibo.

The game offers three core modes: the classic Mario Party (everyone shares a vehicle racing for Mini Stars), the brand-new Bowser Party (one player becomes Bowser via the GamePad and hunts the others), and amiibo Party (a more traditional individual-token board game driven by amiibo figures). Rounding things out are Coin Challenge, Minigame Tournament, Bowser Challenge, and the hub-like Toad’s Room.

At its heart, Mario Party 10 is a digital board game punctuated by minigames. Players roll dice to move, trigger board events, and compete in quick multiplayer minigames — but the scoring and structure differ by mode.

The Mario Party 9 Legacy

• Shared vehicle — in Mario Party and Bowser Party modes, all players ride in one vehicle together, taking turns as the “captain” who rolls the dice (a system inherited from Mario Party 9)
• Mini Stars, not coins — the goal is to collect the most Mini Stars scattered along the board, rather than the classic star-buying of older games
• amiibo Party reverts to tradition — uniquely, the amiibo Party mode brings back individual movement, coins, and buyable Stars in the style of the older Mario Party games
• Bonus dice & events — special dice blocks and board spaces shake up movement and scoring

With five themed boards, three modes, and a huge minigame library, the structure supports everything from quick pick-up sessions to long competitive nights.

Mario Party is the central mode — “Everyone plays board events or minigames!” Up to four players share a single vehicle, each starting with five Mini Stars, and take turns as captain rolling the dice as they travel toward the goal.

The Bowser-in-the-GamePad Twist

A clever new wrinkle: Bowser is locked inside the GamePad, behind six numbered locks. Each time a player rolls a Dice Block, the matching lock clicks open — and Bowser pounds on his cell, peering out. The player who unlocks the final lock loses half their Mini Stars, and Bowser scatters Bowser Spaces across the board. If he isn’t freed by the “Homestretch!” space, he’s sealed away and Bowser Jr. takes over instead. It’s a constant low-level tension humming under the normal board play.

Bowser Party is the marquee new mode and the best showcase of the Wii U’s asymmetric potential. One player controls Bowser using the GamePad, while up to four players form “Team Mario” sharing a vehicle on the TV screen, trying to reach the goal before Bowser catches them.

How It Works

• Team Mario rolls dice and moves along the board as a group, sharing a pool of hearts (health)
• Bowser rolls his own set of GamePad dice to chase the team down; when he catches them, a Bowser Minigame begins
• In Bowser Minigames, the Bowser player uses the GamePad touchscreen and motion to attack — spitting fire, swiping, stomping — while Team Mario tries to survive and minimise heart loss on the TV
• If Team Mario loses all their hearts, Bowser wins; if they reach the goal alive, the team wins

amiibo Party is a separate mode that requires compatible amiibo figures to play. Unusually, it ditches the shared-vehicle format and returns to the classic Mario Party structure — individual player tokens, coins, and Stars you buy by reaching a Star Space, exactly like the older games fans grew up with.

amiibo Boards

Each supported amiibo unlocks its own small character-themed board. Tapping a Mario amiibo gives you the Mario Board, a Peach amiibo the Peach Board, and so on. Players tap their amiibo each turn to roll, and can collect Bonus tokens and customise their board with stickers.

Beyond the three core modes, Mario Party 10 packs several extra ways to play, mostly accessed through Toad’s Room — the game’s hub for the shop, photo booth, and bonus content.

Mario Party 10 features five main boards, each with its own theme, themed vehicles, and a pair of boss encounters (a miniboss midway and a main boss at the end). Each board offers three exclusive vehicles — one available from the start and two more purchasable in Toad’s Room.

Mushroom Park

Miniboss: Mega Goomba · Boss: Petey Piranha

An amusement-park board suitable for everyone — the bright, welcoming starter board with carnival theming and train-style vehicles.

Haunted Trail

Miniboss: Sledge Bro · Boss: King Boo

A dark forest board where Boo awaits. Spooky woodland atmosphere with sleigh vehicles gliding along the trail.

Whimsical Waters

Miniboss: Mega Cheep Chomp · Boss: Mega Blooper

An underwater board where a Dragoneel may decide your fate. Players travel in submarines through the aquatic depths.

Airship Central

Miniboss: Mega Monty Mole · Boss: Kamek

A sky board where Bowser’s fleet is ready to attack. Aircraft-style vehicles carry players through the clouds past airborne hazards.

Chaos Castle

Miniboss: Mega Mechakoopa · Boss: Bowser / Dry Bowser

The final, most challenging board — Bowser’s domain, culminating in a showdown with Bowser (or Dry Bowser) himself.

Each board features two boss battles — a miniboss at the midpoint and a climactic boss at the end. These are cooperative-feeling boss minigames where players attack the giant foe for Mini Stars.

Mario Party 10 features a roster of ten playable characters from across the Mario universe, plus Bowser as the antagonist in Bowser Party.

Mario

Peach

Toad

Yoshi

Rosalina

Toadette

Wario

Donkey Kong

Spike

Bowser

The playable line-up includes Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, Toad, Toadette, Rosalina, Donkey Kong, and Spike — the latter (from Wrecking Crew) being a notable deep-cut addition. Bowser is exclusively the GamePad-controlled antagonist in Bowser Party.

Mario Party 10 was one of the early flagship amiibo titles. In amiibo Party mode, tapping a compatible Super Mario series amiibo unlocks that character’s own themed board.

Nintendo’s official E3 2014 reveal trailer for Mario Party 10, showing off the new Bowser Party mode.

Mario Party 10 received mixed-to-positive reviews and was a solid commercial performer for the Wii U.

Critical Reception

• Bowser Party praised — the asymmetric 4-vs-1 mode was singled out as the game’s most innovative and entertaining feature, a genuine showcase for the GamePad
• Minigames & presentation — the polished visuals, fun minigame selection, and accessible party play were well received
• The car-sharing format divided fans — as with Mario Party 9, some series veterans missed the classic “move individually and buy Stars” structure (only present here in amiibo Party)
• amiibo gating criticised — locking the nostalgic traditional mode behind physical amiibo purchases drew some complaints
• Aggregate scores landed in the middle-to-high 60s/low 70s on Metacritic — enjoyable but not a series high point critically

Sales

Despite mixed reviews, Mario Party 10 sold well, moving over 2 million copies on the Wii U — a strong figure for the platform and a testament to the series’ enduring party-game appeal.

• 10th home-console Mario Party and the 20th entry in the series overall.
• Bowser Party is the headline new mode — a 4-vs-1 asymmetric chase with one player controlling Bowser on the GamePad.
• amiibo Party is the only mode in the game to revive the classic individual-token, buy-a-Star format of Mario Party 1–8.
• Developed by Nd Cube, who took over the series from Hudson Soft starting with Mario Party 9.
• Five themed boards: Mushroom Park, Haunted Trail, Whimsical Waters, Airship Central, and Chaos Castle.
• Mini Stars (not coins) are the scoring currency in the main mode, carried over from Mario Party 9.
• In Mario Party mode, Bowser is literally locked inside the GamePad — roll the wrong dice and you free him, losing half your Mini Stars.
• Spike (from Wrecking Crew) is a playable character — a notable deep-cut addition to the roster.
• Each board has three themed vehicles matched to its setting (trains, sleighs, submarines, airships).
• Compatible with nine character amiibo, each unlocking its own board in amiibo Party.
• Sold over 2 million copies on Wii U.

Box art, logo, and key artwork for Mario Party 10.

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