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Mario Party 3
Mario Party 3
Mario Party 3
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Mario Party 3
North American box art
DeveloperHudson Soft
PublisherNintendo
DirectorKenji Kikuchi
ProducersShinji Hatano
Shinichi Nakamoto
DesignerFumihisa Sato
ProgrammersSyunsuke Tanaka
Kazuhiro Matsushita
Masahide Tomita
ArtistsKeisuke Kasahara
Kayo Fujimoto
Hitoshi Takiyama
Hisao Okada
ComposerIchiro Shimakura
SeriesMario Party
PlatformNintendo 64
Release
  • JP: December 7, 2000
  • NA: May 7, 2001
  • AU: September 3, 2001
  • EU: November 16, 2001
GenreParty
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer

Mario Party 3[a] is a 2000 party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. The third installment in the Mario Party series, it was first released in Japan on December 7, 2000, in North America on May 7, 2001, in Australia on September 3, 2001, and in Europe on November 16, 2001. As with the previous installments, the player chooses between eight playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Wario, and Donkey Kong from the first two games, alongside newcomers Princess Daisy and Waluigi. The game introduces duel maps, where two players try to lower each other's stamina to zero using non-player characters such as Chain Chomps.

Mario Party 3 received generally mixed reviews, with critics divided on its new minigames and gameplay features, and whether it was a meaningful improvement over its predecessors. It was a commercial success, with over 1 million copies sold worldwide, making it one of the best-selling Nintendo 64 games. The game was the final first-party Nintendo 64 title released in North America. It was followed by Mario Party 4 for the GameCube in 2002. Content from Mario Party 3 was remastered as part of Mario Party: The Top 100 (2017) for the Nintendo 3DS and Mario Party Superstars (2021) for the Nintendo Switch. The game received its first official re-release on the Nintendo Classics service on October 27, 2023.[1][2]

Gameplay

[edit]
See also: Mario Party § Gameplay
Bounce 'n' Trounce, one of the 71 mini-games in Mario Party 3

Mario Party 3 is a party video game featuring eight playable characters of the Mario franchise: Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Wario, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong are available to play in all modes, while newcomers Princess Daisy and Waluigi are unavailable in the game's Story Mode. In the game's storyline, Mario and his friends witness the descent of the Millennium Star, a mystical star born once every thousand years that allows whoever possesses him to become the "Superstar of the universe". When the group begins to debate the Star's ownership, the Star transports the group into a large toy box and proclaims that the group members must prove their worthiness and earn the Millennium Star's acceptance by collecting the seven "Star Stamps" scattered across several lands.[3] The gameplay is presented in the form of a traditional board game, and includes five themed game board maps.[4] Mario Party 3 includes multiplayer compatibility; each game on a board map consists of four players, including at least one human player and up to four. Any character who is not controlled by a human will instead be controlled by the game as a computer-controlled character. The skill level of the computer-controlled characters can be individually adjusted between "Easy", "Medium", or "Hard". After the players and board map have been determined, the player chooses how long the board map game will last: "Lite Play" consists of 20 turns, "Standard Play" consists of 35, and "Full Play" consists of 50. The player can also set a "Custom Play" that consists of any number of turns between 10 and 50, but restricted to multiples of 5. Upon starting a board, players each hit a dice block to determine turn order, with the highest number going first on each turn and the lowest number going last.[5]

The goal of Mario Party 3 is to collect the most Stars within the allotted amount of turns. Stars must be purchased from the Millennium Star with coins, which can be earned through a selection from one of 70 mini-games that is played once at the end of each turn.[6] Each time a Star is purchased, the Millennium Star will move to a different location on the board. The first player initiates a turn by rolling a dice block that determines how many spaces they will advance on the board, ranging from one to ten spaces. Each board map has a variety of spaces. Plain blue and red spaces cause the player who lands on one to respectively gain or lose three coins;[5] the amount of coins is doubled to six during the final five turns.[7] Red spaces marked with an insignia of Bowser's head will cause Bowser to appear and hinder the player's progress. Green "!" spaces will initiate a single-player Chance Time mini-game, in which selected characters must give or exchange coins or stars; the player who landed on the space is given three blocks to hit, determining which characters and prize will be involved. Green spaces marked with a Goomba initiate a four-player Battle mini-game, in which coins are taken from the players and the winner receives the majority of the accumulated coins. Green "?" spaces result in an event occurring on the board map; each board features different events which can help or hinder certain players. When a player passes a green space marked with a bag of coins, they must deposit five coins into a "Koopa Bank"; players who land right on the space can withdraw all of the coins that have been deposited. Green spaces marked with a Shy Guy initiate a single-player Game Guy mini-game, in which the player may either win a multiplied amount of their coins or lose all of their coins.[5]

The players can obtain items for use on the board, and can each carry up to three at a time. If a player is carrying an item, they can use it before rolling the dice block. Items can aid the player in such ways as providing additional dice blocks or stealing another player's item. One item, the Skeleton Key, allows the player to use shortcuts located on each board map.[8] Items can be purchased from shops on the board or won from special single-player mini-games initiated by landing on green spaces marked with Toad's head. Boo appears in certain locations of the map, and can steal coins or a Star from another player on behalf of any player who passes him; stealing coins costs five coins, while stealing a Star costs 50 coins. If a player is targeted for their coins, they can limit the amount of coins that Boo steals by repeatedly tapping the A button.[5]

After all four players have made a movement on the board, a mini-game is initiated. The type of mini-game that is played is determined based on the color of space that each player landed on. Players that have landed on a green space will be randomly assigned either red or blue as their color before the mini-game is selected. If all players are the same color, a 4-player mini-game is played. If players are on separate colors, they will split into teams and play either a 1 vs. 3 or 2 vs. 2 mini-game. The specific mini-game is then selected via roulette. Before the mini-game's initiation, players can review the rules and controls as well as practice the mini-game. Coins are rewarded based on the results of the mini-game, with the winner(s) receiving ten coins.[7] Another turn is initiated following the end of a mini-game, and the process is repeated until the allotted number of turns have been completed.[6]

During the final five turns of a game, a one-on-one Duel mini-game is initiated when a player lands on the same space as another.[7] Duels can be initiated prior to the final five turns if a player uses the Dueling Glove item.[8] After the end of the last turn, if bonuses are toggled on, the winners of three awards are announced, with each winner receiving one additional Star; the first two awards are given to the player(s) who collected the most coins in mini-games and throughout the board map game, and the third is given to the player(s) who landed on the most "?" spaces.[5] The winner of the game is then determined by the number of total coins and Stars collected by each player. If two or more characters have acquired the same amount of coins and Stars, the winner will be determined with a roll of the dice block.[7]

Other modes

[edit]

Mario Party 3 includes a Duel mode, in which two players use a selection of up to two partners to attack their opponent and deplete their health.[9] The partners can be positioned in front of or behind the player,[10] and must be paid a salary at the beginning of each turn; the partner will leave if their salary cannot be paid.[9] The mode can either be played in 20 turns or for an indefinite amount of turns until one of the players' health is depleted.[10]

The partners do the battling to reduce the opponent's health, and defend the player from incoming attack. Each partner has its own health, and if it reaches zero, they disappear, and if the attacking partner deals more damage than the defending partner can take, the player takes damage equal to the difference. If no partner is between the attacking partner and the opponent, they take all the damage directly. The characters cannot attack their opponent directly. Some of the partners' attacks cannot be protected against, and each partner costs a certain number of coins for the player to keep it, and if the player has two partners, their salary combines. Occasionally, if a partner is attacked by the opponent's partner, the attack will miss. When the turn count expires, the winner is decided, and it is whoever has more health left. The game will end before the turn count expires if either player's health hits 0. If the turn count expires and both players have the same amount of health, whoever has the most coins wins. If both their health and coins numbers are the same, which is rare, the game ends in a draw.

Duel mini-games and Game Guy mini-games are the only mini-games available to be played on a duel board. Unlike Battle Royale, they do not occur after every turn, but only if either player lands on a mini-game space. There is also a part of each map that makes the players play a duel mini game for 20, 30 or 40 coins after it is passed five times. Game Guy mini-games occur more often here than in Battle Royale. Items are not present in Duel mode.

In the Story Mode to the series, one player starts a campaign through every board, challenging computer controlled opponents at a shortened version of Party Mode. The player's objective is to defeat the other characters and earn stamps from the Millennium Star. After all seven stamps are acquired the player is challenged to a final duel with the Millennium Star, in which the player must hit the Millennium Star three times (six times on Normal difficulty and nine on Hard difficulty) with stars in order to complete story mode. Each time the player completes an objective, they are given a rank of S to C depending on how well they completed that objective. When all the objectives have been completed, a title representing the player's overall progress in the game is awarded. This is determined by the ranks they earned for each objective. If enough "S" ranks are acquired, that character becomes a "Miracle Star" and the Game Guy Room in the Mini Game House is opened for use. Simply beating the Story Mode and not earning a high title will cause the character's face to be sculpted into the mountain.

Development

[edit]

Like prior games in the Mario Party franchise, Mario Party 3 was developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo. It is the first Mario Party game to have multiple save slots and the first to have Princess Daisy and Waluigi as playable characters. On August 9, 2000, it was revealed to have 70 new mini games.[11] Later that month, Nintendo released 12 more screenshots of the game's adventure boards. The game was about 70% completed during the time being.[12]

The game had a marketing budget of $4 million.[13]

Reception

[edit]

Mario Party 3 received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[14] While GamePro calling it "one of the last and best games you can play on the system with up to three buddies",[20] other reviewers were critical of Mario Party 3 for largely using the same gameplay as the previous installments, with only minimal changes.[b] Critics stated that the game was best when played with friends.[c] NGC Magazine wrote, "Playing against the CPU is one of the most frustrating exercises known to man."[26]

Other common points, both positive and negative, included the mini-games, new features, and how the title compared to previous entries. Gavin Frankle of AllGame called Mario Party 3 the most enjoyable in the series, reasoning that it "provides enough to entice new fans and satisfy existing ones". However, he also noted it "does little to further the genre or remedy the problems that have been around since the first game."[15] Nintendo Power described the mini-games as "the real life of the party", and Joe Fielder of GameSpot and Cam Shea of Hyper agreed that Mario Party 3 had the best mini-games in the series.[27][23][22] However, the opinions towards them ranged from a few being "stinkers", to many being senseless, boring, and "just plain stupid".[23][22] Shea as well as Dr. Moo of GameRevolution also praised the duel mode, Shea reasoning that it alongside the item site was two of the title's lacking number of gameplay variants.[23] Dr. Moo wrote that the mini-games make up for some of the game's faults. However, Shea and Dr. Moo was critical of the series' usual incorporation of random luck, as well as having to wait for computer-controlled opponents.[21][23] One negative comment among the Nintendo Power staff review was that "it seems like many of the challenges are based on overcoming unresponsive controls."[27]

Fielder considered the graphics similar to the previous games and wrote that they "look as good as they need to for this kind of game, but are certainly not going to win it any awards."[22] Fran Mirabella III of IGN stated that the game "uses the same bright colors, low-resolution textures, and choppy animation that the rest have."[24] Fielder considered the soundtrack to be a slight improvement over the previous games.[22] Mirabella considered the music "just as outdated as the graphics," but also called it "very cute" and wrote that it "does the job of keeping your ears occupied in the cheesiest of ways."[24]

In 2015, IGN listed the game at number one on its list of "Best Mario Party Games," writing, "The best Mario Party games know the balance between luck and skill, and Mario Party 3 best exemplifies this rule. Just about everything that made Mario Party 2 so great was pushed further as Mario Party 3 introduced even more strategic items, creative new boards, and some truly fun minigames."[29] TheGamer also placed Mario Party 3 first in its ranking of 17 Mario Party games, praising its boards, minigames, and visuals.[30]

The game sold over 1,000,000 units worldwide;[31] however, largely due to being released late in the Nintendo 64's lifespan, it did not sell well in western regions.

Awards

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Mario Party 3 won the "Console Family" award from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences during the 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.[32]

Notes

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Mario Party 3

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from Grokipedia
Mario Party 3 is a developed by and published by for the console. It was released in on December 7, 2000, in on May 7, 2001, in on November 16, 2001, and in on September 3, 2001. As the third installment in the series, the game supports up to four players who compete on six themed interactive boards to collect Stars and Coins, primarily through dice-rolling mechanics, chance encounters, and participation in over 70 diverse minigames that test skill, luck, and teamwork. The core gameplay revolves around board progression where players navigate hazards and opportunities, such as purchasing from Houses or facing Bowser's disruptive spaces that can steal or . Minigames, categorized into solo, team, and battle variants, occur frequently and reward winners with Coins used for items or advantages. A standout addition is Duel Mode, exclusive to this entry, which pits two players against each other on specialized maps using hireable partner characters like Boos or to gain edges in one-on-one confrontations. The game also features a single-player Story Mode that follows a narrative involving the , allowing progression through boards and duels against AI opponents. In 2023, Mario Party 3 was added to the + service as an emulated title, enabling online multiplayer and save states for modern audiences. This re-release on October 26, 2023, preserved the original's multiplayer focus while introducing enhancements like suspend points.

Gameplay

Party Mode

Party Mode serves as the core multiplayer experience in Mario Party 3, where up to four players compete on themed boards to accumulate Stars and coins through strategic movement and events. Players take turns rolling a Dice Block numbered from 1 to 10 to advance across the board, with landing spaces triggering various outcomes such as gaining or losing coins, purchasing items, or initiating minigames. The game supports 1 to 4 participants, including human players and AI opponents with adjustable difficulty levels ranging from easy to hard, allowing for solo practice or group play. Victory is determined after a predetermined number of turns, typically 20 but customizable from 10 to 50, with the player holding the most declared the winner; in case of ties, totals serve as the tiebreaker. are acquired primarily by paying 20 to at the central Star Space, which rotates around the board, or through occasional bonus events. , essential for Star purchases and item acquisition, are earned via minigames, red and blue spaces, or hidden ? Blocks that may contain bonuses. The items system introduces 16 usable gadgets, purchasable at shops run by or Baby Bowser for 3 to 15 coins each, or occasionally obtained via Lucky Spaces that trigger item minigames. Examples include the Super Hammer, which destroys obstacles like rock walls blocking paths, and the Magic Lamp, which relocates the Star Space to a desired position. Other items, such as the Wacky Watch—a rare find from hidden blocks—allow players to extend or shorten the total turns remaining, altering game length dramatically. Specific board events add unpredictability: Bowser Spaces impose penalties like coin theft or forced minigames where players lose Stars, while Chance Time Spaces randomly redistribute items, coins, or Stars among all participants via a selection minigame. Hidden blocks, hit by jumping under suspicious tiles, often yield coins or rare items like the Lucky Charm for movement boosts, encouraging exploration during turns.

Duel Mode

Duel Mode is a two-player versus mode in Mario Party 3 that emphasizes direct confrontation on compact, specialized boards known as Duel Maps. Unlike the broader exploration of Party Mode boards, Duel Mode focuses on strategic movement and combat, where players select an initial partner character to assist in battles. Each player begins with 5 Heart Points, adjustable via handicap settings (e.g., 3 to 7), and the objective is to deplete the opponent's Heart Points to zero through partner attacks, item usage, and triggered minigames. Players can hire up to two partners at a time, paying their salaries each turn to retain them. Partners are non-playable characters with unique stats including Attack power (ranging from 0 to 3, or infinite in special cases), Strength (1 to 4, representing durability), and Salary (1 to 6 coins per turn), along with specific abilities that influence combat outcomes. There are six Duel Maps, each designed as small arenas with spaces for movement, attacks, defenses, and item shops, promoting close-quarters tactical play. For example, Gate Guy features gates that players can pay 5 coins to pass quickly, allowing for faster returns to the starting position, while Backtrack—an unlockable map—includes spaces that reverse the direction of movement, forcing players to adapt their positioning. Players roll dice to move around these maps, landing on opponent spaces to initiate partner attacks that deduct Heart Points based on the attacker's stats and abilities; for instance, a Goomba with 2 Attack power deals 2 Heart Points of damage under normal conditions. Partners can be switched mid-game via Roulette spaces, where players pay coins equal to the new partner's Salary to recruit one of the 12 available options, such as Toad, who prevents coin theft from the player, or Boo, who returns incoming attacks to the sender before being defeated. Item integration adds depth to , with Duel Spaces providing access to shops selling items like Mushrooms (5 coins to restore Heart Points) or the Dueling Glove (10 coins to force an opponent into a challenge ). Certain spaces trigger one of 10 dedicated Duel Minigames, such as Baby Bowser Bonkers, where players swing hammers to damage opponents, rewarding winners with coins or Heart Point recovery. Effective play involves balancing offense and defense, leveraging partner synergies—for example, pairing a high-Attack (which occasionally grants extra dice rolls for mobility) with a defensive Whomp (who instantly defeats attacking partners but cannot harm players directly) to control the board and exploit vulnerabilities. Games proceed in turns until one player's Heart Points reach zero, contrasting Party Mode's indirect competition by prioritizing partner-assisted combat on these focused arenas.

Story Mode

Story Mode is the single-player campaign in Mario Party 3, where the player embarks on a quest to prove themselves as the "Super Star" of the universe. The mode is introduced through a narrative involving the , a celestial entity that falls near Princess Peach's Castle every 1,000 years, igniting a competition among and his friends to claim its power. Tumble, a sentient die, serves as the host, guiding the player through trials designed to test their worthiness. To succeed, the player must collect seven Star Stamps representing virtues and traits—, , Strength, , , , and —scattered across various lands, culminating in a final confrontation with the itself. The campaign begins with the player selecting a character and a difficulty level: Beginner, Standard, or Hard, with Super Hard unlocking after completing the mode on Hard. Each Star Stamp is earned by progressing through a sequence of challenges on themed boards, starting from Beginner rank equivalents and scaling in complexity. For instance, the Wit Stamp requires victory on the Chilly Waters board in Party Mode against AI opponents, followed by a Mode win against on the Gate Guy board; similar patterns apply to the Kindness Stamp on Deep Bloober Sea and versus , Strength on Spiny Desert and Pipesqueak versus , Love on Woody Woods and Blowhard versus , and Courage on Creepy Cavern and Mr. Mover versus . The Beauty Stamp involves a on the unlockable Backtrack board against Daisy, while the Mischief Stamp concludes the collection on Waluigi's Island in Party Mode. Difficulty scales by increasing AI intelligence and aggression, making higher ranks more challenging with smarter opponent strategies and heightened board hazards, though the core layout remains consistent. A stamp tracks progress, visually filling as each is acquired, and the mode supports up to three save slots to allow resuming across sessions. Upon collecting all seven Star Stamps, the player faces the in the exclusive Stardust Battle , a high-stakes that serves as the campaign's finale. Performance across challenges is evaluated with per-board ranks from Lackluster Star to Miracle Star, based on margins of victory in stars, coins, heart pieces, and dice rolls—S rank requires dominating wins like two or more stars ahead in Party Mode or three heart pieces in Duels. Achieving high overall ranks, such as Ultra or Miracle Star, unlocks additional features like the Game Guy's Room for . Special tied to stamp challenges emphasize Duel Mode's one-on-one format, often requiring precise control to collect heart pieces against themed AI opponents. Full completion, including all stamps and the on higher difficulties, typically takes 10-15 hours, depending on turns per board (default 20) and player efficiency.

Game Elements

Boards

Mario Party 3 features six themed boards for Party Mode, each with unique layouts consisting of approximately 60 to 80 spaces, including red spaces that trigger minigames, blue spaces for coin collection, and special event spaces. are typically located at central or key points on the board, such as a or bank, and players can purchase them for 20 coins while navigating paths that include banks for coin storage and encounters with or board-specific characters that impose hazards or penalties. All boards except Waluigi's Island are available from the start in Party and Duel Modes, with Waluigi's Island unlocked after completing Story Mode; in Story Mode, boards are unlocked progressively as the player advances through character-specific campaigns. The boards are rendered in 3D environments with thematic music, sound effects, and animations that enhance the immersive experience, such as bubbling underwater sounds in aquatic settings or echoing cave noises. Waluigi's is a tropical island board riddled with industrial traps set by , featuring a layout that circles a central where Stars appear, connected by paths with conveyor belts, pitfalls, and gadget-filled areas. Hazards include springboards that launch players backward, magnet cranes that steal coins, and Waluigi's prank events that reverse dice rolls or swap positions; strategies involve sticking to the inner paths to reach the volcano quickly while avoiding outer edges prone to disruptive traps. The board's visual design showcases lush greenery contrasted with mechanical contraptions, accompanied by upbeat yet mischievous tropical music. Deep Bloober Sea takes place in an underwater world with strong currents directing player movement, its layout forming looping paths around a central and sunken ship where Stars emerge, interspersed with bubble elevators and clouds. Key hazards are Blooper's that blinds players and sends them backward, whirlpools that spin players to random spaces, and shocks that cost coins; optimal strategies focus on riding currents toward the center while using items to counter hazards and time approaches to the during low-current periods. The 3D visuals depict vibrant reefs and murky depths, with bubbly audio effects and oceanic ambient tracks. Spiny Desert is a sandy expanse board plagued by sandstorms, with a figure-eight layout crossing a central oasis bank and Star location, featuring pits and rolling boulders along the paths. Hazards encompass that traps players losing turns, sandstorms obscuring vision and redirecting movement, and cacti that damage passersby; players should prioritize the upper loop for safer progression to the , using speed boosts to escape swiftly. Desert-themed graphics include shifting dunes and ancient , paired with windy soundscapes and percussive music. Woody Woods offers a forest adventure board with branching tree paths leading to a central treehouse bank and rotating Star spot, including vine swings and log bridges. Events feature Monty Mole ambushes that steal coins, falling acorns as pitfalls, and nests granting bonuses; strategies emphasize exploring side paths for item shops while aiming for the during favorable rotations to minimize backtracking. Lush 3D foliage and animations are highlighted, with folky tunes and rustling leaves audio. Creepy Cavern explores an underground cave system with multi-level paths around a central bank and lava pit area, connected by elevators and narrow ledges. Hazards include drops, haunts by Boos that players, and lava geysers ejecting players; effective play involves navigating lower levels for hidden coins but avoiding ledges near pitfalls, timing elevator uses to reach the center efficiently. Dimly lit cavern visuals with glowing fungi and echoing drips create tension, underscored by spooky orchestral music. Chilly Waters is an icy lake board with slippery surfaces and penguin patrols, its layout forming a frozen circuit around a central bank and seal perch Star position, with floes and ramps. Slippery causes overshooting turns, penguin chases steal coins, and cracking sends players into water; strategies center on controlled rolls to hug inner paths, avoiding outer edges where slips lead to hazards, and using warmth items against freezing events. Snowy 3D landscapes with cracking effects are vivid, featuring chilly winds and playful yet tense melodies.

Minigames

Mario Party 3 includes 71 minigames that form the core of its competitive multiplayer experience, providing brief diversions from board navigation to test players' reflexes, strategy, and teamwork. These minigames are divided into distinct categories based on participant format and context: 20 four-player minigames, which can be or directly competitive and often involve group activities like or obstacle avoidance; 10 one-versus-three minigames, where a single player competes against a team of three; 10 two-versus-two tag-team minigames emphasizing paired coordination; eight battle minigames focused on gambling coins for high-stakes outcomes; 10 duel minigames that incorporate partner characters for assistance in one-on-one confrontations; and 13 special minigames (including 6 Item minigames, 3 Rare minigames, and 4 Game Guy minigames) that occur in specific board events, some featured in Story Mode. Minigames are primarily triggered by landing on red spaces during Party Mode or Duel Mode turns, or occasionally through board-specific events, with the type determined by the number of players landing on matching colored spaces—such as forming teams for 2-vs-2 or 1-vs-3 formats. Winners receive coins distributed according to their finishing placement, with first place typically earning the most to influence overall board progress and acquisition. The s' design philosophy balances skill-based challenges, elements of luck, and chaotic interactions to ensure and replayability, catering to players of while preventing any single strategy from dominating. Controls are tailored to the Nintendo 64's analog joystick for intuitive movement, aiming, and interactions, avoiding overly complex inputs that could frustrate casual users. Each minigame lasts approximately 30 to 90 seconds, keeping sessions brisk and maintaining game momentum without excessive downtime. Upon completing Story Mode, all minigames become fully accessible in the dedicated Minigame Mode, which supports practice sessions, custom tournaments, and free play to hone skills outside the main campaign. This mode promotes balanced participation by allowing solo or multiplayer testing without penalties. The games emphasize through simple rules and visual cues, relying on expressive sound effects for immediate feedback rather than full , which enhances the whimsical, non-verbal chaos of competition.

Characters

Mario Party 3 expands the playable roster to eight characters, building on the six from previous entries with the addition of and as newcomers. The returning characters are , , , , and . This marks the debut of Daisy and Waluigi as playable in the Mario Party series, providing more variety in player avatars while maintaining balanced core mechanics across the group. Each playable character pairs with a default partner in Duel Mode, where these partners feature unique stats that differentiate performance: Speed, which affects the average outcome of die rolls for movement; Power, determining damage dealt in hits; Stamina, offering resistance to penalties from hazardous spaces; and , serving as a multiplier for earnings. For example, Waluigi's default partner emphasizes a high coin bonus at the expense of lower speed, whereas Daisy's provides a more balanced profile across attributes. These stats directly influence strategic decisions on the Duel Boards, such as prioritizing mobility or income generation. Duel Mode allows selection of up to two partners from 12 available characters, chosen for synergies like Toad's direct attack capabilities, Boo's ability to steal or reflect opponent actions, and vampire-like life-steal mechanics in certain variants, alongside defensive tanks, explosive strikers, and utility supporters. Partners like Whomp focus on high stamina for endurance, while others such as prioritize power for aggressive plays. Non-playable characters enrich the experience as hosts and Tumble, who oversee Party Mode events and the quest for status; antagonists including , who disrupts gameplay through traps and thefts; and various cameos, such as Shy Guys or Koopas, appearing in minigames to add thematic flair without affecting player selection.

Development

Conception

Mario Party 3 was developed by as the third entry in the series. The game introduced the as the host character. The game introduced Duel Mode and Story Mode. It featured adjustable AI difficulty levels and a character stats system. The roster included and the debut of as playable characters. Hudson Soft created 70 new minigames.

Production

Development of Mario Party 3 began following the release of Mario Party 2 in December 1999, with Hudson Soft serving as the primary developer under Nintendo's supervision. The game was first publicly revealed at Nintendo's Space World event in August 2000, where playable demos showcased early versions of its boards and minigames. Directed by Kenji Kikuchi, the project involved a core team at Hudson Soft handling game design, programming, and art, building on the series' established formula while introducing new modes like Duel and Story. Credits list key contributors including planning director Tsutomu Komiyama and game designer Fumihisa Sato, reflecting collaborative efforts across over 90 staff members as indicated in the end credits. A major focus during production was optimizing the game's content for the hardware, which included creating 70 unique minigames and six party boards alongside six duel maps. This required balancing performance to maintain smooth frame rates, particularly in multiplayer scenarios with up to four players and AI opponents, while ensuring fair AI behavior through extensive testing. The team emphasized replayability by incorporating unlockable elements such as additional characters, boards, and minigames, encouraging multiple playthroughs to access full content. Beta versions of the game featured debug menus accessible via controller inputs, such as holding the L button during title screen transitions for a sound test and results viewer, or the R button for a selection interface. These tools aided in development iteration but were removed in the final build, which launched in Japan on December 7, 2000, marking the completion of principal production.

Release

Dates and Platforms

Mario Party 3 was exclusively released for the console. It launched in Japan on December 7, 2000, followed by on May 7, 2001, Australia on September 3, 2001, and on November 16, 2001. The game marked the final first-party Nintendo title for the in and was distributed solely on physical cartridges without any online features. Regional variations exist across versions. The Japanese release supports the Mario Party 3 e-Card expansion, a set of e-Reader cards for the Game Boy Advance that unlock additional mini-games exclusive to that region. English localizations introduced minor textual and audio changes, such as altering the announcer's phrase from "Miss!" to "Game Over!" upon failing item mini-games, though the game lacks voice acting overall. The PAL version, optimized for 50 Hz television standards, adjusted time limits in select mini-games like Baby Bowser Broadside and Puddle Paddle to 20 seconds for better playability. Packaging differed by region. International box art prominently features the against a starry background with core characters, while the Japanese cover emphasizes Mode with a focus on competitive elements and unique artwork. Physical production of Mario Party 3 ended shortly after its 2001 international launches, leading to discontinued availability; today, complete copies are considered rare collectibles among retro gaming enthusiasts.

Marketing

Nintendo launched a multifaceted campaign for Mario Party 3 to capitalize on the Nintendo 64's final major party game, emphasizing its 70 new minigames, innovative Duel Mode, and the introduction of playable characters and . The campaign targeted families and multiplayer enthusiasts, positioning the title as an essential social gaming experience with promotional taglines such as "Featuring 70 all-new mini-games to master and wild new interactive game boards, this is one party you'll want to for, ASAP!" In , marketing efforts highlighted the debuts of Daisy and to attract fans of the expanding roster, with television commercials showcasing chaotic party scenarios involving the characters in minigames and board interactions. These ads, aired in 2001 ahead of the May release, featured upbeat narration and gameplay clips to underscore the game's competitive fun. Previews in official publications like further built anticipation by detailing the expanded minigame count and new modes, encouraging readers to anticipate the "ultimate party challenge." Regionally, the Japanese campaign, tied to the December 2000 launch, included unique tie-ins such as cards that unlocked bonus content like additional minigames when scanned with compatible devices, appealing to collectors and tech-savvy players. The game was promoted through vibrant ads depicting characters in festive, exaggerated settings, and it received coverage in domestic media as a top N64 title. In , where the release was delayed until November 2001, efforts aligned with holiday shopping to boost family purchases, though specific ads mirrored North American styles with a focus on multiplayer accessibility.

Reception

Critical Reviews

Mario Party 3 received mixed or average reviews upon release, earning an aggregate score of 74/100 on based on 12 critic reviews. Critics frequently highlighted the game's 70 new minigames as a strong point, noting their variety and role in sustaining the series' appeal during multiplayer sessions. IGN awarded it 6.4 out of 10, praising the minigames as the "lifeblood" of the title while acknowledging the addition of Duel Mode for two-player competition. gave a score of 7.5 out of 10, commending Hudson Soft's focus on addictive puzzle-based that enhanced the multiplayer experience. In , scored it 31 out of 40, reflecting solid domestic reception. Reviewers appreciated innovations like the Story Mode and Duel Mode, which introduced character-specific stats affecting movement, hitting, and item usage to add strategic depth beyond pure luck. The multiplayer focus was lauded for fostering chaotic party play, with modes allowing up to four players to compete in board-based challenges. However, common criticisms centered on the repetitive board designs, which felt similar to prior entries, and the frustrating AI that often dominated minigames unfairly. Single-player campaigns were dismissed as short and filler-like, heavily reliant on dice rolls and passive observation rather than engaging progression. As one of the final major releases in 2001, contemporary reviews positioned as a balanced capstone for the series' early era, emphasizing its refinements in variety and mode diversity despite familiarity.

Commercial Performance

achieved worldwide sales of approximately 1.91 million units, ranking it as the 26th best-selling game for the . The title launched strongly in on December 7, 2000, topping sales charts that month according to Media Create data. In , following its May 7, 2001 release, it peaked at number two on NPD sales charts, trailing only Pokémon Stadium 2, and maintained steady performance through holiday bundles and loyalty programs amid the console's declining market share. Sales were bolstered by the franchise's established fanbase but fell short of 's 2.48 million units, impacted by the 's overall sales drop to 32.93 million lifetime units globally. Over the long term, physical copies of Mario Party 3 have gained collectible value, with loose cartridges typically selling for $30–$50 and complete-in-box versions $80–$100 on secondary markets as of November 2025. Its 2023 inclusion in the + service has increased visibility and accessibility to new audiences without physical ownership. Within the series, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide as of September 2025, Mario Party 3 represents a modest but steady contributor to the franchise's economic impact.

Awards

Mario Party 3 received the Console Family Game of the Year award at the 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, now known as the D.I.C.E. Awards, held in 2002 by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. This recognition highlighted the game's innovative Duel Mode and partner system, which added strategic depth to the traditional party format. The game earned nominations in several 2001 end-of-year awards, including the Nintendo Power Awards for Best Game, alongside titles like Pokémon Stadium 2 and Wave Race: Blue Storm. It also received nods for Best Party Game in various gaming magazines that year, though it did not secure a major Game of the Year title. Despite the series' niche focus on multiplayer social gaming, which limited broader award contention, has garnered significant retrospective acclaim. In a 2015 IGN ranking of all titles, it was placed at number one for its balanced mix of luck, skill, and replayability through 70 diverse minigames and five themed boards. Later honors include its inclusion in TheGamer's 2023 list of the best games, ranked at number 11 overall for exemplifying top-tier multiplayer chaos on the platform. The 2023 Nintendo Switch Online re-release received positive reviews, praised for preserving the original's charm while adding online multiplayer and save states, earning aggregate scores around 80/100 and individual ratings of 8/10 from outlets like Nintendo Life.

Legacy

Re-releases

Mario Party 3 received its first re-release elements through Mario Party: The Top 100 for , launched on November 10, 2017 in . This compilation features twelve minigames ported from Mario Party 3, such as "Eatsa Pizza" and "Bounce 'n' Trounce," adapted with touch screen controls for the hardware to enhance portability and interaction. In 2021, for incorporated content from Mario Party 3, including the Woody Woods board and 24 minigames like "Mushroom Mix-Up" and "Face-Lift," all remastered in high-definition with updated visuals and online multiplayer support. Released on October 29, 2021, the game omits Mario Party 3's unique Story Mode and partner system, focusing instead on classic board and minigame revival for up to four players locally or online. The full Mario Party 3 game became available via + Expansion Pack on October 26, 2023, emulating the original version with enhancements including save states, multiplayer for up to four players, and support. This marks the first complete digital re-release outside the original hardware, preserving features like the six boards, over 70 minigames, and Story Mode while adding modern connectivity. Unlike and , Mario Party 3 was never ported to services on , , or . The Japanese version's e-Reader card compatibility remnants, which allowed additional minigames via scanned cards, remain intact in the original cartridge but are non-functional in re-releases due to hardware incompatibility. As of November 2025, no full remaster or additional ports beyond these have been announced by .

Retrospective

In modern retrospectives, Mario Party 3 is frequently ranked among the top entries in the series for its innovative gameplay depth and variety of modes, contrasting with the perceived simplicity of later installments. For instance, it topped a ranking by Gaming as the best in the franchise, praised for its balanced mechanics and extensive mini-game collection that encouraged replayability without over-relying on luck. IGN's 2015 retrospective placed it in the upper tier of the first 12 games, noting its refinements to the formula as a high point before the series experimented with motion controls and car-based gameplay in subsequent titles. Criticisms of the original release, particularly the frustrating AI behavior in solo play and lengthy board traversals, have been revisited positively in light of accessibility improvements in re-releases, which allow for adjustable difficulty to mitigate these issues. The Story Mode, once seen as a minor addition, is now regarded as an innovative precursor to structured campaigns in later , providing narrative progression through character-specific arcs and statue collection that added purpose to single-player sessions. These elements have aged well, with reviewers emphasizing how the game's depth fostered strategic depth absent in more streamlined modern entries. The game's influence extends to core series mechanics, with Duel Mode's partner-pairing concept echoed in Mario Party 10's (2015) Partner Party mode, where cooperative play emphasized teamwork over individual competition. Its introduction of playable characters like Waluigi has cemented them as staples in subsequent titles, while the overall package has bolstered Nintendo 64 nostalgia, often cited as the era's definitive multiplayer experience. The fan community remains vibrant, with active speedrunning categories on platforms like Speedrun.com focusing on Story Mode completions and all-statue collections, including tool-assisted speedruns released in 2023 that showcase optimal strategies. Modding efforts, such as combined N64 trilogy packs shared on community forums, have extended its longevity, while the October 2023 addition to sparked renewed interest, leading to increased YouTube playthroughs and discussions on its enduring appeal. Culturally, Mario Party 3 symbolizes the chaotic joy of N64-era local multiplayer gatherings, standing in stark contrast to the online-focused dynamics of contemporary Mario Party games like Super Mario Party Jamboree.

References

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