Mario Party 3

The third visit to the Mushroom game party brought the genre's farewell to its era on the gray console, and did so in grand style. Mario Party 3 closed out the trilogy on this platform and enriched the proven formula with elements that pushed the competition a notch further.

The biggest novelty was the so-called board battle in the form of a duel mode. Alongside the classic four-way melee, you could now face off two on two or head to head on special maps, where players hired helpers and tried to whittle down the opponent's life. This mode added a new tactical layer to the series and the option of a more focused fight for a smaller group. The collecting of stars, coins and dozens of fresh mini-games after every round returned as well.

New characters joined the story and more favorites were added to the roster, so the variety of the cast grew. New items appeared too, giving players more ways to influence the flow of the game, steal a rival's star or defend against traps. The strategic depth thus gradually strengthened with each installment.

Hudson Soft remained the developer, bringing the series on this console to a mature form before the brand moved on to successor platforms. The third entry is prized for its wealth of content and for how it expanded the options for various player counts, from large groups to two-player duels.

Mario Party 3 stands as a dignified conclusion to one era. For players who already knew the previous installments and craved more maps, characters and mini-games, it was a natural culmination and at the same time a bridge to the series' future.

Why play: The most content-rich entry in the console trilogy, which adds a duel mode and a broader cast, and closes out an era with dignity.