Mario Party 10 and Mario Party Amiibos Now Available in Stores

Written by Brandon Hofer on March 20, 2015

News: The newest iteration of the Mario Party franchise is now available as a standalone game or in a bundle that comes with a new Mario amiibo.

Mario Party 10 is now available in stores throughout North America. In addition to a power-packed lineup of new features, new boards and new mini-games, new revelers join the Mario Party fun in the game's ground-breaking Bowser Party and amiibo Party modes. When Bowser crashes the party to playfully torment up to four additional players on Team Mario, the franchise's social experience takes an unprecedented turn. In amiibo Party mode, which requires at least one compatible amiibo figure to access, you and up to three other players can tap amiibo to the Wii U GamePad controller to play with and customize your amiibo, and change a portion of the board to match your character.

For the first time in the Mario Party series, you can pick up the GamePad and have a fiery blast stepping into the trouble-making role of everyone's favorite bad guy: Bowser. You and up to four other players can participate in this wild new mode, with four players joining Team Mario using Wii Remote controllers (sold separately) and one playing as Bowser using the GamePad. As Bowser, your goal is simple: Prevent Team Mario from stealing the Star at the end of the board. Trying to succeed is the fun part! By playing a series of mini-games exclusive to this mode, Bowser can spit fire, spin an electric wheel, shoot Bullet Bills and cause general mayhem. The welcome role reversal adds a new layer of fun and friendly competition to the Mario Party series.

"Mario Party 10 is one party you definitely don't want to miss," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "Brimming with innovative ways to play and featuring creative GamePad and amiibo support, Mario Party 10 delivers hours of family-friendly fun exclusively for Wii U."

In the traditional Mario Party mode, up to four players travel together around a variety of colorful and detailed boards like Mushroom Park, Haunted Trail and the high-flying Airship Central. Although you are traveling with friends, every player is still out for himself, since whoever collects the most Mini Stars at the end of the board wins. Earn these coveted Mini Stars by winning a variety of multiplayer mini-games or by participating in events around the board. The easy-to-learn mini-games break up the game play by letting you and your friends compete to race up a tower, dodge angry bees or quickly pump up a balloon. You can even team up in "2 vs. 2" or "1 vs. 3" games, or even battle bosses as a group.

Even after playing with amiibo in amiibo Party mode, crashing the party as Bowser or tackling the mini-games in classic Mario Party mode, Mario Party 10 still offers more things to do. In Toad's Room, you can pose your characters in a Photo Studio and shop for new characters and vehicles to use in the game. In Bonus Games mode, challenge yourself to a series of Bowser Jr. Challenges and even experience the jewel-matching fun of Jewel Drop.

To add more fun to the Mario Party 10 game, a new set of amiibo called the Super Mario series are also available. The Super Mario series features the amiibo debut of Toad, as well as new designs for Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Princess Peach and Yoshi. The new "Super Mario series" Mario amiibo design will be available exclusively in a Mario Party 10 bundle that also launches on March 20 at a suggested retail price of $59.99. The other amiibo figures will be sold separately at a suggested retail price of $12.99 each. The gold Mario amiibo is also available beginning today but is a Walmart exclusive and might be a bit hard to get.

Take a look at the launch trailer below and tell us what you think. Are you excited about Mario Party 10? Will you be using your amiibos to try out the new functionality?