Super Mario Party Jamboree: Hard-to-find secrets

Super Mario Party Jamboree turns things up to 11 with the amount of new content it brings to the long-standing Mario Party formula. New mini-games, new characters, fun boards, simple mechanics, and a variety of modes are what make it so appealing to so many people.

But within all this new content, and even in the outside world, Super Mario Party Jamboree's secrets are hidden everywhere—some obvious, some taking a little digging to find, including references to Nintendo and its games, secret characters, and even hidden interactions when playing as a specific character.

Secret Characters Ninja and Pauline

There are a total of 22 characters you can play as in Super Mario Jamboree, including secret characters. You start the game with 20 unlocked characters and can unlock two more as you start playing the game.

Ninji, who first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2, and Pauline, the mayor of New Donk City and “damsel in distress” from Donkey Kong, can both be found in the world above. Take the hot air balloon to the game mode selector and use your binoculars to find both Ninji and Pauline – Ninji is on a floating platform, while Pauline is on an island in the middle of the ocean.

All you have to do is look around, zoom in on them once you’ve located them, and you’ll automatically unlock both characters. No other steps are required – unlike the new Mario Party Jamboree boards, these new characters aren’t tied to the Ranking system.

Donkey Konga

A new feature in Super Mario Party Jamboree is the Jamboree Buddy system. Jamboree Buddies can appear on any Mario Party map and provide players with passive benefits that they are after. When you encounter a Jamboree Buddy, they will initiate a special minigame themed around that character.

Donkey Kong's Jamboree Buddy minigame is DK's Konga Line, a minigame directly inspired by the Donkey Konga series, a classic rhythm game from the Donkey Kong series, using a special Bongo controller to match the on-screen rhythm.

This is a really cool reference to one of the most unique Nintendo games of its time, but you won't get to play this one very often as there's only a small chance that Donkey Kong will appear as a Jamboree Buddy.

Nintendo Switch Joycon Island

In Super Mario Party Jamboree, players select a mode by looking around the outside world with binoculars after taking off from the Party Plaza. In addition to Ninji and Pauline, players can find another secret from the balloon – an island shaped like two Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons.

Not only is the island's design a neat reference, but it's also home to three unique game modes that only use motion controls. On Motion Island, you can play Toad's Item Factory, Paratroopa Flight School, and Rhythm Kitchen – all multiplayer-focused games that can only be experienced here.

Toad's Item Factory and Rhythm Kitchen are located in the Joy-Con's analog stick position, while Paratroppa Flight School can be found in the sky.

Big Bob-Omb in Defuse Or Lose

Among Super Mario Party Jamboree's 100+ new (and old) minigames, many of them reference past Mario games and characters. In the Defuse Or Lose minigame, where players try to extinguish a series of fuses before reaching a giant bomb, you might spot a familiar face: King Bob-Omb from Mario 64.

King Bob-Omb appears more prominently in Super Mario Party and can be seen in the middle of King Bob-Omb's Powderkeg board.

The salesman respects the royal family.

In Super Mario Party Jamboree, playing as certain characters will unlock unique dialogue with various vendors in the Shop on every board. Since they are all run by Koopas, who ultimately serve Bowser, they will be more respectful to players who play as Bowser or Bowser Jr.

For example, vendors will call both characters "Lord Bowser," but they won't offer special discounts on the lords' Mario Party items.

There are a few examples of this unique type of dialogue throughout the game. If you come across Boo's steal tile, but you're playing as Boo, the game will say "look in the mirror" before asking for your target.