Mario Party 6

Mario Party 6 (2004) is the sixth entry in Nintendo's famous party series, developed by Hudson Soft. It is originally a Nintendo GameCube title; this catalogue lists it in its PC section, reflecting the form in which the game can be met on a computer today.

The series' recipe is well proven: players move across a board-game map, and between turns they clash in dozens of minigames — quick contests of reflexes, luck and mischief. Whoever gathers the most stars wins, and the final round's twists routinely overturn the standings. That managed chaos, and the chance to beat your friends at it, is why Mario Party became a synonym for playing in company.

The sixth instalment added a central day-and-night cycle that changes the boards and some of the minigames as time passes. Hudson Soft had built the series from the first game onward, and by this point the production was mature and confident in its formula.

In 2004, games for several people around one screen were still an everyday matter, and Mario Party was one of their flagships. Couch multiplayer has been enjoying a revival lately, which makes the older entries feel newly relevant rather than dated.

The instalment even shipped with a microphone accessory, and some minigames responded to the player's voice — an unusual experiment for its time, and proof that Hudson Soft kept hunting for ways to refresh the formula after five previous entries.

Browse the game's card on OldGame.cz for its year, its developer, its place in the Mario series and screenshots of the boards.