In a move that can only be done by Nintendo, they have released an update for Super Mario Party, that after years of nothing, has just randomly added full online support to the game.

Now normally we wouldn’t cover patches to games, they happen so often these days, but this one is special. The game did have an online portion when it launched, with a handful of games available online, but this update lets you play the main game online and more. Below is the added text for the eShop listing, which might explain it better:

New online play options have come to Super Mario Party! Download the free update to enjoy Mario Party and Partner Party modes online, as well as dozens of your favourite minigames. Open up a match for anyone or set a password for a private party, then play against friends and family from around the world!

Updates to games are not unusual, even Nintendo have patched games months after release, not counting the Splatoon series, but this one is just the oddest release ever, as the game is now 2.5 years old and this is the second update for the game. The only other update was a minor change to the data for game scheduling.

Anyway, below are the full patch notes, so if you want to read them, they are there, but what do you think? Is an update like this welcome, after so long, or is it too late for this one?

Ver. 1.1.0 (Released April 27, 2021)

Feature Added

• You can now play the following modes over the internet:

  • Mario Party

  • Partner Party

  • Free Play (Minigames)

Playing over the internet

• To play over the internet, select either Mario Party, Partner Party, or Minigames, then select Online Play.

• There are two ways to play over the internet: Friend Match, where you can play with Friends, and Private Game, where you can play with anyone using passwords.

• The combinations through which you can play over the internet are as follows:

  • Up to 1 player per system (you can play with between 2 and 4 players)

  • Up to 2 players per system (you can play with between 3 and 4 players)

  If two players are each playing on their own systems, they cannot play with two players using a third system.

• Playing over the internet supports the Invite Friend feature. If you select Invite Friend on the screen at which you’re waiting for rivals, your selected Friends can join from the Online Play Invites on their user-page icon in the top left of the HOME Menu.

  • Online Mariothon does not support the Invite Friend feature.

• When playing over the internet, all 20 characters and all maps are available, regardless of your current in-game progress.

• When playing over the internet, 70 of the total 80 minigames are available to play.

• The following 10 minigames are not available when playing over the internet.

  • Strike It Rich

  • Time to Shine

  • Take a Stab

  • All-Star Swingers

  • Rhythm and Bruise

  • Pep Rally

  • Wiped Out

  • Fiddler on the Hoof

  • Clearing the Table

  • Baton and On

• Play data won’t be saved when playing over the internet.