If you've never played a Mario Party game, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. Well, wonder no longer, as today we're going to take you through everything you need to know to have a successful Mario Party with Super Mario Party, whether you're aged 8, or 88, or maybe some age in-between.

We start with an obvious one — after all, you can't have a party on your own, can you?

Don't play on your lonesome

First of all, and we can't stress this enough, Mario Party is best with four real people. You can still absolutely have a blast with just two or three, but you'll really be missing out if you never go the full four-player affair. Make sure the people you invite are into it as well; don't force people into playing as it's likely they may not enjoy themselves and could end up bring everyone else down as well. Willing attendees are an absolute must.

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Image: Nintendo

Nibbles are essential

Secondly, get something supremely tasty in to gobble whilst you play. It doesn't matter whether it's pizza or your signature homemade red onion flan, as long as there's something for everyone to enjoy, you're golden. Given the amount of time some of these epic Mario Party sessions can take, sustenance is going to be very welcome indeed - your fellow party members will thank you for being a dutiful host, that's for sure.

Don't be too precious

Oh, and if you're concerned about greasy or sticky fingers on your shiny/matte Joy-Con, just take a deep breath and accept that they're bound to get a bit mucky when other humans are involved. You can always clean them up in an instant once you're done, just use some gentle screen cleaner and a microfibre cloth and within moments they'll feel brand new. Don't bog other people down with your clean-freak tendencies when they're having fun; everything can be cleaned, disinfected and thoroughly sanitised after everyone has gone home.

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Image: Nintendo Life

Plan ahead

Fourthly, it's vital that you plan your play session well in advance. If you've got a whole bunch of time to spare, make the most of it but don't assume that everyone will want to play for 20 long turns. It's not exactly going to end up being a day-long session of Risk, but Mario Party can go on longer than you might think, and not everyone's going to be into that.

Start off with a nice easy ten-turn game and go from there; if people love it, then you can consider a longer game, by all means. Test the waters first, especially if you have Mario Party novices on board.

Lubricate your socials

And fifthly, if you're of the adult disposition, you should absolutely consider introducing some alcohol into the mix (provided you or someone else isn't teetotal; try to respect other people's life choices to ensure nobody ends up feeling left out). A little social lubricant can get everyone playing seriously involved, and the more boundaries you break down, the more fun you're all likely to have. And that's the name of the game, right?

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Image: Nintendo Life

If you're feeling brave (and, again, are old enough) you can even take things a step further and turn the whole session into one massive drinking game. We're not going to give you any rules here, but even if it's just something as simple as 'drink as many times as the number you rolled' you can dial up the fun factor so far you won't even care about the inevitable splitting hangover the next day. Maybe.

As you can appreciate, these are relatively loose rules and tips for having a good time in the company of some friends with one of the Switch's most social experiences. Have you got any tips for a successful Mario Party of your own? Let us know in the comments below.