The Game of Life: Super Mario Edition
Price: $14.99 | Rating: 4.7★ (4,736 reviews)
Remember when The Game of Life was about mortgages and mid-life crises? Hasbro just slapped a Super Mario coat of paint on it, tossed in minigames, and made defeating Bowser your “retirement goal.” It’s Mario Kart without the actual kart physics. So real death is off the table, but coin-collecting smugness remains intact. The Game of Life: Super Mario Edition!
Key Features
- Inspired by Super Mario – Play as Mario, Luigi, Peach or Yoshi with familiar artwork straight from the Mushroom Kingdom.
- Move Through the Mushroom Kingdom – Choose your own looping path, from Goomba Meadows to Boo Woods.
- Battle Bowser – Amass stars (each adds +1 to your spin), then out-spin a 12 to dethrone the King of Koopas.
- Minigames & Stars – Rock-Paper-Scissors, Thumb Wars, Spin-Offs and “Gotcha” cards let you steal stars, coins or even skip turns.
- Family Fun – 2–4 players, ages 8+, with 30–45 minute sessions perfect for game night trash talk and sibling rivalries.
What We Like
- Accessible Chaos – Rulebook is thinner than a Piranha Plant stalk; kids pick it up fast.
- “Gotcha” Cards – Nothing forges childhood grudges like swiping a star right before Bowser’s Castle.
- Minigame Variety – From thumb wars to RPS, there’s enough randomness to keep veteran gamers off-balance.
Pro Tips
- Hoard Stars Early – Even one extra star can turn a botched spin into a Bowser defeat. Prioritize star spaces over coin farms.
- Timing Your “Gotcha” – Save steal cards for top-seed players; laughing at their face when you swipe 3 stars is the best minigame reward.
- House-Rule for Thumb Wars – Substitute with Rock-Paper-Scissors if your 8-year-old is getting elbowed out of the arena.
Community Voices
- “Just enough choices to feel engaged, but not enough to cause tears over turn one.” – The Webers
- “Adorable and easy to tweak for younger kids. Teaming up saved our 4-year-old’s dignity.” – KC
- “Perfect for game night. We’ve never laughed so hard when Luigi got robbed of his last star.” – Zach & Jackie
Final Verdict
At $14.99, The Game of Life: Super Mario Edition is a breezy 30-minute romp through coin pursuits and Bowser tirades. You won’t retire wealthy, but you will earn bragging rights for best spin, best steal, and best Mario-style smack talk. Final score: 4★ from SkepticalGamer—buy it for nostalgia, keep it for chaos.
