Conga Master Party Review

Ah, the conga. It certainly adds another dimension to a stale, boring old queue system, doesn’t it?

Strangely, though, despite the fame it’s achieved through films and literature, it’s not had much of an impact on the games industry. Until recently, that is. Conga Master Party from Undercoders and Rising Star Games is bringing the fun from PC and console versions to Switch while adding a bunch of new stuff to round out the package.

Perhaps the biggest addition is the amiibo support which adds cool, cosplay costumes to the existing playable characters. Strangely, though, they’re not Nintendo themed. For instance, Pelvis gets a fireman costume and there’s some decent Westworld cosplay with Deloris. Though at least Akane looks like an Inkling! Conga Master Party is compatible with most main amiibos like Mario and Zelda, which is cool, but it’s a surprise not to see some plumber hats, moustaches and even a Tom Nook. Who wouldn’t want to see Tom Nook do the conga?

But it’s a cool inclusion all the same and it’s great to see third party Amiibo support in games on Switch. Other new features include the ability to support four players on one Switch console by sharing two Joy-Cons between them, ten new characters, new stages, and even more multiplayer modes.

And that’s where Conga Master Party is at its best when you’ve got a group of friends together looking to play something off-the-wall and random. The game’s multiplayer modes each offer something a little bit different, like striking dance poses ala Just Dance or the 1,2 Conga where players have to win a Rock, Paper, Scissors battle using their Joy-Con.

It’s a simple premise in that you choose a character to start a conga line with, bust out some moves on the dance floor and try to get random stragglers to follow you so you can leave the nightclub. Be careful, though, as you have to steer clear of cleaners who leave streaking lines on the floor, as well as banana peels, stray chairs, and even pigs who appear to have escaped from the sty. You also have to be careful about bumping into the dancers you’re trying to get your line. You don’t want to be rude, after all.

You steer your character and line using the L and R buttons, circling your way around people with different icons floating above their head. By collecting multiple people at once, you build up a combo, which, in turn, temporarily freezes the momentum bar, making it easier to complete your conga quest. There are four different types of dancer you need to get to join your conga line and once you’ve met the quota for each level, the nightclub doors reopen and you can move onto the next stage. All while making sure you maintain momentum, not allowing it to drain away. Fortunately, you can get different power-ups to help you along the way, like distance attraction and freezing the momentum bar temporarily.

There are four different categories of people you need to get to join your conga line and once you’ve met the quota for each level, the nightclub doors reopen and you can move onto the next stage. All while making sure you maintain momentum, not allowing it to drain away. Fortunately, you can get different power-ups to help you along the way, like distance attraction and freezing the momentum bar temporarily. You can also speed up around the dance floor, which may end up becoming necessary when you’re on the clock!

It’s such a simple premise but it becomes surprisingly compelling and addictive. Even more so when you’re trying to find hidden areas in each of the nightclubs and end up stumbling across small boxing matches and couples making out at the back on the sofa.

And the game is chock-full of quirky 70s, 80s and 90s references with the ability to conga as Travolta, Gene Simmons, and even Robocop! You even have to guide your conga line to safety away from the prying laser beams of aliens.

Unfortunately, the game comes undone a bit if you’re playing solo. The campaign is pretty limited and repetitive. Honestly, you’re missing out on the best bits of the game. But if you’ve got a regular group of people who like some good co-operative or competitive fun, then this is a great way to spend a few hours and bring out a few belly-laughs!

Pros
+ Great multiplayer blast with lots of modes
+ Surprisingly addictive.
+ amiibo support
+ Nice music variety

Cons
– Solo play is a bit basic and repetitive
– amiibo functionality could be a bit more Nintendo-specific
– Levels play out much the same way