Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Party Dash is a colorful, character-led party game with four main festival events, and critics’ main reservation is that the limited event variety can make repeat play feel stale. It is most likely to appeal to existing Umamusume fans who value the cast and presentation; buyers looking for a deep minigame collection or strong solo replay value should be cautious. This assessment draws on published product information and reviews, not hands-on testing.
What is Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Party Dash?
Released on August 30, 2024, Party Dash is a party-action spin-off developed by Arc System Works and published by Cygames. It is available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam. The premise is a school festival called the Slapdash Grand Prix, built around four events in which teams run, shoot, and eat their way toward victory.
Cygames’ product copy, reproduced on Nintendo’s UK listing, describes a “colorful cast of pixel-art Umamusume” competing in those four events. Nintendo’s listing says up to 25 pixel-art characters can be unlocked. That character count and the 4.5 GB download size apply to the Switch information on that regional page; storefront details can vary by region and platform. Nintendo lists English among the supported languages. Nintendo UK product listing
What do the reviews say?
Metacritic’s PC page showed a Metascore of 68/100 from eight critic reviews and a user score of 6.7/10 from 12 user ratings when checked on October 8, 2026. All eight critic reviews were classified as mixed. These are small-sample, changeable aggregates for the PC version, not scores for every platform or a measure of sales or player numbers. Metacritic reviews and ratings
#1 Best Overall
- Bring the party on 5 classic boards from the Nintendo 64 Mario Party games
- Show your friends and family who’s boss in 100 minigames from throughout the Mario Party series
- All game modes can be played online
- Matches with friends in board game mode are saved after each turn both locally and online—pick up where you left off
- Play using a single Joy-Con controller, two Joy-Con with the Joy-Con grip accessory, Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, or Nintendo Switch Lite system
What reviewers liked
- Pixel-art presentation: Reviews commonly praise the colorful visuals and the appeal of seeing the Umamusume cast in a different style.
- Fan-focused character material: Story interactions and character appeal are a stronger draw for people who already follow the franchise.
What reviewers questioned
- Four main events may not sustain variety: The compact event lineup is the most consistent reservation. Repeating the same activities can feel stale, especially for players expecting a large, rotating collection of party minigames.
- Replay value depends on how you play: Reviews suggest that playing with friends or online opponents can make the events more appealing, while the game may offer less staying power for solo players.
- Franchise familiarity matters: The character and fan-service appeal may mean more to existing Umamusume fans than to newcomers who have no investment in the cast.
Is it worth buying?
It is a reasonable candidate for an Umamusume fan who wants more time with the characters and is comfortable with a small set of party events. It is a harder recommendation for someone whose priority is extensive minigame variety or a long solo campaign. The published reviews point to those as the key trade-offs rather than suggesting that the game offers a broad party-game package.
The product page lists one to four players, with local and online play. That player range establishes the available modes, but it does not guarantee that online matchmaking will be active or that a particular group will find the events replayable. Consider whether you have people to play with and whether the event format suits your group. Cygames product information
Rank #2
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
Platforms, online play, and editions
Cygames lists Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam versions, alongside digital standard and special editions. The special editions include the Party Dash Team Bundle; check the current listing on your chosen storefront to confirm exactly what it contains. Cygames says online multiplayer on Switch requires Nintendo Switch Online, while the PS4 version requires PlayStation Plus. Steam has a different service setup; the console subscription requirements do not apply to it.
Current prices and a physical release are not established by the product information cited here, so compare the live storefront listings before deciding which edition to buy.
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Best Value
- Features exclusive cover artwork only available on Amazon
- Wield fun weapons: tanks, helicopters, dinosaurs, toy hammers and more
- Master the head stomp, wall jump, slope slide and other cool skills
- Adventure through unique colorful themes in this vibrant platforming adventure
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Rank #4
- A Mario game for up to four players, featuring five playable characters; Luigi's first starring role in a platforming adventure, Super Luigi U, is getting the deluxe treatment too and comes packed in
- A single Joy-Con controller is all each player needs; enjoy 164 courses for up to four players anytime, anywhere
- Mario, Luigi and Toad are all here and if that's not enough, Nabbit and Toadette are joining in the fun as well; nabbit doesn't take damage from enemies, which can really come in handy
- Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
- International products have separate terms, are sold from abroad and may differ from local products, including fit, age ratings, and language of product, labeling or instructions.
Rank #3
- Enjoy a download code for the full Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game and a 3-month Nintendo Switch Online Individual Membership**.
- 7” OLED touch screen
- Three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Local co-op***, local wireless***, and online**** multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
