With Mario having recently made the jump to the big screen (again) with the release of the Super Mario Bros movie, it’s a great time to leap into the world of Mario games. To celebrate, we’re ranking the ten best Super Mario games of all time, so you know what is worth picking up in the land of the famous Italian plumber.
However, naming the best Super Mario games of all time won’t be easy. It’s a franchise with so much history and so many iterations, that everyone will have their own opinions about what the ranking should be. These are ours – do you agree?
Credit: Nintendo
Unpolished but undoubtedly charming, Super Mario Sunshine is a bit of a black sheep in the list of the best Super Mario games. As the sequel to Super Mario 64, it had lofty expectations, which Nintendo hoped to reach through the addition of the Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device (F.L.U.D.D.), a new unique game mechanic. It proved a clunky addition, but Super Mario Sunshine still has plenty to offer those wanting to experience the best Mario games of all time.
Credit: Nintendo
When it comes to co-op fun, Super Mario 3D World is near-peerless. You and three friends can explore its vibrant stages together, defeating enemies and solving puzzles as a team. It adds a little bit of chaos to the Mario formula, and it works a treat. You can still play the Wii U version, but we’d recommend picking it up on the Nintendo Switch for the best co-op experience. When talking about all of the Super Mario games ranked, you can’t leave out Super Mario 3D World.
Credit: Nintendo
This is the classic Mario side-scrolling formula at its peak potential. In Super Mario Maker 2, players are able to make their own custom stages, before sharing it with the rest of the community. The game makes it super easy to find other levels to play, meaning you’ll never run out of things to do. It’s an incredible tool set, and for that reason alone it shoots into the list of the best Super Mario games of all time.
Credit: Nintendo
Super Mario. Bros Wonder is the latest evolution of the Mario formula. Taking the series back to its side-scrolling roots, it evolves the level design in interesting ways, with dynamic worlds that change as you move through them. New power-ups give Mario and friends new powers, making this one of the best Mario games of all time. We think this one will age extremely gracefully and be well-regarded for years to come.
Credit: Nintendo
Super Mario Galaxy 2 was more of the same from the original game. Platforming levels are based on 3D planets, with Mario needing to hop between galaxies to collect Power Stars. Like its predecessor, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is one of the best games on the Wii, polishing the details from the original. When looking at the best Super Mario games ranked, it’s hard to ignore Super Mario Galaxy 2.
Credit: Nintendo
Despite being released back in 1988, Super Mario Bros. 3 remains one of the best Mario games of all time, as well as one of the best NES games. Many would even have it higher on their lists, thanks to what it achieved at the time. Simply put, Super Mario Bros. 3 was a colossal step forward for the franchise. Innovative level design, strong visuals, new mechanics – you name it, Super Mario Bros. 3 did it. It’s everything you could ever want in a sequel.
Credit: Nintendo
In one of the best Super Mario games of all time, the Italian plumber heads to outer space. Super Mario Galaxy changed what was possible in the series, introducing new gravity mechanics while sending Mario on a new adventure spanning numerous galaxies. It’s a unique experience that stunned gamers upon release, which is why it’s so high in our list of the best Super Mario games, ranked.
Credit: Nintendo
Over the years, all of the best Super Mario games have done one thing right: innovating in unique ways on what came before. Super Mario Odyssey is another perfect example of this. Mario heads to various Kingdoms alongside his new sidekick Cappy, where players must help the duo complete various objectives to once again save Princess Peach from Bowser. In many ways, this is a huge spiritual successor to Super Mario 64, just with more modern game design elements.
Credit: Nintendo
For many players, Super Mario 64 will go straight to the top of this list, and that’s totally valid. Widely regarded as one of the best video games ever made, Super Mario 64 is often credited as having created the formula for the 3D platformer as we know it. The game sees Mario travel to various stages by jumping into paintings in Princess Peach’s castle, where he must collect stars on each level to progress further into the game. In each level are various puzzles and mini-games, meaning there’s a great variety in gameplay here. It’s simply one of the best Super Mario games of all time, and there’s no argument about that.
Credit: Nintendo
Super Mario World is extremely similar to Super Mario Bros. 3, in that its presence here is based on how it innovates on the early titles in the series. The thing is, Super Mario World just does it better. It’s a game that rewards exploration, despite remaining a 2D title, giving players various routes to finish each level. A simple detour can become a whole new level, and on top of this, it just feels awesome, even over three decades on. For our money, Super Mario World is the best Mario game of all time, and should be celebrated as such.
That concludes our ranking of the 10 best Super Mario games of all time. Do you think we got it right, or are there any you think we’ve missed?
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