Video Games

The 10 Best Super Mario Games of All Time

Mario is arguably one of the most famous and iconic characters in any medium. He’s been in hundreds of games on about a dozen platforms, making at least twice as much work as he does. Now that the new Super Mario Bros. His movie is out, it’s clear that Mario’s era is just beginning.

Ultimately, though, it was the core of the Mario platformer games that players kept playing over and over again for 40 years. So, without further ado, these are our picks for the 10 best Super Mario games of all time.

Note: This list was originally published in 2017 but has been updated to take into account new games. We excluded non-platformer titles like Super Mario Maker from our ranking.

10. Super Mario 3D Land

Super Mario 3D Land was a frontrunner for the best handheld Mario game until the Nintendo Switch arrived. The 3DS entry is jam-packed with the most fun, bite-sized Mario levels, and packed with content. Great for on-the-go play, Super Mario 3D Land delves into all the tricks from the Mario Design Handbook, whether it’s perfect 3D platforming or retro 2.5D retro levels. It also took advantage of the system’s glasses-free 3D in a way that no other game has, making the game really feel alive.

read us Review of Super Mario 3D Land.

9. Super Mario Sunshine

Super Mario Sunshine may have tried to sell itself with a bizarre premise (Mario cleans up the gunk around a tropical island?), but it seems that FLUDD as both a cleaning tool and a platforming device is a The addition soared the series to new heights in some very clever ways. Method. Featuring some of the most vibrant levels worth coming back for, along with some genuinely challenging segments, Yoshi is accessible in a 3D playground full of great platforming possibilities It is now

read us Super Mario Sunshine review.

8. Super Mario Bros.

A book could be written about how Super Mario Bros. not only saved the video game industry, but paved the way for our medium for the next three decades. It cemented our fearless plumber as synonymous with video games. It offered perfectly tailored challenges while encouraging exploration and experimentation. And it gave the player a sense of ownership through Mario’s pinpoint inertia, which had rarely been seen in games up to that point. But aside from the undeniable mark that the NES masterpiece left on history, it’s the details that have stuck with us all this time — like the bush where the clouds have just changed their palette. Or how the increased tempo of Koji Kondo’s incredible score matches the dwindling timer. There’s a reason Super Mario Bros. has been re-released about 100 times in the last 30 years.

read us Super Mario Bros. review.

7. Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World is not only one of the best games on the Wii U, it’s been hailed as one of the absolute best Mario adventures. It builds on the diorama feel of 3D Land, enlarging the levels, filling them with interesting puzzles, and constantly switching aesthetics. You can also play through his entire 3D world with three friends, making for the best multiplayer in the history of the series. Finally, it incorporates a ton of classic Mario power-ups while introducing a few that are pretty much necessary for all Mario adventures for the rest of the time. If you see yourself using Double Cherry to clone, your life will never be the same again.

read us Super Mario 3D World review.

6. Super Mario Galaxy 2

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a 3D Mario game, Super Mario Bros. 3 is a 2D iteration, pure platform goodness. SMG 2, the immediate follow-up to Galaxy 1, isn’t quite as amazing as its predecessor, but it’s far more polished. It’s focused on pushing players, making smart tweaks and additions to the formula while also focusing on what made the first game such a breath of fresh air. The inclusion of new powers such as the Drill Suit and Cloud Suit opens up even more possibilities for gravity-based challenges. But Galaxy 2 not only throws in new ideas on an already solid foundation, but it feels like the culmination of so many ideas from past Mario experiences brought together in a great platformer, making it one of the most difficult Even if there is a pleasure to play.

read us Super Mario Galaxy 2 review.

5. Super Mario Galaxy

If there’s one Mario game that embodies the pure creativity and sense of wonder at the heart of the series, it’s the first Super Mario Galaxy. The Galaxy 2 may have improved on many of those ideas, but it also builds on the foundation the Galaxy laid, one of the strongest found in the world of video games. Levels morphed from mere worlds to galaxies, with countless planets and open spaces in between, with each new area offering its own gameplay challenge and pushing the boundaries of what was possible on the Wii hardware. . With its striking design, hauntingly whimsical, orchestral soundtrack and striking visuals that still look great, understand why Galaxy is still regarded as one of the greatest Mario games of all time. It’s not difficult to do.

read us Super Mario Galaxy review.

4. Super Mario 64

Much has been said about the impact Super Mario 64 had on game design and how it “feels” and interacts with 3D environments. It’s hard to bear wasting minutes in the opening castle garden just running, jumping and flipping, or about introducing the player to his 3D platforming. How thoughtful! In this game you get to meet Lakitu’s cameraman in person! But what’s most notable about this game is that it’s part of an era of games that, even today, 27 years later, still look beautiful and haven’t degraded. Nevertheless, how fresh, fun, and playable it is.

If you think Mario 64 is in the top 10 based on pedigree and clout alone, give it another try. It takes the concept of multi-stage exits from his 2D predecessor and offers the perfect little playground filled with carefully increasing difficulty tasks and scavenger hunts. At the core of this timeless game system is a physics engine that lets you enjoy mass, weight, inertia, size and even time. It’s clear that the designers have carefully placed each block, seesaw, slide, trap and enemy to challenge and entertain. It may not be the best Mario game on our list, but there’s no denying that Super Mario 64 is a timeless and rare 3D classic of the highest quality.

read us Super Mario 64 review.

3. Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario World has expanded the possibilities of Mario games to be more than level-beating platformer challenges, but those challenges are rarely as pixel-perfect as Super Mario Bros. 3. There was no. (World 1-3’s Warp Whistle is still one of the best surprises of the 8-bit generation), SMB 3 also tackled some really tough challenges across the Eight Kingdoms. From Giant Land’s hilarious perspective shifts to Dark Land’s brutal challenges, SMB 3 did not lack in inventive world design, but it set the precedent for power-ups in Mario’s world and future installments. After all, there are few wardrobe changes better than a Tanooki suit.

read us Super Mario Bros. 3 review.

2. Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey truly brought plumbers to a new generation. As part of the Nintendo Switch launch, Nintendo beat out everyone’s favorite plumber for new adventures around the world. It really felt like a back-to-basics approach, except for the unique hat mechanic that allowed Mario to transfer his consciousness to objects and enemies. The strength of Super Mario Odyssey lies in its pure gameplay. Not since Mario 64 has his 3D platformer played and looked this good.

read us Super Mario Odyssey review.

1. Super Mario World

Super Mario World has taken all the greatness of the original Nintendo Mario and multiplied it by at least 100x. As a testament to its pitch-perfect gameplay, Super Mario World ranks first in countless “Greatest of All Time” titles. ‘ is listed and for good reason. Built on the framework of Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World expands the overworld map, introduces more challenges and powers, and reveals more secrets than anyone could have predicted in 1990. I packed it into my cart of bits. The future of the franchise is undoubtedly focused on exploration. Some levels contain multiple paths and exits, revealing entire secret worlds filled with switch palaces, secret levels and even the most challenging platforming levels ever created Become.

Mechanically, it’s a dream to play. Every jump, every fireball, every cape spin works exactly like its predecessor, and with this reliability, a seasoned player will have a whopping 96 You can navigate levels in Dinosaur Land. In addition to this, the game is full of detail and charm with some of the best sprite animation to date. When Mario jumps, his hat pops off his head a little, and when he flies, he holds the horns of his cloak to catch the wind. The animation, which now seems to be taken for granted, shows an attention to detail, adds a huge amount of character to every action, and brings Mario and his goofy supporting cast of friends and foes to life not just on the NES but on Nintendo forever. has been established as the mainstay of

read us Super Mario World review.

Do you agree with our list? Let us know in the comments or create your own Top 10 using the IGN Playlist.

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