Top 10 Mario Games of All Time

Top 10 Mario Games REDUX We’d be happy to adventure with the plucky plumber any day, but these titles stand out as being particularly solid! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today, we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Mario Games REDUX! For this list, we’re looking at the best Mario games to launch since the mustachioed hero made his 1981 debut. Please note that we’re only looking at the core, platforming series. So, as much as we love “Super Mario RPG”, we can’t count it. Sorry!

#10: “Super Mario Bros” (1985)

It’s the game that started it all! Well… technically Mario had appeared in three arcade games before this one. But this was the first game that made the character a household name. “Super Mario Bros” continues to be regarded as one of the best video games ever made. It’s a released that helped shape gaming as a medium, and has been the central inspiration for thousands of games that followed, (Check out our Most Influential Series on MojoPlays). With its impressive level design and unique art style, “Super Mario Bros” has become such an icon of the industry that it’s been widely used to teach game design. There certainly is a lot to learn here!

#9: “Super Mario Sunshine” (2002)

When Mario and Peach finally decide to take a vacation, they arrive in Isle Delfino only to discover that a Mario imposter has been causing trouble. “Super Mario Sunshine” wasn’t on our original list, but after much consideration, and with more time, we’ve decided that it deserves to a spot. Compared to the more traditional Mario games, “Sunshine” was unconventional with its gameplay, focusing more on FLUDD’s mechanics while occasionally throwing in some classic 3D platforming. It was colorful, vibrant, and fun game; one that’s left us longing for the day we return to Isle Delfino.

#8: “Super Mario 3D World” (2012)

The Wii U was an interesting console but it suffered in terms of its library of titles. “Super Mario 3D World” was one of the few reasons really compelling reasons to buy the console. The levels weren’t incredibly complicated, but they were still fun to explore as we searched for secret areas and green Power Stars. Where “3D World” truly shines is in the multiplayer, where up to four players can venture together while competing for points and throwing each other off cliffs. It’s pure and simple fun, and sometimes, that’s all we want from a Mario game!

#7: “Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island” (1995)

Hey, it’s still a part of the Mario games! Just look at the title. Anyways, “Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island” is one of the more unique Mario games ever released Players controlled different colored Yoshis to protect Baby Mario while eating enemies and turning them into eggs. This is where the game’s creativity truly shines as you’ll use these eggs in a variety of ways from taking down bigger baddies to solving puzzles. Oh, and we can’t forget the charming music and art style! To this day, we’re always happen to revisit “Yoshi’s Island”, even though we know Baby Mario is going to irritate us with his incessant crying.

#6: “Super Mario Maker” (2015)

We had been waiting AGES to get a game where we get to make our own Mario levels. Heck, that’s been almost every kid’s dream since the ‘80s! Luckily, Nintendo answered our prayers when it launched “Super Mario Maker” in September 2015. You had access to almost every block, power-up, and enemy that’s been in Super Mario 1, 3, World & U, granting players the ability to continuously create to their heart’s content. It may not have been enough to push Wii U sales, but “Super Mario Maker” was the absolute best way to celebrate the plumber’s 30th anniversary. Hopefully we’ll see it on the Switch soon? Please Nintendo? Pretty Please?

#5: “Super Mario Galaxy 2” (2010)

If, like so many people, you couldn’t get enough of “Super Mario Galaxy”, chances are your wallets were barking for its sequel. “Super Mario Galaxy 2” took everything that made its predecessor so great and somehow made it better! The game evokes a sense of wonder and excitement with its imaginative worlds and creative level design. On top of that, every mechanic is satisfying to pull off, from the way Mario controls to swinging with Yoshi’s tongue. And yes, the music is just as beautiful as the first game! There’s just so much in “Galaxy 2” that puts a smile on our faces, it was more than deserving of the near-perfect review scores it received!

#4: “Super Mario World” (1991)

Decades after its release, this title is still considered one of the best video games of all time.“Super Mario World” honored the Mario formula fans loved while injecting new and exciting ideas. The maps were clittered with hidden areas, encouraging players to thoroughly explore levels from top to bottom. The new cape power-up was incredibly fun to use thanks to its simple controls. This was also the first time players were introduced to Yoshi, who fans soon fell in love with while subjecting the character to countless deaths in many bottomless pits. “Super Mario World” was the pinnacle of the Super Nintendo, and it’s a title that every Mario fan should play.

#3: “Super Mario Odyssey” (2017)

“Super Mario Odyssey” isn’t just one of the best games on the Switch. It was one of the best games to come out of 2017! After failing to stop Bowser from kidnapping Peach for the billionth time, Mario and his new pal, Cappy, must travel the globe to track them down. Despite having a relatively short campaign, “Odyssey” will keep you busy long after the credits roll. You’ll find yourself wanting to explore every corner of every Kingdom, and the game constantly rewards you for doing so with its hundreds of collectible Power Moons. With a jazzy theme song to boot, this Odyssey is one we never want to end.

#2: “Super Mario 64” (1996)

“Super Mario 64” was revolutionary in how it managed to transition Mario from 2D to 3D without causing the core gameplay to suffer, which was something many franchises struggled with for years to come. While the camera is quick to remind us of how this game has aged, we can’t resist coming back to its imaginative environments like Bob-omb Battlefield, Jolly Roger Bay, and Lethal Lava Land. Additionally, each world had its own set of gimmicks both thematically and mechanically, making for some unique and rewarding missions. We could go on about how we still play this over two-decades-old game, but we’d be here all day! Before we jump up to our top pick, here are a few Honorable Mentions… “Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins” (1992) “New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe” (2019) “Super Mario Galaxy” (2007) “Super Mario Bros 2” (1988) “Donkey Kong” [Game Boy] (1994)

#1: “Super Mario Bros 3” (1990)

“Super Mario Bros 3” withstands the test of time like few other games. Not only was this one of the most fun Mario games, it was also one of Mario’s most challenging. While some levels were a straightforward good time, others would test your skill through a variety of means, like the monstrous Cheep Cheep in the water levels or the chaotic airships, where cannons and flamethrowers fire in all directions. We can’t forget about the addictive multiplayer either, which let friends play through the game cooperatively or competitively. With an awesome soundtrack to boot, “Super Mario Bros. 3” remains Mario’s greatest adventure yet, even against steep competition.