Nintendo recently held a direct where they announced their plans to celebrate Mario's thirty-fifth anniversary. Among the many ways they are commemorating gaming's most famous plumber includes re-releasing a handful of his classic platforming adventures over the next several months.
Super Mario All Stars, which is already available as an SNES classic, includes four games; Super Mario 3D All Stars, which hits marketplaces on September 18th, has three titles, and Super Mario 3D World will be released separately in February. These are quite a few titles to sift through, so this list will help those wondering where to start, and what games to leave for last. objective quality and fun are considered over sentimentality and historical significance.
8 Super Mario Bros. 2
Being the worst among all time greats is not necessarily an insult. Super Mario Bros. 2 is still a fine platformer, but the changes it makes to the classic and simple platforming goodness of Super Mario Bros. does not sit right with everyone. There is a reason for this too; what released in the west as Super Mario Bros. 2 is not the true successor, but instead a resigned version of a different platformer called Doki Doki Panic, while the real Super Mario Bros. 2 only came out later as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.
7 The Lost Levels
The Lost Levels, the real sequel to Mario's platforming debut, was held back in the United States because of its high difficulty. The original Super Mario Bros. is hard, but parts of The Lost Levels just feel cruel. Because of this, it was rebranded as The Lost Levels when it finally came packed in as a part of Super Mario All Stars. In addition to the incredible challenge, it makes few innovation over its predecessor, feeling more like a level pack than a true sequel. It is only necessary if one wants something more after finishing Super Mario Bros..
6 Super Mario Sunshine
Of all the games on the list, this one's reputation decreases with age. It was celebrated upon release since fans had been deprived of a 3D Super Mario game for six years and the GameCube's visuals were simply dazzling, but the implementation of F.L.U.D.D. polarized players.
Some prefer a purer platforming experience based solely on Mario's abilities rather than relying on a gadget to complete missions. The aesthetic helps the game stand out from the crowd, however, and it is still filled with the trademark Super Mario charm.
5 Super Mario Bros.
The game that elevated the character to stardom and arguably saved the gaming medium from becoming a passing fad still holds up today thirty-five years after release. All the player can do as Mario is move, jump, crouch, and occasionally shoot fireballs, yet with just these simple mechanics the developers were able to craft a revolutionary platformer. The first level is still considered a masterclass in game design for the way it organically introduces the player to the game's features. The legendary platformer will feel better than ever on the Nintendo Switch.
4 Super Mario 3D World
Super Mario 3D World builds upon the foundation established in Super Mario 3D Land. It eschews the 2D platforming gameplay, but retains the linear level design. Up until this point, most 3D Super Mario games had been focused on exploring large environments.
The 3D Land and 3D World games provide a more concentrated platforming challenge. 3D World first came out on the Wii U and remains one of the best games for the console. With the re-release coming out on February 12th, this will make Nintendo's previous console even more useless in the living room.
3 Super Mario Bros 3.
While The Lost Levels feels like an expansion more than a sequel, Super Mario Bros. 3 takes countless steps forward, making one think multiple console generations had passed between entries. However, it was a only a three year gap between the series' debut and the third game on the Nintendo Entertainment System. The world map, power ups, and plethora of secrets all came together with the genius level design to make what is often considered the best game released on the NES.
2 Super Mario 64
The Nintendo 64 launched with just two games in the United States; Pilotwings 64 and Super Mario 64. The latter was so good, however, that it was all people needed to tide themselves over for several months until more titles came out. Not only did Super Mario 64 usher in a console generation, but it showed the world how 3D graphics were done, setting many precedents for game design. More than twenty years later and the movement feels just as good as it did in 1996. The creative missions and expansive levels never grow tiring, either.
1 Super Mario Galaxy
After thinking Super Mario has already done every trick in the book, Nintendo decided to write a new chapter. Super Mario Galaxy returns the series to a focus on platforming, but uses the cosmos to introduce wild new challenges and environments. The creative use of the Wii's unique features can also not be understated. Mario spends the levels flying between planets and going through all manner of unimaginable settings. Mario was already twenty years old in 2006, and released a game more innovative than most of its contemporaries' debut entries.