The newly released Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a major financial success that has prompted even more people to check out the original Mario video games, which is absolutely perfect for an adaptation that was announced during the celebration of the franchise’s 40th anniversary.
10 Strongest Mario Characters of All Time, Ranked
Mario himself is a gaming icon, but is he the strongest in his universe? Here are some of the biggest contenders for that crown.
The only real question left is where to start with this franchise. After all, Mario has starred in over 300 titles, spanning all sorts of genres, including platforming, kart racing, RPGs, party games, and lots more. Needless to say, there is a lot to choose from, but only the following Mario games can be considered flawless masterpieces that everybody needs to experience at some point in their lives.
Super Mario Bros. 3
Perfected The Series’ 2D Platforming Formula
The original Super Mario Bros. is arguably the most important and influential video game ever made, as it paved the way for the entire home console market. However, when playing it today, it immediately becomes evident how simple and unimaginative Mario’s first platforming adventure is. It definitely feels like a product of its time. Truth be told, the game that effectively proved and cemented how wonderful this formula can be was actually Super Mario Bros. 3.
This sequel took everything that had made its predecessor so special, perfected it, and amped it up to eleven with inventive (but challenging) new levels, extremely catchy music, and fun new power-ups like Tanooki Mario or Frog Mario. The first Super Mario Bros. might have introduced Mario to the world, but Super Mario Bros. 3 proved that he was here to stay, which is why many old-school gamers still claim it’s the best entry in the franchise to this day.
Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars
The Perfect Mix Between Mario And Final Fantasy
By the mid-90s, Mario had already dipped his toes in other genres, including kart racing and puzzle games, yet nobody saw his foray into turn-based RPG world coming. Fortunately, it worked surprisingly well because Nintendo teamed up with Final Fantasy developer Squaresoft to make a unique, magical, and most importantly, entertaining adventure known as Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
Super Mario RPG felt like no other Mario game at the time, and for good reason. It boasted beautiful 3D-rendered graphics and a wonderful soundtrack by the legendary Yoko Shimomura, which helped it become an unforgettable experience. Additionally, its turn-based combat system was really accessible because it implemented brilliant adjustments to the genre formula, like a lack of random encounters and action commands that grow stronger with timed button inputs. The original SNES version has aged surprisingly well, but its 2023 Nintendo Switch remake is also a very solid alternative.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Two Amazing 3D Platformers For The Price Of One
Super Mario 3D World got a mixed reception when it came out back in 2013 because it was the first 3D Mario game since Super Mario Galaxy 2, but it played a lot more like both the New Super Mario Bros. series and its predecessor, Super Mario 3D Land. This change in direction would most likely have been appreciated at any other point in time, but the Wii U needed a powerful system-seller in the early 2010s, and 3D World simply did not meet those absurdly high standards.
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Being a Nintendo console, of course, the GameCube featured a bevy of Mario games, and here are all of them ranked.
Fortunately, Mario fans eventually warmed up to this game, especially after it was re-released on Nintendo Switch as Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury. The original campaign was polished and enhanced, so players were finally able to experience its addictive gameplay firsthand. It’s a good thing, too, because it possesses some of the best level design in any linear Mario game. If all that wasn’t enough, the Bowser’s Fury spin-off game offered more of that free-roaming 3D Mario formula that hadn’t been seen since Super Mario Odyssey back in 2017, not to mention that it also featured various bombastic encounters against Fury Bowser himself.
Super Mario World
The Best 2D Platformer In The Franchise
Super Mario Bros. 3 cemented Mario as a platforming icon, and its direct sequel, Super Mario World, successfully translated that formula to the 16-bit generation. By taking advantage of the SNES’s hardware power, Nintendo created what was once the most colorful and detailed installment in the Mario franchise, one that still looks extremely charming to this day.
Needless to say, the gameplay, level design, and music were better than ever before, but what turned Super Mario World into a legendary title was the addition of some of the franchise’s very best power-ups, including the Cape Feather, the Power Balloon, and, of course, the one and only Yoshi, who eventually became an iconic mainstay. Many other great 2D Mario games were made after Super Mario World, but none of them surpassed its unbelievable level of quality. Most fans agree that this is the plumber’s best 2D platformer, one that anybody even remotely interested in his origins needs to try out. They won’t regret it.
Super Mario 64
An Absolute Classic That Changed 3D Gaming Forever
Mario revolutionized the gaming industry on more than one occasion, and one of the most relevant and impactful examples was the release of Super Mario 64 in 1996. Of course, 3D games (and 3D platformers in general) were already a thing by that point, but they still felt like a novelty, and many developers were struggling to design organic movement in a three-dimensional space. Fortunately, Nintendo knocked it out of the park with Super Mario 64, which eventually influenced pretty much every other 3D game that came after it.
Thanks to the Nintendo 64’s analog stick, Mario could move in virtually any direction, which made exploring this game’s vast levels all the more entertaining and mind-blowing. Of course, Super Mario 64 wouldn’t be the masterpiece it is today if it didn’t also have impeccable level design, exciting power-ups that took advantage of the power of the N64, and a truly unforgettable soundtrack. Yes, it might feel a tad archaic when compared to its many spiritual successors, but it doesn’t change the fact that Super Mario 64 is still a joy to play today.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
An Excellent Sequel Worthy Of The ‘Galaxy’ Name
Super Mario Galaxy is the only 3D Mario game to get a direct sequel, and before it even came out, many fans were worried that it would be a simple rehash of the original (a “could have been a DLC” type of game). Fortunately, they couldn’t have been more wrong. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a worthy successor and one of the most polished and impressive 3D platformers in this franchise.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 fixes many of its predecessor’s flaws by perfecting its platforming mechanics and introducing various power-ups (none of which feel like a chore to use) that actually elevate the gameplay, like Rock Mario or Cloud Mario. While some fans still prefer the first game’s more narrative-driven campaign and non-linear structure, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is still a masterpiece that didn’t tarnish the reputation of its predecessor. If anything, both games should be played together as a single, complete experience, so it’s highly recommended that players jump directly into the second one after finishing the first.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The Most Complete Mario Kart Experience To Date
It’s safe to say that Mario Kart is the most popular and iconic series of Mario spin-offs, which is why many of its entries deserve a spot on a list like this. From Double Dash’s groundbreaking co-op gameplay to World’s ambitious open-world map, every single one of Mario’s kart racers guarantees hours of endless fun. However, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains the undefeated champion of this subseries, and it has been carrying that title for over eight years.
Mario Kart 8 was a bit of a tragic game, because it was praised for its beautiful graphics, flawless course design, and innovative mechanics (especially the antigravity mode), but it was ultimately stuck on the Wii U, a console that not many people owned. Thankfully, it was eventually ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2017. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe boasted polished gameplay and even more content, such as new characters, new karts, new courses, and a welcome (and overhauled) Battle Mode. As a result, this game feels like a complete package that can grant you hours of fun, either alone or with friends, which explains why it eventually became the best-selling Switch exclusive. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was such a massive success that Nintendo released a DLC expansion for it in 2022, five whole years after its initial launch.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
One Of The Best Turn-Based RPGs In Gaming History
Super Mario RPG may have cemented Mario as an unexpected RPG icon, but it was eventually up to Nintendo to maintain that reputation after their collaboration with Square concluded. As a result, they partnered with Intelligent Systems to create the Paper Mario series, of which the first game was received very well, but the second one became a critically-acclaimed masterpiece that is still being praised regularly today.
The 10 Most Perfect Turn-Based RPGs, Ranked
The turn-based RPG genre is getting some love thanks to Expedition 33 and BG3. Here are the most perfect games in this niche.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door stood the test of time because it has everything one expects from a high-quality RPG: lovable party members with different uses and abilities, tons of memorable locales to explore, a surprisingly deep and compelling narrative, and, of course, a unique combat system that implements timed button inputs to make the experience all the more entertaining. The Thousand-Year Door is not just the best RPG in the Mario franchise; it’s one of the greatest turn-based RPGs ever made. Fortunately for those interested in either replaying it or trying it for the first time, its 2024 Nintendo Switch remake made it more accessible to an even broader audience.
Super Mario Galaxy
A Beautiful Platforming Masterpiece That Proved Mario Games Can Be High Art
Super Mario Galaxy
- Released
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November 1, 2007
- ESRB
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E For Everyone due to Mild Cartoon Violence
The Mario IP wouldn’t be where it is today if it weren’t for Super Mario Galaxy. The franchise was in a weird spot in the early-to-mid 2000s, with most of its GameCube offerings (like Super Mario Sunshine and Luigi’s Mansion) disappointing many gamers despite their undeniable quality. Nintendo needed Mario to evolve while simultaneously releasing something that would make an impact on the market, and it definitely accomplished those two tasks when it released this excellent 3D platformer for the Wii in 2007.
Presentation-wise, Super Mario Galaxy is a magical and unforgettable experience that outclassed every single title that came before it. It’s full of vibrant, stunning levels and boasts a beautiful, orchestrated soundtrack that is often ranked among the best in the entire industry. That’s not all, because its 3D platforming is extremely entertaining, its assortment of new power-ups (like Bee Mario, Boo Mario, and Flying Mario) spice up the gameplay in inventive ways, and its story is surprisingly emotional for a mainline Mario game, especially if you take the time to read Rosalina’s Storybook. For many, Super Mario Galaxy is the perfect Mario experience, and they certainly have a point.
Super Mario Odyssey
A Flawless Globe-Trotting Adventure That Proves Why Mario Is Gaming’s Biggest Icon
Unfortunately, after the release of both Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Mario series went through another questionable period during the Wii U era. While titles like Super Mario 3D World and New Super Mario Bros. U were received quite well, they didn’t reach the same highs as the Galaxy games. Nintendo needed something refreshing and innovative to not only bring the franchise back to its former glory, but also sell more units of its upcoming hybrid console: the Nintendo Switch.
The result was Super Mario Odyssey, widely considered the greatest Mario video game ever made, no matter the genre. This title seamlessly combined the best elements of all the previous 3D platformers and elevated them with massive free-roaming sandbox levels that keep the player guessing with their creative designs. On top of that, Mario’s new capture ability, which allows him to possess and control almost any enemy he encounters, is a refreshing replacement for his usual power-ups and adds some much-needed variety to the gameplay. Of course, Super Mario Odyssey also boasts beautiful graphics, an outstanding soundtrack, and one of the most over-the-top ending sequences in the franchise. This game was so close to perfection that Nintendo has yet to make another 3D Mario platformer, even though almost nine years have passed since its release.
Mario’s 40th Anniversary: 8 Most Important Games In The Nintendo Mascot’s History
Mario is turning 40, and over the past few decades, he’s had a massive impact on how the gaming industry has grown and changed.
