Few video game franchises have lasted as long as the iconic Mario, with the earliest titles released in the 1980s and up until today it seems that Nintendo's mascot has never lost its popularity. By now it seems likely that the moustachioed Italian plumber will outlive us all, but at this time we're taking a look at the past, both distant and recent, to list our 10 best Mario games of all time.
Table of Contents
- 10. Mario Party 2 (N64 1999)
- 9. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GC 2004)
- 8. Super Mario RPG (Switch 2023)
- 7. Super Mario 3D World (Wii U 2013)
- 6. Super Mario Wonder (Switch 2023)
- 5. Super Mario World (SNES 1990)
- 4. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii 2007)
- 3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch 2017)
- 2. Super Mario 64 (N64 1996)
- 1. Super Mario Bros. (NES 1985)
Selecting only 10 games was a difficult task for such a long-lived and diverse series, but we attempted to pick the best of the best, whether it was Mario's original 2D platformers or modern 3D adventures made popular thanks to the Nintendo Switch as well as several outstanding spin-off games, so let’s check out our top 10 Mario games of all time.
10. Mario Party 2 (N64 1999)
The famous Nintendo 64 analogue stick destruction software better known as Mario Party has reached its peak with the game's sequel - or maybe it's just nostalgia? Anyhow, a large number of unique mini-games and an all-star character roster helped this particular edition of Mario Party to remain a fan favourite even after numerous subsequent sequels and reboots, which makes it one of the best Mario games of all time.
As with all Mario Party games, the real fun is in the “friendly” competition with three other players, in the same room, to see who will be the first to break their controller from aggressive button mashing and shaking that fragile analogue stick. You can relive some of those moments on Nintendo Switch now since Mario Part 2 was recently added to the Nintendo Switch Online N64 catalogue.
9. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GC 2004)
Although the Paper Mario games also started their life on the N64, the most beloved sequel to the majority of Nintendo fans, including us, arrived during the GameCube era.
As a sort of spiritual successor to the Mario RPG, the Paper Mario games have always been a light RPG that provided a nice change of pace from the usual platforming adventures. The Thousand-Year Door is just a joy to play with its JRPG-like turn-based battle system, amazing graphics, and a good dose of funny moments. Its release broke the stereotypes of what a Mario game can be.
8. Super Mario RPG (Switch 2023)
The original Super Mario RPG for the Super Nintendo slipped under the radar of many gamers in 1996. Those were very late days for the SNES, and the fact that the game was never officially released in Europe didn't help either. Mario RPG was the final product of Nintendo and Square Enix's collaboration before their infamous split, and it was a genuinely unique title.
However, despite being later distributed through the Virtual Console service and included in the Mini SNES game lineup, it wasn't until 2023 that players all over the world were able to play this game again, and some for the first time, in a wonderfully remastered edition.
The new and improved Switch version introduced not only beautiful isometric 2D/3D graphics but also many quality-of-life improvements that make playing this real old-school JRPG a much easier experience.
7. Super Mario 3D World (Wii U 2013)
The fact that the original Wii did not have a new Mario game at its launch is something that Nintendo tried to remedy with a completely new 3D Mario game ready for the release of their next gaming system - the infamous Wii U. Whether you like the Wii U or not, the 3D World started there as a successor to the Nintendo 3DS Mario titles.
3D World brought back the famous Mario platformer formula with a slightly different spin and a different perspective than the classic 3D sequels like Sunshine or Galaxy. Certainly, Super Mario 3D World is still great fun for up to four players, and a title that showed us that there are still ways to repackage a classic platformer in a slightly different take on a 3D environment. Today, it is best played on Nintendo Switch in the newly remastered version that comes with a special additional game - Bowser's Fury.
6. Super Mario Wonder (Switch 2023)
2023 was a very good year for Mario games. In addition to the beautiful Mario RPG remake, we also got a brand new 2D Mario game that changed things from the ground up. Although at first glance Wonder seemed like another version of the New Super Mario Bros. series, we quickly learned that this was not the case. In addition to many fresh gimmicks, like the Wonder Flower level transformations, the brand new Mario platformer also introduced an essential update to all the usual 2D Mario mechanics and thus successfully refreshed the decades-old formula.
From the very detailed new character animations to the modified classic sounds and brand-new concepts, Wonder seems extremely new and fresh, which we did not think possible for a 2D series that has been around for so many decades. Even if it’s a very recent release Super Mario Wonder can rightfully take its place among the best Mario games of all time.
5. Super Mario World (SNES 1990)
And now for the real classics. There is little to say about the title that was bundled with Super Nintendo consoles and that came as the first major sequel after the original trilogy on the NES.
Expectations were high and Super Mario World delivered. Whether you were alive at the time to experience it all firsthand or you played this title much later through numerous re-releases one thing is certain when it comes to classic old-school 2D Mario games this was the peak.
4. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii 2007)
After the slightly shaky Sunshine on the GameCube, the first next big 3D Mario game had a big task, to somehow rekindle the magic of Mario 64 and try to reinvent 3D platforming once more.
Galaxy for the Nintendo Wii was up to the task with some of the most creative 3D levels ever as well as very impressive graphics for the time. Although the Wii was competing with much stronger systems like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 at the time, Super Mario Galaxy was still the best platformer of that generation due to its ingenious design and gameplay that still holds up well today. Super Mario Galaxy is playable today on Switch in a very nicely remastered edition.
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch 2017)
Technically, Mario Kart 8 debuted on the Wii U, but listing that version wouldn't do it justice when we consider that the upgraded Deluxe edition for Switch is also the best-selling game for the system with 57 million copies sold.
Mario Kart games have been around since the days of the SNES, but the eighth instalment in its Deluxe version is the undisputed pinnacle of the series. With the Booster Pass, which continuously brought new content up until November 2023, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe represents the largest collection of all tracks from past editions of the game alongside the longest list of playable characters. With its simplistic gameplay that can't seem to get boring even years later, whether you play solo, with friends locally or online, Mario Kart is always a good time.
2. Super Mario 64 (N64 1996)
The transition to 3D graphics during the mid-90s was an event in gaming history that challenged many developers but also captured the imagination of gamers. It was certainly a new frontier and many popular franchises have struggled with this transition, but not Nintendo.
With Super Mario 64, the launch title for the then-new N64, Nintendo changed the rules of the game and practically defined the basics for 3D platformers and third-person 3D games in general. Steadily avoiding being just a new technology showcase Shigeru Miyamoto and the team from Nintendo made a stellar game with numerous worlds, levels, secrets, and a rock-solid gameplay that holds up even today. When we consider how poorly many other early 3D games from this period have aged, it becomes even clearer how important this title was to the entire video game industry.
1. Super Mario Bros. (NES 1985)
And of course, in the first place on the best Mario games of all time list, we must have the OG 2D platformer - the first Super Mario Bros. the one that started it all. Although Mario as a character made his debut in Donkey Kong and later in the very different Mario Bros. game, this was the first true platformer that kickstarted the genre that would go to define gaming in the 80s and early 90s.
The first Super Mario Bros. is without a doubt a part of global popular culture, and probably the first thing that comes to people's mind when the term "retro video game" is mentioned.
With nearly four decades and innumerable games behind him, Mario as a character and franchise continues to entertain millions of gamers. It wasn't easy for us to pick the top ten Mario games of all time. For more Mario on Gfinity check out the release date for the upcoming Mario vs. Donkey Kong video game, or if you are still playing Super Mario RPG, we have a dedicated guide page.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!