Mario is one of if not the most iconic figures in Video Games and has plenty of subgenres but of those Super Mario series might just be the most known. With The Super Mario Bros. Movie taking the world by storm what better time than now to talk about our Top 5 Best Super Mario Games Of All Time! Now to be fair, per the Mario wiki there are 21 main games in the Super Mario subgenre with even more remakes and ports behind them. With that being said there are plenty of options and orders but we will stick to the main 21 games for this list.
5. Super Mario 64 (N64/Switch)
To start off our list of the Top 5 Best Super Mario Games we have Super Mario 64! The game set the standard for what a 3D platformer is meant to be. To think that this game is still so good today is crazy, Super Mario 64 was the first game I personally ever played and to think how much this game really was so well made right from the start makes me very happy. Mario is still controlled much the same way as he was back in SM64 and luckily for us, Super Mario 64 is available on Switch through the limit-time Super Mario 3D All-Stars.
4. Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)
Only losing the game of the year award to The Legend of Zelda: Breathe of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey was in good company when it came out. It stays in good company as it joins our Top 5 Best Super Mario Games of all time at number 4! The mixture of open-world and platforming sections brings us back to what so many fans were asking for, for so long. The wonderful mix of art styles and inhabitants works way better than I ever thought they would and in the end just makes Super Mario Odyssey fun and fresh.
3. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii/Switch)
Now to be honest both Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 could and likely should make our Top 5 Best Super Mario Games list. With that being said I can throw them both together and squeeze in one more wonderful game! Bringing Mario into space turned out to be a great idea as it allowed fun game mechanics based around gravity! Both Galaxy games are truly incredible and deserve your time. All that alongside Rosalina and the Lumas’ getting their own story told makes them must plays in the Super Mario series!
2. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
One of the most influential games in the Super Mario game subgenre. Super Mario Bros. 3 made not only a monumental jump in quality but also really laid the groundwork for what the series looks like today. SMB3 is also full of hidden stages, secrets, and suits. Not only does SMB3 hit right in the nostalgic vibes but it is also just as playable and fresh as it was all the way back in 1990. Much like number 1 on our list SMB3 should always be on every list of the Best Super Mario Games and in our opinion, the top two can interchange but they both have to be in it.
1. Super Mario World (SNES)
There is and probably always will be a debate on whether Super Mario World or Super Mario Bros. 3 is a better game and at the end of the day I will never be upset as long as you list one of the two as the best. For me though Super Mario World just edges out the latter. With the introduction of Yoshi and an overworld featuring multiple paths. Super Mario World is simply filled with fun content and secrets to go around making it number 1 on our list of the Top 5 Best Super Mario Games!
Didn’t get enough Mario? Be sure to check out our list of the Top 5 Best Mario Subgenres!