00:00Oh Mario, it's wild to think just how many memorable adventures our favourite
00:05mustachioed plumber has starred in over the years. From the classic 2D platforming that
00:10has only gotten more and more inventive, to pioneering 3D adventures, Nintendo has
00:15brought us all kinds of Mario games since its original arcade release back in the early 80s.
00:20The good news is that Mario hasn't stopped hustling. There are still tons of new games
00:25starring the hero coming out each and every year. In fact, most recently, the Switch 2 saw Mario
00:30Tennis Fever release. There will undoubtedly be more Mario adventures hitting our Switch 2s in
00:36the future as well. But for now, let's take a look back at some of his greatest hits.
00:43Super Mario Sunshine. Sandwiched between Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy, Sunshine
00:50understandably comes off as the slightly poor cousin to the two real greats of the plumber's 3D
00:56renaissance. A bizarre yet charming spin on what Mario achieved on the N64, this Gamecube great
01:02takes the icon on a lovely, eco-conscious holiday. Tasked with clearing Isle Delfino of pollution,
01:09Mario's main weapon against enemies isn't his butt stomp, but this time the inventive Flood. Flood,
01:15or flash liquidizer ultra-dousing device, is basically a water-spurting jetpack, one that
01:20propels Mario to even loftier heights. Yes, the sun-dappled island is a little samey,
01:26but this is one of the plumber's most underrated gems.
01:30Super Mario World 2 Yoshi's Island. Alright, so it doesn't feature the iconic adult
01:35soup-strainer version of Mario we all adore, but this classic SNES platformer still gives the plumber
01:41a valued role. Riding his beloved pet dinosaur for the best part of 10 hours, Yoshi's Island
01:46sees Baby Mario play a key part in his pal's best game. A thoroughly inventive platformer that creates
01:52pressure thanks to a canny timer system, get hit and Baby Mario starts to float off into the sky.
01:58Super Mario World 2 swaps precision jumps for accurate egg throws, thanks to a wonderfully child-like
02:03art style that looks like it's just been drawn by the world's biggest Mario fan in crayon. Yoshi's
02:09Island is an unconventional Mario great. Mario Kart World
02:13Mario Kart World raced onto Nintendo's new-gen console to bring us the first-ever
02:18open-world Mario Kart experience. Taking full advantage of the Switch 2's enhanced visuals,
02:23the latest racing adventure not only brings to life interconnected tracks that keep things moving
02:28at a fast, exciting pace, but it also sees 24 players hit the track at any one time to add
02:35to
02:35the hectic fun feel. It introduces new drivers, including the Moo Moo Meadows cow, and a lineup
02:41of stylish outfit variants. The main cell though is the option to explore using free roam mode. It's
02:47one of the best Switch 2 games around right now, and while 8 Deluxe may arguably be the quintessential
02:54Mario Kart title, World's ambitious new direction earns it its place on this list.
02:59Super Mario Galaxy
03:01Super Mario Galaxy captured the whimsy, grand scale, and magnificence that fans had been craving,
03:08evoking the same magic of classics like Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario 64 with its constellation
03:14of themed planets and challenging cosmic stars to collect. The imaginative planets often felt like
03:20self-contained levels, and playing them in sequence made every stage feel like an adventure in its own
03:25right. With cleverly designed boss fights, delightful new power-ups, finally we could be a boo, and some of
03:31the best level variety since Super Mario Bros 3, Galaxy was one space odyssey that did not disappoint.
03:37The release of 2020's Super Mario 3D All-Stars let it be appreciated by modern audiences too,
03:43even if it was for a limited time on digital stores, as did its recent re-release on the Nintendo
03:48eShop.
03:49The space exploring action looks incredible on that pin-sharp little screen, and thanks to Nintendo's
03:55timeless level design, the core gameplay is as monstrously moorish as ever.
04:00Super Mario World
04:01After seemingly perfecting the Mario formula with Super Mario Bros 3, you'd think Nintendo would
04:07rest on its laurels. Instead, it almost immediately got to work on trying to top the genre-defining
04:13multi-million seller, and get that successor ready for the launch of the company's second home console.
04:18And, as hard as it is to believe, the company created a game that topped its predecessor in
04:23almost every way, making it easily among the very best SNES games. Building on the rock-solid
04:29foundation of Mario 3, Super Mario World's energetic graphics immediately grabbed your attention,
04:35with colours far more vibrant than anything seen on the Genesis, let alone the NES.
04:40The classic Mario gameplay was there, and it was augmented by new tricks and abilities,
04:44not the least of which included your new dinosaur pal Yoshi. It's hard to imagine now that one of the
04:50system's all-time classics wouldn't just be a launch game, but was also packed in with the console.
04:55Yep, that's just how crazy the 16-bit era was.
04:59Super Mario Galaxy 2
05:01Super Mario Galaxy 2 took everything that had been produced since Super Mario 64,
05:06boiled it down to its most fun expression, and then added a mountain of new ideas to that,
05:11making it one of the most memorable Wii games to ever land on the console.
05:15The diversity of Galaxy 2 is stunning, with each star a fresh challenge. Sometimes you're hanging off a
05:20bird, you're creating clouds in the sky, or you're exploring with your old friend Yoshi.
05:25Many times the game utilized the Wii remote in ways that other companies would have built an entire
05:29game around, but Nintendo was happy to use it sparingly and move on to the next creative stage.
05:35Ignoring all the other great games on the system, Super Mario Galaxy 2 made the Wii a must-own
05:41console for all serious gamers, proving that a stunning amount of ingenuity can triumph over any
05:47technological shortcomings. And along with its predecessor, its recent Switch re-release is a
05:52fantastic way for modern audiences to discover this classic.
05:57Super Mario Bros. 3
05:59After creating a two-derivative sequel, the Lost Levels, and a strange non-Mario that became a Mario,
06:06Super Mario Bros. 2, the dev team returned to the core concepts of Mario to redefine the series like
06:11never before, including new wrinkles like a world map and mid-bosses. Mario's skills expanded
06:17considerably via frog, hammer and, most importantly, raccoon power-ups. The distinct tail and ears gave
06:24the plumber the power to fly, and that changed how the stages were designed from the ground up.
06:29It added a verticality to the ingenious levels that deepened the franchise in a profound way.
06:34Leaving aside how Super Mario Bros. 3 was a pioneer for the medium, the reason it's one of the top
06:40Mario games on this list is that it strikes the best balance between new ideas and the simple fun of
06:46being Mario. Every Mario game that followed it builds on its straightforward approach to fun,
06:51some in more meaningful ways than others, but none are as pure an expression of gameplay as Super
06:57Mario Bros. 3.
06:58Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door
07:01Following on from the original on the Nintendo 64, The Thousand Year Door took Mario back to the
07:06charming world of Paper. Mario sets off on another adventure in what is easily one of the most
07:11memorable RPGs, and one of the best GameCube games without question. With turn-based combat that
07:17sees you deliver a variety of attacks against foes, with Mario and a Paper Pal who has their own unique
07:22skillset, every character feels useful in their own way. Taking place over a series of chapters with
07:28a host of differently themed locations, Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door tells a fantastic story,
07:34wrapped up in a delightful art style and plenty of humour. As one of the most beloved Paper Mario
07:39games, its physical copies on GameCube still sell for a pretty penny, but it happily got a shiny
07:45re-release on Switch in 2024. Super Mario 64
07:50Mario's 3D debut isn't just one of the best games ever made, it's arguably the most influential title of
07:58all time. While they didn't quite create the concept of 3D gameplay, Mario 64 nailed it with an
08:04outrageous swagger right out of the gate. The fact a platformer from 1996 still handles better than
08:10some PS5 and Xbox Series X games is frankly absurd. Is that camera a little janky? Sure. But this game
08:19has barely aged a day in terms of raw gameplay appeal. It's one of the best N64 games of all
08:24time,
08:25after all. Play Mario 64 on Switch courtesy of Super Mario 3D All Stars and you'll be treated to the
08:31sort of rampant creativity that would go on to define Mario Odyssey. Over the course of 120 exhilarating,
08:37Goomba-stomping, Bowser-swirling Power Star quests, the game barely once regurgitates an idea.
08:44Super Mario Odyssey. The best Switch game if you're looking for a Mario title, Odyssey is simply the best
08:51Super Mario game ever released. Whether possessing a T-Rex thanks to some magical headwear, or revisiting
08:57a certain iconic castle from Mario 64, this warmingly nostalgic adventure proves to be
09:03thrillingly imaginative. Who says you can't teach an old Nintendo mascot new tricks? Yes,
09:08he can still ground pound, stomp Goombas and dodge Bullet Bills, but thanks to Cappy, Mario's new living
09:13hat, you can now also become Goombas and Bullet Bills, and a whole load of other critters. Not only is
09:19this one of
09:20the most technically accomplished Mario games ever made, but it also reinvents what you consider to
09:24be a Super Mario game, easing new players into its colourful realms, but also appealing to fans of old
09:30with a metric ton of nostalgia. It's a must-buy for Switch owners, and easily earns its place at the
09:36top.
09:38And there we have it, there's our top 10 Mario games. But what do you think? Do you agree with
09:44our
09:44ranking? Or are there Mario titles you think deserve a spot on this list? Let us know,
09:49and stick with GamesRadar for the latest on the greatest games.
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