Ranking Every Mario Game: From Classic to Modern Masterpiece
For nearly four decades, Mario has defined the platforming genre and stood as one of gaming’s most beloved icons. From the early days of pixelated adventures to massive open-world masterpieces, the Super Mario series has consistently evolved while retaining its core charm — tight controls, clever level design, and boundless creativity.
Here’s a look at how the mainline Mario games rank, from the nostalgic classics to the revolutionary modern hits.
Super Mario Odyssey (2017) – The Ultimate Adventure
Nintendo Switch
Super Odyssey stands as a celebration of everything represents — freedom, creativity, and pure fun. Players explore vast sandbox-style kingdoms, each brimming with secrets, personality, and charm.
The game’s inventive “capture” mechanic (using hat, Cappy, to take control of enemies) redefines how players interact with the world. It’s imaginative, endlessly replayable, and polished to perfection. For many fans, Odyssey is the best game ever made.
- Super Mario Galaxy (2007) – Gravity-Defying Brilliance
Nintendo Wii
When Galaxy launched, it felt like a reinvention of 3D platforming. The gravity-based level design allowed Mario to run around tiny planets and spherical worlds — something no game had ever done so gracefully.
It paired technical innovation with emotional storytelling, featuring a beautiful orchestral soundtrack and heartfelt moments with Princess Rosalina. Super Galaxy is a cosmic adventure that remains timeless.
- Super Mario World (1990) – The SNES Gold Standard
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
Super World refined everything that made the earlier games great and introduced Yoshi, adding fresh depth to gameplay. Its colorful worlds, tight controls, and clever secrets make it one of the most perfectly balanced 2D platformers ever created.
Decades later, it’s still the standard by which all 2D Mario games are measured.
- Super Mario 64 (1996) – The 3D Revolution
Nintendo 64
Few games in history have had the impact of Super 64. It singlehandedly defined how 3D movement and camera systems should work.
Every level — from Bob-omb Battlefield to Tick Tock Clock — feels like a playground for experimentation. While its graphics are dated, its influence on modern gaming is undeniable. Without 64, today’s 3D games simply wouldn’t exist.
- Super Galaxy 2 (2010) – More of a Good Thing
Nintendo Wii
Building on its predecessor, Galaxy 2 refined the formula even further. It added new power-ups, tighter level design, and more complex platforming challenges.
Although it lacks the emotional narrative of the first Galaxy, it’s arguably the more polished of the two. It’s pure, refined platforming joy — no filler, just fun.
- Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) – The 8-Bit Masterpiece
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Super Bros. 3 is a landmark in game design. Each world introduces new mechanics and enemies while maintaining a perfect difficulty curve.
It brought flight (thanks to the Super Leaf), creative boss fights, and an unforgettable map system that made exploration exciting. This is where truly became a global icon.
- Super Mario Sunshine (2002) – The Tropical Outlier
Nintendo GameCube
Super Sunshine is often the most divisive entry in the series. Set on the vacation island of Isle Delfino, wields the water-powered FLUDD to clean up goop and take on unique platforming challenges.
While its camera and voice acting drew criticism, Sunshine’s creativity, charm, and tropical aesthetic make it a fan favorite. It was bold, different, and paved the way for Odyssey’s freedom-focused design.
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019) – The Modern 2D Benchmark
Nintendo Switch
This modern take on the classic formula brings multiplayer fun, crisp visuals, and polished level design. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it perfects it.
If you love traditional 2D gameplay, New Super Bros. U Deluxe is one of the most accessible and complete versions available.
- Super Mario Maker 2 (2019) – The Player’s Playground
Nintendo Switch
Super Maker 2 empowers players to become creators. You can build, share, and play nearly infinite levels, spanning styles from Super Bros. to Super 3D World.
While not a “mainline” game, it deserves a spot on the list for redefining how players engage with — turning fans into game designers.
- Super Mario Bros. (1985) – The One That Started It All
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
It’s impossible to overstate the importance of Super Bros. It revived the gaming industry and established the blueprint for nearly every platformer that followed.
Even decades later, it remains addictive and remarkably well-designed. Simple, timeless, and iconic — it’s where legacy began.
Final Thoughts
Ranking games is a near-impossible task because each one excels in its own way. Odyssey dazzles with its creativity, Galaxy with its innovation, and World with its classic perfection.
What’s remarkable is how every generation of redefines what platforming can be — and yet, every new release still feels unmistakably .
