Maybe it’s hard to define what makes a Mario game, but let’s say any game where Mario is the main character or plays a large role.
Off the top of my head, some of the competitors are:
The original Mario Bros arcade game
SMB 1-3
Lost Levels
SMW
I think Yoshi’s Island and Yoshi’s Island DS should count even though you play as Yoshi
64
Sunshine
Galaxy
the Land series for Gameboy
Mario RPG
Paper Mario series
Mario & Luigi RPGs
Mario Kart series (I’m on the fence about whether these should be included, but why not)
New SMB
And some of the crappy ones that no one will vote for:
Mario’s Time Machine
Mario is Missing!
Hotel Mario
Mario Clash
…and probably a lot more I’m forgetting.
Let’s not include any of those sports games like Mario Golf or Mario Tennis where you’re playing as Mario characters but it might as well be anyone. I know I included Mario Kart, but I think those games have always felt more like Mario games where you’re racing than as go-karting games where you just happen to be playing as Mario, if that makes any sense.
Let’s also not include any of the Smash Bros games.
I’ll cast my vote for Super Mario World. As I mentioned in the “best sequels” thread, I think this game is platforming perfection and now that 2D platforming is going out of style, I don’t think it will ever be topped. What I like best about it are the secrets–I remember realizing that you could find some secret exits in certain levels to get to the secret Star World, and then find a secret exit in the Star World to get to the even MORE secret Special World blew my mind as a young gamer. The graphics, the music, the cool world themes, and Yoshi–everything about this game is perfect to me.
Everything you say about Super Mario World is true, but only pulls it to #2 on my list (and Mario 3 is at #3 for similar reasons regarding secrets and so on). But Super Mario 64 took the same nascent dynamic of “Explore the same world repeatedly, trying to discover and achieve different goals” and developed it to brilliant new heights. And thus, for me, it earns #1.
(I was actually a bit disappointed by Galaxy; I’d been hoping for a recapturing of that Mario 64 exploration/adventure/puzzle feel, but the levels all ended up feeling a bit more on-rails to me; I didn’t really feel like I was exploring the same world over and over looking for new things so much as being plopped down onto different pre-set tracks with the same background scenery, you know what I mean? I’ve never played Sunshine, though I’ve heard middling things about it.)
wait a second - you’ve GOT to include Mario Paint in there…don’t you?
In all seriousness, what about the Mario Party series? I know most of them probably wouldn’t be a serious contender on someone’s list, but they do have that Mario feel to them for the most part, IMNSHO…
Galaxy and SMB3 would be my first two choices. I don’t think I’ve played Super Mario World, but I doubt it would surpass Galaxy. In the original 8-bit series, I actually rank them: SMB3, SMB2, SMB1. Never was a huge fan of the original, for some reason.
Super Mario World is the winner, hands down. Although 3 and 64 will always have soft spot in my heart.
As for what counts as a “Mario game”, there are only 10 in the main Mario series:
Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario World
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Sunshine
New Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Galaxy
That’s it. Everything else is a spinoff and shouldn’t matter for this discussion.
#1. World/Galaxy tied depending on if you ask my favorite of all time or which I’d rather play now (and even then it’d still be close - World held up that good) #2. Super Mario Bros. #3. Super Mario Bros. 3 #4. Super Mario Bros. 2 #5. Mario 64 #6. The Lost Levels (I need to go back and play this again - don’t have a ton of playtime on it)
Where did this list come from? Is it official in any way? I’m curious why Mario Land 1 and 2 are excluded (unless being created by Shigeru Miyamoto is for some reason a requirement to be a “real” Mario game).
After consideration, maybe Miyamoto’s involvement should be a requirement to be a main Mario game. But in that case, I’m not sure how much involvement he had in New SMB. He’s listed as “Supervisor” (at the bottom of the credits list), but others are listed as “Producer”, “General Producer”, and “Director”.
You’re right, I completely forgot the Mario Land games. OK, revised list…
Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario World
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Sunshine
New Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Galaxy
As for where it came from, I made it myself, but the Wikipedia entry on the Mario series backs me up (but includes Donkey Kong for some bizarre reason).
As for Super Mario All-Stars. I’m not sure that counts as it’s just a compilation of the first 3 with snazzier graphics.
Mario was the protaganist in Donkey Kong, which you obviously know. You don’t think that counts? It’s where he learned to jump, after all. His signature characteristic.
No, I don’t think that counts. “Mario” was never the star of Donkey Kong, “Jumpman” was. Nintendo shoehorned him in later when they realized, “Hey, Jumpman’s not really a name!”
Besides that, Donkey Kong is a Donkey Kong game. Duh.
My first two favorites are really close, and on any given day they could probably switch.
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario World
Super Mario 64
Super Mario 3
New Super Mario
Super Mario 2
Super Mario Bros.
The Lost Levels
Super Mario Sunshine
Mario Bros.
Think I’m gonna go fire up the virtual console on my Wii now.
Oh I forgot to put Mario Bros. on my list. It would be at the bottom. I didn’t even care for that game very much when I was little and hadn’t played Super Mario Bros. yet.
