Summary

• Mario Galaxy 2 stands out for being as innovative and beloved as its predecessor, with a Metacritic score of 97.
• Super Mario Odyssey impresses with open-world exploration, Cappy possession mechanics, and a Metacritic score of 97.
• Super Mario Galaxy sets the standard for gravity-defying platforming, earning accolades and a 97 Metacritic score.

The heroic plumber Mario has seen many adventures over the years, but certain Mario games stand out as the best among the selection. On top of being Nintendo's flagship gaming mascot, the Mario franchise is one of the first things to come to many players' minds when hearing the term "video games." And in more than 35 years in the medium, the iconic plumber has amassed a rich legacy of great games.

Mario's back catalog of games is a diverse one, with various entries venturing in and out of Mario's usual platforming comfort zone. Some of Mario's greatest exploits see him on the field, behind the wheel, or in the midst of an RPG narrative. While the character's games are certainly versatile, the classic platformers do take the lion's share of the spotlight. Regardless of their individual flavors, all the best Mario games can offer hours and hours of gaming excellence.

25 Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)

Released On NES

Super Mario Bros. 2 is sometimes positioned as a black sheep of the franchise, but its awkward position in between two of the best platformers of all time doesn't mean that it's not great in its own right. While the brutally hard Japanese sequel to Super Mario Bros. didn't make its way West until Super Mario All-Stars.

The converted Doki Doki Panic that became the American Super Mario Bros. 2 was a creative and unusual platformer in its own right. It may be more of a curiosity than an essential among the Mario games, but Super Mario Bros. 2 remains a fun title that stands among the better games to bear the plumber's name.

24 Mario Strikers Charged (2007)

Released On The Nintendo Wii And WiiU

Mario's many sports outings contain a fair number of excellent games, but Mario Strikers Charged manages to stand out from the rest of these titles thanks to its unique style. The energy-filled soccer game has a Metacritic score of 79.

This Wii game doubles down on the aggressive energy of its GameCube predecessor, supercharging soccer into an over-the-top arcade experience. Its legacy holds strong to this day. Its Switch follow-up, Mario Strikers: Battle League lacks content, (and iconically poor sportsmanship from Daisy) compared to the series' peak but still maintains solid gameplay.

23 Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020)

Released On Nintendo Switch

Paper Mario: The Origami King received a mixed reception when it debuted, with some feeling that the RPG had too many adventure and easy puzzle components to be designated RPG, while others wished it had even less RPG elements.

Even with the controversy, the game received a Metacritic score of 80, with many players loving the humor, story, and clever puzzle mechanics it offered. The Origami King seemed to deviate from any of the prior Paper Mario games, instead becoming something entirely new with unique game mechanics and style.

22 Mario Party Superstars (2021)

Released On Nintendo Switch

The Mario Party series bucks a basic convention of Mario games, daring to ask, "Why not make things unfair?" The ensuing chaos makes for perfect party games that unite players in fun while turning them against each other. Several titles in the series could be reasonably considered the best, but the Switch's Mario Party Superstars leads the pack with a Metacritic score of 80.

Following the pattern of a virtual board game, multiple players compete to earn stars, while being faced with numerous varieties of chaotic minigames and rule-changing dynamics on the board.

21 Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars (1996 & 2023)

Released On SNES, Remake For Nintendo Switch

Although Paper Mario and Mario and Luigi have now been the faces of Mario RPGs for decades, the game that started it all was Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Developed by legendary RPG studio Square instead of Nintendo, this SNES game represented a major shake-up for the brand and focused more on story and RPG mechanics than Mario games had ever done.

In 2023, a remake of the game, titled simply Super Mario RPG was released, introducing the game to a new generation. This remake earned a Metacritic score of 84, with updated graphics and better game mechanics, while remaining true to the original title.

20 Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Released On The NES, Available On Nintendo Switch Online

Even with nearly 4 decades under the franchise's belt, several of the older Mario titles hold up well today as nostalgic throwbacks. Super Mario Bros. for the original Nintendo Entertainment System, which was a successor to the publisher's arcade video game cabinet from two years earlier, remains a simple but well-honed Goomba-stomping extravaganza.

The game was revolutionary for the time, popularizing the side-scrolling platformer genre in gaming and impressing critics and general audiences with its precise controls and challenging gameplay. The classic game continues to hold a Metacritic score of 84.

19 Super Paper Mario (2007)

Released On The Nintendo Wii And WiiU

Super Paper Mario represented a radical divergence from prior Paper Mario games, a decision that courted controversy thanks to the acclaim that its predecessor, The Thousand-Year Door, received. The game still did well, with a Metacritic score of 85, and gained many fans even though it differed from the beloved Paper Mario: TTYD.

In its own right, however, Super Paper Mario is a great game that leans more into classic Mario platforming while retaining a focus on narrative and a smattering of RPG elements. The gimmick of switching between 2D and 3D is well-employed, and the game's unique characters, like the villain Count Bleck, offer exciting flavor that fits seamlessly into the Mario world.

18 Super Mario 64 (1996)

Released On N64, Available On Nintendo Switch Online

There have been many video games in the history of the medium overall that helped revolutionize it. These games were not only critically acclaimed, but they're also still looked back on as gaming milestones both in and out of their respective genres. Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 was one such title, a triumph and testament to how ambitious games can get.

Every 3D Mario game since Super Mario 64 owes its DNA to this groundbreaking game.

The game lept seamlessly into the 3D era, with dynamic environments and controls, serving as the new standard for platformers. On Metacritic, the game has a score of 85, although its legacy goes beyond even that number. Every 3D Mario game since Super Mario 64 owes its DNA to this groundbreaking game.

17 Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003)

Released On The GameCube

Arguably the most popular of the Super Mario spin-off games, the Mario Kart series has earned its own legacy as one of Nintendo's strongest franchises. The GameCube entry, Double Dash, makes for one of the best Mario games on the GameCube and one of the best titles in the series. Two of the biggest strengths Double Dash had were in the gameplay and graphical departments.

The jump from the Nintendo 64 to the GameCube was a great one for 3D graphics, with the mix-up in gameplay style when having two players on a kart proving exhilarating. A large roster of playable characters and karts also expanded upon previous Mario Kart outings to thrilling results. Mario Kart: Double Dash has a Metacritic score of 87.

16 Super Mario Maker 1 & 2 (2015 & 2019)

Released On 3DS, Wii U, And Nintendo Switch

Super Mario Maker could have been a fairly minor entry in the Mario series, tasking players with the creation of their own levels rather than assembling a full suite of tightly designed stages, but a robust arsenal of easy-to-use tools let players create some real magic. Super Mario Maker 2 improves on the first title, losing out on the convenience of the Wii U gamepad for stylus usage but gaining even more features and possibilities.

Both titles have earned Metacritic scores of 88, becoming very popular titles. Players might have to sift through both brutally difficult levels and cakewalks to find ones with the perfect balance, but there's enough creativity on display to easily make up for it.