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Super Mario

Nintendo

Super Mario is Nintendo's flagship series, built around a single idea that never gets old: guiding Mario through inventive levels where every jump feels crisp and satisfying. The games split into three styles — classic 2D side-scrollers, wide-open 3D adventures, and story-driven RPGs — but none of them share a connected story, so you can start anywhere without missing anything. This guide puts the best entry points at the top and saves the historical landmarks and spin-offs for once you're hooked.

SINCE 1985 · 22 GAMES

▶ WHERE DO I START?
  1. 1980s

    The 1985 NES game that defined the platformer genre: run, jump, grab a mushroom, stomp Goombas, and save Princess Peach from Bowser.

    For fansMainline2D Platformers

    6 releases & editions

  2. The 1988 NES masterpiece that added raccoon suits, world maps, and airship levels — still one of the most inventive 2D platformers ever designed.

    Mainline2D Platformers

    6 releases & editions

  3. 1990s

    Super Mario World

    1990 · SNES

    The SNES launch title that introduced Yoshi and gave Mario a sprawling, secret-packed world to explore — the gold standard of 16-bit platforming.

    Mainline2D Platformers

    6 releases & editions

  4. Super Mario 64

    1996 · Nintendo 64

    The 1996 N64 game that invented free-roaming 3D platforming: collect Power Stars across sprawling castle grounds and open-ended worlds.

    For fansMainline3D Platformers

    6 releases & editions

  5. Super Mario RPG

    1996 · SNES

    The 1996 SNES RPG co-developed with Square (of Final Fantasy fame), blending Mario's world with turn-based combat and a surprisingly heartfelt story.

    For fansMainlineRPGs

    3 releases & editions

  6. 2000s

    Paper Mario

    2000 · Nintendo 64

    The 2000 N64 RPG that reimagined Mario's world in a cut-paper art style, with badge-based combat and memorable characters spread across seven colorful chapters.

    For fansMainlineRPGs

    4 releases & editions

  7. Super Mario Sunshine

    2002 · GameCube

    The 2002 GameCube game set on a sunny island resort, where Mario cleans up mysterious graffiti using a water-jet backpack called FLUDD.

    For fansMainline3D Platformers

    2 releases & editions

  8. The 2004 GameCube RPG widely regarded as the peak of the Paper Mario series, with a rich story, memorable partners, and a theatrical stage-battle system.

    For fansMainlineRPGs
  9. New Super Mario Bros.

    2006 · Nintendo DS

    The 2006 DS game that brought 2D Mario back after a 14-year absence, with tight level design and a fresh, bright look.

    LaterMainline2D Platformers

    2 releases & editions

  10. The 2007 Wii game that launched Mario into outer space, bouncing across tiny gravity-defying planetoids with a sweeping orchestral score.

    For fansMainline3D Platformers

    3 releases & editions

  11. 2010s

    The 2010 Wii sequel packing even more creative planet designs and adding Yoshi, often cited as one of the most polished Mario games ever made.

    For fansMainline3D Platformers

    2 releases & editions

  12. The Wii U launch title that brought full-HD 2D Mario to a home console for the first time, with four-player co-op and beautifully detailed worlds.

    For fansMainline2D Platformers

    2 releases & editions

  13. The 2013 Wii U game that brought co-op to 3D Mario for the first time, letting up to four players scramble through tight, level-based 3D stages together.

    For fansMainline3D Platformers
  14. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

    2017 · Switch

    The Switch kart racer with 48 courses (plus a massive DLC Booster Pass), silky-smooth 60fps multiplayer, and the widest character roster in series history.

    2 releases & editions

  15. Super Mario Odyssey

    2017 · Switch

    The 2017 Switch adventure that sends Mario globe-trotting across wildly varied kingdoms, capturing enemies and objects by tossing his living hat, Cappy.

    Mainline3D Platformers
  16. The 2019 Switch port of the Wii U entry, adding playable Toadette and Nabbit to make it one of the most beginner-friendly four-player co-op Mario games on Switch.

    MainlinePort2D Platformers
  17. 2020s

    The 2020 Switch compilation bundling enhanced Switch versions of Super Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy — three landmark 3D platformers in one package.

    For fansMainlineCompilation3D Platformers
  18. The 2021 Switch port of the co-op 3D classic, bundled with Bowser's Fury — a standalone open-world mini-adventure that hints at what Odyssey-style exploration feels like.

    MainlinePort3D Platformers
  19. The 2023 Switch original that reinvented 2D Mario with Wonder Flowers that transform each level into something wildly unexpected — elephants, talking flowers, and all.

    Start hereMainline2D Platformers
  20. The 2023 Switch remake of the beloved SNES classic, rebuilt with lush 3D visuals while preserving every character, battle, and joke of the 1996 original.

  21. The 2024 Mario Party with 7 boards, 110+ minigames, and online play — the most content-packed entry in the series' history.