The 14 Best Mario Platformers of All Time, Ranked

Stuff’s ranking of the best Mario platformers puts Super Mario 64 first, followed by Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario Galaxy. It covers 14 two-dimensional and three-dimensional platformers—not every game starring Mario—and reflects the judgments of Andrew Hayward and contributor Matt Tate, rather than a universal ranking.

How this ranking is scoped

The list below follows Stuff’s published order, from 14th to first. Stuff says it considers Mario platformers in both 2D and 3D; kart racers, sports games, tactical-combat titles and papercraft games are outside its scope. Each position is an editorial judgment about design, mechanics and lasting appeal. Read the Stuff ranking.

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1		TOMY Pop Up Super Mario Family Action Game - 2-4 Players - Ages 4+	$17.99	Buy on Amazon
2		Ravensburger - Memory Super Mario, Board Game, Memory Game for Children 3 Years or Older, 48 Cards,...	$19.99	Buy on Amazon

The 14 games, ranked

1. Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins

   Stuff places this Game Boy adventure at 14th. Its case for the game rests on its unusual tone, themed zones that allow a less linear route through the adventure, and Bunny Mario’s distinctive power-up.

2. Super Mario Maker

   At 13th, the original Super Mario Maker earns its place through an approachable level-creation tool and the vast range of player-made stages it enables. It is as much about making and sharing platforming challenges as completing Nintendo-designed ones.

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   #1 Best Overall

   

   TOMY Pop Up Super Mario Family Action Game - 2-4 Players - Ages 4+

   • Exciting Mario Pop Up Fun: This classic kids' action game features the beloved character in a fantastic board game setting. Get ready to join Mario on a new Pop Up adventure!
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   • Educational Toy: This board game not only features action-packed pop up fun, but also helps develop decision-making skills and color recognition, and supports speech development.
   • Ideal Gift for All Ages: This exciting game is quick to set up, easy to learn and different every time. Perfect for a family game night, or as a birthday, Easter or Christmas present for Mario fans and newcomers alike.
   • Great for All Ages: With rules that are easy to understand, Mario brings fun for boys, girls, and older gaming fans too; for 2-4 players or teams ages 4 years and up

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3. Super Mario Sunshine

   Stuff ranks this GameCube entry 12th. FLUDD, Mario’s water-spraying device, changes how movement and platforming work, giving the game a mechanical identity distinct from other 3D entries.

4. New Super Mario Bros.

   The 11th-place game brings side-scrolling Mario into a 3D visual style while retaining a two-dimensional course structure. Stuff highlights additions such as the ground pound and Mega Mushroom alongside that update to the classic format.

5. Super Mario 3D Land

   In 10th place, this Nintendo 3DS game combines ideas from 2D side-scrolling Mario with three-dimensional stages. That blend makes it a useful pick for players who want the compact rhythm of classic courses with a greater sense of depth.

6. Super Mario Galaxy 2

   Stuff puts the Wii sequel ninth. Its gravity-based platforming and Yoshi are among its attractions, while the later stages offer a tougher challenge.

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7. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

   At eighth, this game stands apart with a hand-drawn look and a strategic variation on 2D platforming. Stuff values the way it changes the familiar formula rather than simply repeating it.

8. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

   The seventh-place Switch release pairs inventive, authored multiplayer stages with Bowser’s Fury, a more open-ended side adventure. The combination offers two different takes on 3D Mario in one package.

9. Super Mario Odyssey

   Stuff ranks Odyssey sixth. Cappy, Mario’s sentient hat, lets him capture enemies and objects, adding a broad set of abilities to the game’s exploratory 3D worlds.

10. Super Mario Bros.

    The original NES platformer is fifth on Stuff’s list. Its place reflects the foundational side-scrolling design that established a template for the series. Nintendo’s official history dates it to 1985.

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11. Super Mario World

    Fourth place goes to the SNES adventure, praised for its scale, new power-ups, the introduction of Yoshi and its soundtrack. Nintendo’s timeline gives its release year as 1991.

    Rank #2

    

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12. Super Mario Galaxy

    Stuff ranks the first Wii Galaxy game third. Its inventive planet-hopping and gravity-based stages make it a distinctive 3D entry; Stuff also considers it more forgiving than its sequel.

13. Super Mario Bros. 3

    The second-place NES game builds on the series with design advances, memorable stages and a varied set of power-ups. Nintendo dates it to 1990.

14. Super Mario 64

    Stuff’s top choice is the Nintendo 64 game that brought Mario into 3D. Hayward describes it as a game that “not only brought the most important series in gaming into the third dimension, but once again set the template for the entire genre.” That is the article’s critical assessment, not an objective measure of every player’s preference. Nintendo’s official timeline dates Super Mario 64 to 1996.

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Which Mario platformer should you play first?

The right starting point depends on what you want from a platformer. These picks draw on the differences highlighted by Stuff’s ranking and Nintendo’s description of Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

• For classic side-scrolling: Start with Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World for memorable authored courses and power-ups, or try the original Super Mario Bros. to see the series’ earliest form.
• For 3D exploration and movement: Choose Super Mario Odyssey for Cappy’s capture ability, or Super Mario 64 for the landmark 3D design that tops Stuff’s list.
• For a mix of 2D and 3D ideas: Super Mario 3D Land blends the two approaches; Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury pairs structured multiplayer stages with a more open side adventure.
• For multiplayer: Super Mario 3D World is Stuff’s pick for inventive multiplayer courses. Nintendo says Wonder supports local co-op and online play for up to four players on a course; online play requires Nintendo Switch Online and internet access.
• For making your own courses: Super Mario Maker is the clear choice if building and playing user-created stages matters as much as a traditional campaign.

Where to play current Mario platformers

Nintendo’s US store lists Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Bros. Wonder among its games. Nintendo gives Wonder a launch date of 20 October 2023 and describes its Wonder Flowers as triggering course-changing moments; its featured power-ups include Elephant Fruit, Bubble Flower and Drill Mushroom. Store stock, editions, prices and platform compatibility can change, so check the current listing for your region before buying. The older games in this ranking span Game Boy, NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS; the evidence here does not establish that all are available as new physical copies. Check Nintendo’s US store and Nintendo’s Wonder page for current product details.

Why other rankings put different games first

There is no single objective answer to “What is the best Mario game of all time?” Nintendo Life’s ranking is based on user ratings in its database, can change over time, and covers mainline platformers plus Mario Run while excluding spin-offs and sports titles. Its list puts Super Mario World first, Super Mario Odyssey second, Super Mario Galaxy third and Super Mario 64 seventh. The difference illustrates how rankings depend on their scope and method, not that one list settles the question. See Nintendo Life’s ranking.

Release years: Nintendo’s timeline and Stuff’s labels

Release years can differ between lists because regional release dates and editorial conventions vary. The figures below follow Nintendo’s official history timeline, rather than the parenthetical years printed in Stuff’s ranking.

Nintendo’s official Mario history timeline lists these dates and platforms. It gives Super Mario Bros. as 1985, Super Mario World as 1991 and Super Mario 64 as 1996; Stuff prints 1987, 1992 and 1997, respectively.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

TOMY Pop Up Super Mario Family Action Game - 2-4 Players - Ages 4+

$17.99

Bestseller No. 2

Ravensburger - Memory Super Mario, Board Game, Memory Game for Children 3 Years or Older, 48 Cards, 2 to 6 Players, Italian Version

The most famous memory game in the world; High quality products; Can help children develop hand-eye attention and coordination

$19.99

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.