Even in a series that is known for its longevity and consistent level of quality, it is a gem that should be played by everyone who has ever held a controller. Epic boss battles, some of the greatest music in video game history, and improved graphics made this one of the most memorable games released on any platform. Super Mario World was also where we all met Yoshi, Mario’s dino friend who gave him several awesome abilities in addition to granting him the ability to absorb an extra hit, blurring the line between power-ups and support characters. With a pared down list of power-ups this time around, Nintendo instead decided to focus on fine-tuning the flight mechanics by replacing the raccoon tail with the better-handling super cape. Players could also finally save their progress, encouraging them to take their time with finding every secret in the massive adventure. Continuing to use the overworld style map, Nintendo introduced more branching opportunities than ever before, encouraging players to explore each stage for hidden exits that unlock hidden areas. 3 with a worthy successor may have seemed like an impossible task, but Nintendo somehow managed to do that and more. That list may have had different criteria than this one, but now you can check out where Mario fell on our list of the top 300 games of all time in 2018.įollowing up Super Mario Bros. As you may have guessed, Mario’s core series made several appearances on that list. In our April 2018 issue, we ranked the top 300 games of all time.

So check out our rankings of the first 19 Super Mario games below! Our Top 300 Games of All Time While that list was more about ranking games in terms of quality, importance to the industry, and cultural relevance, this list is just about our favorite games.

In 2018, we ranked the top 300 games of all time in our 300th issue. Since Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker 2 are such a unique experiences that are more along the lines of a creation toolset than an actual game, we decided to leave them off of the list.Įven so, the Super Mario series doesn’t have a bad entry to date, so this list proved difficult to put together in an order we all felt comfortable with. In the first 35 years of the Super Mario series, Mario and his friends appeared in hundreds of titles, but in the core “Super Mario” series, the plumber was present in just under 20 titles. With the Super Mario series celebrating its 35th anniversary, Nintendo has been particularly nostalgic, announcing Super Mario 3D All-Stars, as well as other Super Mario-related announcements and merchandise to help ring in the major milestone for its flagship franchise.

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