Four decades of warp pipes, power stars, and princess rescues. The original quest adventures that define Nintendo's plumber, from 8-bit platformers to full RPGs. No karts, no parties, no spinoffs.
The full ranking
Four decades of warp pipes, power stars, and princess rescues. The original quest adventures that define Nintendo's plumber, from 8-bit platformers to full RPGs. No karts, no parties, no spinoffs.
Super Mario Odyssey
A globe-trotting sandbox masterpiece where Cappy's capture mechanic turns nearly every enemy into something playable. GamesRadar crowns it the best Mario game ever made, and its movement remains the high-water mark for 3D platformers.
Super Mario World
The SNES launch classic that introduced Yoshi and an overworld bursting with secret exits. IGN and Nintendo Life readers both rank it the greatest Mario game of all time.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
The rare direct sequel that out-invents its beloved predecessor, stacking fresh ideas onto gravity-bending planetoids and bringing Yoshi into space. It lands in the top five of every source gathered here.
Super Mario Galaxy
Nintendo Everything's pick for the best Super Mario game ever, with an orchestral soundtrack and Rosalina's quietly affecting storybook chapters. Its 2025 Switch re-release introduced the cosmos to a new generation.
Super Mario Bros. 3
The NES landmark that gave us the Tanooki Suit, the world map, and airship battles. Decades on it still feels boundingly inventive, no historical caveats required.
Super Mario 64
The 1996 N64 launch game that effectively invented the 3D platformer and still controls beautifully. The camera shows its age; the influence is bottomless.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
The 2023 Switch hit that gave 2D Mario its mojo back, with reality-warping Wonder Flowers, Elephant Mario, and the most expressive art in the series. The best side-scroller here since Super Mario World.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
The GameCube RPG fan favorite, revived on Switch in 2024, pairs sharp humor with a clever badge-and-timing battle system. GamesRadar ranks it third among all Mario games, quest or otherwise.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Four-player 3D platforming built on 2D Mario's level structure, plus the gift of Cat Mario. The Bowser's Fury add-on is a miniature open-world Mario that points to the series' future.
New Super Mario Bros.
The 2006 DS revival that brought side-scrolling Mario back after a 14-year drought and became one of the best-selling Mario games ever. Unique bosses and minigames give it an identity later New entries lost.
Ranked across 4 sources: IGN · The 40 Best Mario Games Ranked, Quest Games Only (Dec 2025); GamesRadar+ · 15 Best Mario Games, Quest Games Only (2025); Nintendo Everything · Top 10 Super Mario Games (March 2026); Nintendo Life · Ranked by Reader Rating (April 2026). Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.
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