It’s Mar10 day! So we’re celebrating everybody’s favourite moustachioed plumber with our top 5 Super Mario games. Mario was born all the way back in 1981 as Jumpman, when he showed up in the arcade game Donkey Kong. But, luckily for us, he got his very own franchise in 1983. And we’ve been following him and his friends ever since!
Whether you’re new to Super Mario or want to take a trip down memory lane, you’re in luck. There’s no need to fish out your old Nintendo kit. You can play all of these on a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch Lite. Just get yourself a Nintendo Switch Online Membership and you have access to a ton of classic Nintendo games from the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) and SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)!
But let’s get going. Here are our favourite Super Mario games.
Super Mario World (1990)
First introduced on the SNES, Super Mario World’s stood the test of time as one of the best Mario games out there! As with most early Super Mario games, Mario’s on a mission to save Princess Peach and Dinosaur Land from Bowser and his Koopaling minions.
With a huge number of levels and ton of secret areas to discover, Super Mario World is a great game to play again and again. And let’s not forget Super Mario World’s biggest asset- the introduction of Yoshi the dinosaur! Mario can ride Yoshi, who munches any enemies that stand in his way. And, like Mario, there are plenty of power-ups for Yoshi to eat to unlock special abilities.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2014)
Mario Kart’s got to be the king of kart racing video games. It’s a get-together staple, the make or break of many a friendship. And Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the jewel in the crown of the Mario Kart franchise.
Race or battle up to four friends on a whole load of different themed racetracks. Check out the beautifully designed wintery Mount Wario or take a nostalgic trip down the remastered N64 Rainbow Road. One thing’s for sure, you won’t be stuck for choice with a massive 48 tracks and 41 different characters to choose from!
Super Mario 64 (1996)
Moving the Mario games (or just any game) from a 2D to a 3D format was a seriously big deal back in the 90s. But even though we’re used to open-world games now, Super Mario 64 is still held up as one of the greatest video games of all time. With plenty of puzzles to solve, enemies to jump on and scenery to explore it’s an incredibly fun play.
Plus, there’s more good news. Nintendo have remastered the game so you can enjoy it all in HD! You can find it bundled up with some other Super Mario 3D gems in Super Mario 3D All-Stars.
Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
Here’s another open-world beauty in the Super Mario franchise! This time with a new character, Cappy. In this adventure, Mario is once again trying to save Princess Peach from Bowser but with the help of his sentient hat, Cappy. You can throw Cappy onto objects and other characters, letting you control them.
Super Mario Odyssey is one of the best-selling Switch games ever and won Game of the Year at the 2017 Game Awards. An instant classic, this isn’t one to miss!
Super Mario Bros. 3 (1991)
Back to an old classic, Super Mario Bros. 3 brought a bunch of new worlds to life. It was originally released for the NES and took the world by storm. Creative, fun and completely addictive, Super Mario Bros. 3 is almost impossible to put down. And even though its graphics weren’t necessarily the best at the time, it’s gameplay was awesome. Be sure to check it out!
Those are just a few Super Mario games to get started with, but there are plenty more to discover! Happy Mar10!
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