But apart from the NES masterpiece’s undeniable mark on history, it’s the little details that stick with us after all this time. And it gave players a sense of ownership via Mario’s pinpoint inertia that had rarely been seen in games before that.

It offered a perfectly-tuned challenge while also encouraging exploration and experimentation. It solidified our fearless plumber as an icon synonymous with video games. not only helped save the video game industry, but also paved the way for the 30 years of our medium that followed. You could write a book on how Super Mario Bros. Featuring some of the most vibrant levels worth coming back to multiple times, it also finally gave us access to Yoshi in a 3D playground teeming with excellent platforming possibilities, alongside some truly challenging segments. as both a cleaning tool and platforming device let the series soar to new heights in some very clever ways. Super Mario Sunshine may have tried to sell itself on a strange premise (Mario cleaning up gunk around a tropical island?), however the addition of the F.L.U.D.D. It also took advantage of the system's glasses-free 3D in a way that no other game has come close to, making the game feel truly alive. Perfect for on-the-go play, Super Mario 3D Land dug through every trick in the Mario design handbook whether it was immaculate 3D platforming, or throwback retro 2.5D retro levels.

The 3DS entry is chockfull of some of the most fun, bite-sized Mario levels and absolutely filled to the brim with content. Super Mario 3D Land was the clear front-runner for best handheld Mario game until the Nintendo Switch came along. We've excluded non-platformer titles like Super Mario Maker from our rankings. Note : This list was originally published in 2017, but has been updated to factor in newer games.

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