10 Best Super Mario Games Reviewed & Rated in 2024
A beloved game that even parents remember today is Super Mario. Mario made his first appearance in 1981 in the original Donkey Kong arcade game made by Nintendo. He is one of the most beloved characters still to this day. When Super Mario Brothers released in 1985, they introduced a whole new world of characters such as: Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, Yoshi and many more. With Mario these characters embark on crazy adventures claiming this franchise to be one of the greatest video games of all time.
Below we came up with a list of the best current Super Mario games that the industry has to offer today. We did focus specifically on certain gaming consoles however our list below offers various games for their recommended console. Get ready for a whole new adventure with Mario and his friends that we know you’re going to love.
In a Hurry? The test winner after 19 hrs of research
Multiplayer – 1 to 4 players
Includes various mini games
Various characters to choose from
4 boards to choose from
- Super Mario Party - Nintendo Switch
- Super Smash Bros. - Wii
- Mario Kart 8 - Wii U
- Super Mario 3D World - Wii U
- Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
- New Super Mario Bros. - Wii
- Super Mario Odyssey - Nintendo Switch
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo Switch
- Mario Kart - Wii
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Nintendo Switch
10 Best Super Mario Games Reviewed
1. Super Mario Party - Nintendo Switch
Multiplayer – 1 to 4 players
Includes various mini games
Various characters to choose from
4 boards to choose from
Players didn’t like how small each board was
If you’re a fan of the original Mario Party board game layout, you’ll love this update. Join Mario and friends as they freely walk the board, choose their squares and dice, and compete for stars in minigames. This version even comes with a 2 vs 2 mode. There are 80 new minigames that challenge users’ joystick skills and more. Super Mario Party is rated E for Everyone.
Read moreEntertainment Value
With this version you can have up to four players, take turns on who rolls the dice, and the object is to see who collects the most stars.
Physical Development
This game comes with several mini games as your child and their friends battle against each other to get a star, they will be increasing their social skills.
Age Range
This game is for the console: Nintendo Switch, which can easily be operated by younger children. The rating makes it great for all ages.
2. Super Smash Bros. - Wii
Multiplayer game that hosts up to 8 players
Battle modes with new or old faces
Import characters from Nintendo 3DS version
Collect and customize equipment
Relieves stress and improves mental well being
Rooster is unlocked and less challenging
The story mode is unchallenging
Super Smash Brothers is rated E10+, or Everyone 10 years of age and older. Players get to choose from an impressive roster of their favorite Nintendo stars. Characters duke it out in a variety of levels and settings children can choose for themselves. Collect the equipment customized for each character or play as your own Mii!
Read moreEntertainment Value
This is one of the best all-star games ever created. Players can send their rivals flying in powerful attacks that allow you to earn equipment that is customizable that give the player advanced moves and stats. Creating powerful characters allows users to take on their friends and enemies with their powered up and super intelligent characters.
Physical Development
Believe it or not, video games are a great way to relieve stress. Fully engaging in a video game can give players a chance to tune out their everyday stressors and decompress from the game of life. This game is a great way to reduce stress and improve mental and emotional well-being with its battle boosting features. Create a character and get your stressors out.
Age Range
This is a multiplayer game that will take over the Wii console allowing users to battle it out with new or old faces. Get your training on because the game is about to test your skills. Children of all ages can battle against each other.
3. Mario Kart 8 - Wii U
Anti-gravity tracks
Share highlight videos with friends
Race friends locally and online
Favorite old features are included
Have to pay more for extra tracks
Start your engines and get ready to race your favorite Mario characters in Mario Kart 8! The newest edition includes anti-gravity tracks, the ability to share highlight videos of your race, and crisp HD graphics. Connect to play with friends or get online and race users all around the world! Mario Kart 8 is rated E for Everyone.
Read moreEntertainment Value
This game is the eighth installment of the Mario Kart series which was released in May 2014. It received the Game Award for Best Family Game. Start by choosing the speed of your vehicle, the character you want to raise as and any customizations of your kart. There are forty-eight courses with twelve different racing cups to win. There are also twenty-three power-up items. You can hold two at once. There are also five different types of battles: Balloon, Bob-omb Blast, Renegade Roundup, Coin Runners and Shine Thief. There are also eight cool Battle Mode courses. You can enjoy quality music, both old favorites, and new tunes. Old tracks return with a whole new dimension added with lots of creativity. This game is highly customizable and you can tailor the game to how you want to play. The opening of the game is basic. You can choose how fast you want to go and what character you want to race. Then the fun begins.
Physical Development
Mario Kart 8 could be a highlight for any party. Players can challenge each other and there is also twelve players online play available. As your child plays other people, their social skills will improve. The graphics are top notch as you get lost in this animated world and will increase their sensory development.
Age Range
The play starts basic and gets more and more complicated. Rated E for everyone, children of all ages can enjoy this game.
4. Super Mario 3D World - Wii U
New cat transformation
Colorful 3D environments
1st multiplayer 3D Mario for Wii U
Graphics are clean and impressive
Sometimes the camera angle can get confusing
Super Mario 3D World has channeled an internet darling: cats. That’s right; in this Mario game, players can engage in cat mode, which allows their favorite characters to run on all fours, pounce on enemies, and use their claws to scale high obstacles, all while dressed like adorable feline fur babies. Standard characters have their own advantages and special moves, and new puzzles challenge up to four players at a time. Super Mario 3D World is rated E for Everyone.
Read moreEntertainment Value
The graphics are stellar 3D with HD. The images are clear and the animation is smooth and easy to get lost in. They have added crazy contraptions and lots of obstacles, like transparent pipes you can see the characters travel through which add new challenging elements to the game. The game starts with a fun storyline with Mario and Luigi fixing a transparent pipe only to have Bowser come out of it and start more trouble. The characters are fun because each of them used their own abilities which follow their personalities--Princess Peach will glide when she goes over gaps where Luigi does his signature high jump.
Physical Development
Everyone loves Mario and Luigi. The quality of this game is reminiscent of the old Mario Bros 64. The levels of the game are amazing. You can together like a team or compete against each other. This game is so clever and the graphics are very impressive. The camera angles are flexible too. You can tilt or rotate it.
Age Range
This is a cute game that is enjoyable for any age group. The puzzles are just tricky enough to challenge kids.
5. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
8 fun heroes to choose from
Solo mode and cooperative play options
Four new worlds to explore
Lots of humor incorporated throughout gameplay
A little short to play through
As the winner of over 50 E3 awards and nominations, Mario + the Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a must-have for many gamers. Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Peach join forces with four Rabbids characters. The game offers co-op turned-based battle formats that reward players with a whole arsenal of new weapons from four new worlds. Mario + the Rabbids Kingdom Battle is rated E10+.
Read moreEntertainment Value
One of the selling points on this game is that it can be played solo or cooperatively. There are eight total heroes involved, giving lots of options for characters, and children can enjoy it on their own or with friends and family. It allows some time at the beginning of the game to learn the ropes but picks up quickly in terms of difficulty so players won’t get bored, even if they’re skilled at this particular kind of gameplay.
Physical Development
Made for Nintendo Switch, this game requires some hand-eye coordination. If playing with friends, it’s also helpful to strategize to highlight your teams’ strengths based on the characters you’re playing as. It’s a great chance for kids to be social and it’s a fun little narrative that is playable while still being challenging.
Age Range
This game is rated E10+ (for Everyone 10 years of age and older) due to cartoon violence, comic mischief, and mild language.
6. New Super Mario Bros. - Wii
Motion controllers used to engage characters in activities
Multiplayer simultaneous game playing modes
The game supports 2-4 players
Allows players to play in cooperation or in competition
Encourages healthy social development
Players often run/bash into each other causing the player to die
Split screen adds to the level of difficulty
The New Super Mario Brothers for Wii offers some fun new features never seen before! A propeller suit jettisons players high into the clouds. Players can engage cooperatively or competitively. The Wii Remote’s motion abilities help propel popular Mushroom Kingdom characters throughout the game. New Super Mario Brothers is meant for 2-4 players and is rated E for Everyone.
Read moreEntertainment Value
It gives players the ability to be able to simultaneous play the game. Players are able to navigate the worlds at the same time in a side-scrolling viewing or can invite others to play at the same level there are currently on. The players can join in either cooperative or competitive game modes. This is the biggest advancement in multiplayer games since Mario Bros. was created. It gives players the ability to play with their friends or against them plus some areas players are even able to use the motion abilities featured on the controller. Other featured items in this video game are the new propeller suit which gives players the chance to fly high in the sky and transform themselves into the awesome Penguin Mario. Featured at the end of each stage is a multiplayer coin battle. These battles are listed the players according to the number of coins they have collected in the stage. All the new features and multiplayer game playing come together to make one of the best classic video games even better in this version.
Physical Development
Playing video games has many advantages but this version of the Mario Bros. series is great for promoting healthy social development. Players are able to interact and engage with other players creating a positive social experience. When positive social experiences occur with children it is also proven to give them higher self-esteem and have better peer relationships throughout their lives.
Age Range
Children as young as seven can enjoy all the new features of Super Mario in this game that is rated E for everyone.
7. Super Mario Odyssey - Nintendo Switch
Huge 3D kingdoms
Mario has brand new moves from Cappy
A set of 3 new amiibo figures released at launch
Lots of hidden collectibles
It feels too short
Super Mario Odyssey combines lush 3D worlds in sandbox style game. Two players can enjoy the game simultaneously as their characters sail aboard an airship between worlds far beyond the walls of the Mushroom Kingdom. This game is compatible specifically with the Nintendo Switch and offers players various and surprising ways to interact with their surroundings. The PEGI rating on this game is 7, meaning it’s appropriate for children ages 7 and older.
Read moreEntertainment Value
It has been a huge hit since its release in October 2017 and is the first open-world game since Sunshine which came out on the GameCube in 2002. This game kicks off with a fun storyline from the beginning and just gets better. It starts with Bowser taking off with Princess Peach and Mario’s introduce to Cappy. From there the adventure continues as Mario uses the new moves Cappy taught him to save Princess Peach and Cappy’s sister as well.
Physical Development
The graphics of this game make it an enchanting adventure you don’t want to put down. Not to mention they will stimulate your child's sensory development.
Age Range
This game has so much new material to explore and a great story to follow along the way. Mario needs to collect Power Moons to power up the Odyssey airship and save Princess Peach from marrying Bowser, as well as save Cappy’s sister in the process. There are lots of new locales to explore like New Donk City. With the game being rated E for everyone, children of all ages can enjoy exploring.
8. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo Switch
Vibrant graphics
Game fun for any age
Lots of power-ups
Lots of new tracks and characters
The game tries to do everything for you (steering, gas)
With both fresh and familiar courses, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a delight on the Nintendo Switch! You can both race and battle in your favorite settings and square off against friends. In TV mode, this game accommodates 4 players but you can squeeze in up to 12 in other modes. New characters join the roster to round out this awesome gaming experience. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is rated E for Everyone.
Read moreEntertainment Value
Returning tracks are included as well as new ones like Urchin Underpass and Battle Stadium. All of the characters are here as well. There are three new vehicles.
Physical Development
There are four different player modes: single, multiplayer, online and wireless. You can race with friends or play in revised battle mode on new and returning courses. You can have fun challenging up to three friends and play in the same room on TV mode. This game has beautiful graphics and a good frame rate.
Age Range
This game is wonderfully interactive with lots of activity going on. There are lots of surprises throughout your travels on the different courses: new tracks to play as well as the retro tracks. The graphics are fantastic with lots to see. If you are an inexperienced racer, the game can help. It offers Smart Steering, Tilt Controls, and Auto-Accelerate. This game also allows you to have fun putting together your own personal vehicle. There are new karts and kart designs and accessories for them that you can unlock as you play. You can change your stats by changing karts and accessories.
9. Mario Kart - Wii
Can do flips and wheelies with the remote
Good for younger kids
32 tracks available
Excellent graphics
The course has too many obstacles
Think you’ve got what it takes to drive the toughest tracks in pop culture? Mario Kart for the Wii will put that to the test! This rendition of the game requires players to use their Wii remotes to drive their favorite Mushroom Kingdom characters straight through to the finish line. It’s an increased hand-eye coordination challenge with add-ons like speed-boosting flips and compatibility with the Wii wheel! This game is rated E for Everyone.
Read moreEntertainment Value
After its release in April 2008, Mario Kart Wii receives the Kids Choice Award for Favorite Video Game. Four racers can play at a time in this game that is great fun for any age. All the activities and obstacles make each race experience all its own. Gamers will love the clear, colorful graphics. Grab your kart and hit the streets. Unlock new characters and cups as you race. This game is a great rainy day past-time.
Physical Development
Mario Kart is a must-have for every Wii collection. It will bring back fond memories of childhood and love you can share with the next generation. It is easy to maneuver your kart with the Wii controller or you can invest in a Wii wheel. The graphics in this game are colorful and a joy to race through. They also make your favorite characters look awesome. You have thirty-two tracks to choose from, sixteen retro tracks from other versions and sixteen are brand new. There are eight cups to race for, four of which are already unlocked. The four new ones you have to earn.
Age Range
The controls are easy to master on your Wii remote. You can also buy a Wii wheel to improve your experience of the game.
10. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Nintendo Switch
Single or multiplayer - 1 to 2 players
2 games in 1
Additional playable characters
Three additional game modes to choose from
Some customers noticed that WII U games are a bit different then the WII games and it took some getting used to the settings.
In the New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, players get two games in one! This game is optimal for up to four players and can be played with Joy-Con controllers. There are 164 courses available and new characters designed to specifically be accessible for younger and less experienced players, so they can still join in on the fun without the looming threat of frustration taunting the family. This game is rated E for Everyone.
Read moreEntertainment Value
You can select who you want to play in this Super Luigi game as you and Mario try to save the Mushroom Kingdom. 2 games in 1. With this game, you get two separate games with Mario and his pals for the price of one. It’s wonderful for any Super Mario fanatic out there as they’ll be able to play their next adventure right at hand.
Physical Development
With all of the choices your child can make during the game they will be improving their problem solving skills.
Ease of Use
Rated E for everyone, children of all ages can enjoy this game.
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Entertainment Value
Mario Bros. is a legendary platform game made by Nintendo and released for the first time in 1983. These games have been featured on many gaming systems: six games for home consoles, three portable games, and four Namco co-developed arcade games. From Mario Bros. came Mario Kart, a fun game where you can race with all your favorite characters. This is such a wonderful, family-friendly game we needed to find the best for you. In Mario Bros., we want games that kids can enjoy playing as their favorite characters. They can play as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach or any of the other friends. In Super Mario Odyssey, Mario has a brand new friend named Cappy who gives him new moves and adds plenty of fun to the story. The games need lots of fun adventures to go on.
In the Mario Kart games, a wide variety of tracks greatly enhance the game experience. We looked for games that bring back some of the favorites but also add some new tracks to explore. There are fun games where you can customize your kart to show off your style and raise your chances of winning. A glider comes out of the kart when you do big jumps. A propeller comes out when you are underwater.
Physical Development
The mario games will stimulate your child's physical development in a variety of ways. In order to fully stimulate your child's imagination, You want a game with clear, colorful graphics. The crystal clear images and even 3D modes they have now are spectacular. You can truly get lost in the world of Mario and enjoy the scenery while you play. Using the controls for the games will increase your child's fine motor skills. Advancing through the levels will help improve your child's problem solving skills.
Age Range
Super Mario Bros. games have been a huge force of family entertainment since 1983. We wanted to keep the fun going by including games that were great for people of all ages. Playing these games in whatever form is just a feel-good moment. The characters are like old friends and you can never get tired of the tracks and adventures of these two crazy brothers. These games create many hours of family fun as you teach your kids all the hidden tricks and secrets of the games, or maybe they can teach you.
Mario was originally called Jumpman when he first appeared in Donkey Kong.
Mario and Luigi are twins
Other Factors to Consider
Ease of Use
Being able to play individually as well as with a group of friends is also a nice selling point. Some of our choices have SpotPass and StreetPass which allow for multiple-player games. They can either play with a group of friends in the same room or they can team up with new friends online to share the adventure together.
Frequently Asked Questions
q: Which game was the first Mario Kart game?
Super Mario Kart.
q: 3DS versus Nintendo DS versus 2DS, what’s the difference?
The Nintendo DS was originally released in 2004 and has spawned several style options such as the DS Lite, DSi, and the DSi XL and was designed for normal two-dimensional video game play. The 2DS was a flatter, non-closing alternative released in 2013 that mimics the old-school Gameboy look. The 3DS actually came out a little earlier in 2011 as Nintendo’s first three-dimensional (depth) gaming system but gained a lot of its popularity in more recent years. All current Nintendo DS and 2DS games have been designed to be backward-compatible with the 3DS system and can be played on all three gaming consoles, although some of the games will only utilize one of the screens rather than two. 3DS games, however, are limited to the 2DS and 3DS systems and will not work with the original Nintendo DS, DS Lite, DSi, or DSi XL.
q: What is SpotPass mentioned in the descriptions of the games?
It is the Nintendo 3DS’s way to access a Wi-Fi signal in order to download content. It is used to download game demos, videos from the video service and things like that.
q: So then what is StreetPass?
That is used by 3DS to connect to another 3DS system in the same room and swap information. They can exchange things like Miis, specific features and SwapNotes.
q: What it this term Mii?
It stands for media independent interface and is a customizable avatar. They were first introduced on the Wii but now are used on the Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, Nintendo Switch and other non-Nintendo smart devices.
q: Won’t encouraging my kids to play Mario Bros. cause them to be violent or couch potatoes?
Family-friendly video games like Mario Bros. can actually teach academics and life skills. They are also a great way to bond with your children. They can create teaching moments because children are more likely to listen when you are in their environment.
q: Do video games provide any mental or physical health benefits for my child?
Absolutely! Studies have shown that playing video games can have a significant impact on the growth of many cognitive skills such as problem-solving, strategic thinking, and memory retention. They can also help enhance fine-motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to multitask. Video games are also an ideal way to learn socialization skills, especially with the Mario franchise which encourages cooperative and team play. The number one thing to remember when it comes to video games, and many other things in life, is that they are best done in moderation and should never replace real in-person interaction.
Sources
- Mario Kart, Wikipedia Page ,
- The 8 Best Mario Kart Games, Blog Article ,
- The Difference Between SpotPass and StreetPass, Online Article ,
- Inside Super Mario Odyssey: Mario's Biggest Change in Years, Informative Article ,
- Super Mario' just turned 30. Here's why you and your child should play the game together, Online Article ,