With each iteration, Mario games have achieved perfection in their platformer genre. Players can experience new and innovative ideas with each new release of Mario games. That’s the thing I love about Mario games. Mario never shies away from making creative ideas come to life. Although the story remains the same, Princess Peach gets kidnapped by Bower, and you have to rescue her.
Best Mario Games for Nintendo Switch
From the beginning to today, we have all the great Mario games in one portable console. Now you can play all the best games on the go for I have compiled the best Mario games on Nintendo Switch.
Super Mario All-stars
Our old NES boys are back on the menu with improved graphics that enhance pixels, bringing nostalgia to the new switch console. Nintendo has completely changed its 8-bit image into 16-bit textures and added many small details that make the game competitively superior to its NES version. Everything is given an improved revamp from the Original soundtrack to its visual aesthetic, but the gameplay feels true to its core, a welcoming feature to old and new players. The game has the four most influential games of the era, all with additional features and easter eggs.
Super Mario Bros. (1985)Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels(1986)Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
Super Mario World
Released on November 21, 1990, Super Mario World took the world by storm with the introduction of its SNES gaming console. Now long-time fans have the opportunity to revisit the charming and delightful world on the new Switch console. Super Mario World is the first game that introduced T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas, or as we call him, Yoshi. It was mind-boggling for fans of Mario to hop on a dinosaur and gulp down enemies and objects. Yoshi as a power-up companion made a game-changing effect on Mario’s world. Most of the enemies you can see in the latest Mario games take direct inspiration from Super Mario World. Super Mario World is a founding pillar of all the character ideas and level design you see in today’s game. After, it’s the Mario game we all know and love.
New Super Mario Bros .U Deluxe
As a side-scrolling 2.5D platforming game from the Wii U console, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe offers new ways to play on challenging-level designs. The game itself is nothing new, but it introduces a new playable character, Toadette. She is the character that regards the game to be in easy mode. Unlike Mario and Luigi having sliding inertia mechanics, Todette has precise control of her movements and jumps. Players also don’t have to press the jump button repeatedly to maneuver underwater. But one of the best abilities she can have is super crown pick which converts her into princess Peach. U Deluxe is absolutely fun to play with friends solving puzzles and overcoming obstacles together as a team.
Super Mario Maker 2
Nintendo has collected all its great ideas for Mario games and made them accessible to players for creative level design or tormenting platforms of hell. The choice of creating both a pleasurable and frustrating experience remains in the hands of the creator in Super Mario Maker 2. The freedom of creating both 2D and 3D side-scrolling platforms has never been so easy and enjoyable. The game sets you up to repair the toad castle by completing a hundred levels and collecting coins from repair costs. It introduces new players to the potential of the game and gives long-time players all new tools to build upon. Super Mario Maker 2 is an example of a complex game made enjoyable through learning.
Mario Party Superstars
Mario Party Superstar is the amalgamation of all the best games Mario Party has offered from its long-running franchise. The collection of one hundred mini-games is more than enough for friends and families to have a good time. Superstars have thrown most of their previous gimmicks out the window and focused on fun aspects of gameplay together with parties. The star of the show is always its board games that are simplified with pleasing visuals and excellent board layouts. Each theme board compels players to use different tactics to move further and win the game because every board has its unique game machines that reward thoughtful players. With its top-notch game quality that every party player can enjoy, Mario Party Superstars delivers hours of fun with friends and families.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
A turn-based tactical game that is more or less similar to Xcom makes a fresh entry into platforming games. Rabbids Kingdom Battle might be bizarre in its introduction but hides deep gameplay mechanics rewarding skillful learners with satisfying victory. You can see Mario and other characters using guns in a strategic game of hiding and shooting. It might seem strange at the beginning since our character only uses powerups and jumps to defeat enemies, but all the doubt melts away once learning the battle mechanics. Unlike other Mario games, Rabbids Kingdom Battle is built with a strategic mindset where each player has a thoughtful decision to make before executing in battle. It’s a different take from platforming because enemies here are quite challenging and unforgiving of making wrong decisions.
Mario Strikers: Battle League
Battle League is more like an over-the-top action fighting arena rather than a soccer game. The crazy amount of cartoony violence you can pull is absolutely astounding and amazingly beautiful. After fifteen years since the first Mario Striker, we finally have Battle League on Switch. The objective is simple: shoot the ball on the net. But using crazy powerups to blow away opponents and getting that blazing ball into the opponent’s net never gets old. Each character has a unique gameplay style and ultimate shot that makes the game even more exciting. Mark the field with your ridiculous move that executes a badass cutscene, and the ball makes its way to its net with flashy action.
Super Mario Sunshine
The only Mario game with a complex narrative and story is not as straightforward as any other game in the Mario franchise. Probably the only game with unique story-driven cutscenes and voice acting. Although the game is focused on exploration and extermination with your new F.L.U.D.D device, the game also puts emphasis on the cinematic presentation that progresses along with gameplay. Despite its extremely challenging gameplay, Super Mario Sunshine celebrates the creativity of varied levels, acting as an open sandbox world to play.
Super Mario 3d World + Bowser Fury
This time, Bowser has kidnapped Sprixies fairies and locked them into the castle. It’s time for Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad to set out on a mission to rescue them. It’s like a Mario Party on an adventure to defeat Bowser to stop his cruel plot because all four players can play at the same time to complete levels and beat bosses. But you can experience the 3D world as a single player. The 3D world encourages players to use its new cat powerups, and having one on your arsenal makes exploring relatively easy as you can climb walls with cat powerups. The game takes every bit of inspiration from Super Mario World and implements its features bringing back nostalgia into the 3D world of Mario. As Super Mario 3D world is a more linear approach to the 3D world, Bowser Fury completely turns the game into an open-world adventure where you have to collect “Cat Shines” tokens and defeat the slug covering Bowser and Lake Lapcat.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
This was Nintendo’s chance to further improve this great game, and I feel that they have succeeded greatly. The new ability to hold two items at a time makes exciting ways to tackle opponents while racing. With its forty-two unique characters along with their special items and forty-eight racing tracks, the game surpassed to become the best of all its predecessors. Mario Kart 8 was released for the Wii U game console, and Deluxe added even more content by adding a battle mode that lets you compete with friends in a new arena-based mode. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Battle mode adds fresh new ideas turning away from its creative racing tracks to an objective-based arena that is not only fun to play but extremely entertaining.
Super Mario 64
The first 3D Mario game revolutionized the Mario franchise and also paved the path for upcoming wonderful Mario games. This game is close to my heart as I spend hours jumping from one painting to another and defeating boss BIG BOB-OMB and Stone Boss Whomp will always remain in my core memory. And who can forget the iconic villain, Bowser. Grabbing his tail and throwing it out from the platform felt so satisfying. Super Mario 64 introduced the trend of collecting stars by exploring hidden secrets. Just like Cappy in Mario Odyssey, various CapAbilities were featured like the metal cap, wing cap, and vanish cap.
Super Mario Galaxy
As a spiritual sequel to Mario 6, Galaxy presents a beautiful yet challenging playground with the platform letting you experiment with gravity. Nintendo has crafted the Mario Galaxy game so masterfully that it feels like the modern games of the 2020 era, even though it is over a decade old. Nintendo went all out by creating an orchestra soundtrack unique to the cosmic world of Mario Galaxy. Its amazing background music seamlessly blends with planets provide a fun platform to experiment with. Super Mario Galaxy redefines the platforming genre by combining intricate puzzles into an experimental world spread across the cosmic universe.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Mario Galaxy 2 takes all that is amazing from its predecessor and adds astounding new features, making Super Mario Galaxy 2 a true sequel. Along with the fun aspect of gameplay, Galaxy 2 is bursting with creativity that lets you experiment with the stage using new power-ups and a companion, Yoshi. Galaxy 2 does not withdraw from its complex platforming and rewarding challenges for completionists, but the game also welcomes new players with exciting ways to play on its creative stages. Along with all the skills and abilities, Galaxy 2 adds new features such as a classic world map that quickly lets you get from one level to another and a Starship Mario to travel across the world.
Super Mario Odyssey
With every new console, Nintendo brings out its masterpiece in the gaming industry. Super Mario Odyssey is one true masterpiece that pays homage to the NES console game and all the Mario games that came after the classic ones. I love the idea of Cappy, A cap companion who lets Mario transfer into other creatures and objects to use its powers. Most creatures let you reach otherwise impossible places revealing secrets and Moon powers. Throwing Cappy into bizarre new things and solving puzzles with their unique powers always brought a smile to my face. Such a versatile way to make the game fresh with just one unique ability. But it’s not just the ability that makes Odyssey so awesome; it’s the combination of a well-thought-out puzzle platform, great soundtracks, charming characters, and, of course, all new creatures you can throw caps that make the game so much fun to play. With a total of eighteen kingdoms that have their own theme and creatures, the game is awe-inspiring till the very end. And it still surprises me with so many hidden secrets, unlockable. This is by far the best platformer game Nintendo has ever created. Thanks, Nintendo, for making our childhood dream come true.
