It started with a jump. Actually, it started with a carpenter named Jumpman who was trying to save his girlfriend from a giant ape, but we all know where that led. If you look at all games super mario has touched over the last four decades, you aren’t just looking at a software library; you’re looking at the literal DNA of modern gaming. It’s a massive, tangled web of pixel-perfect platformers, bizarre educational spin-offs, and sports titles where a turtle can somehow out-dunk a princess.
Honestly? It's a lot to take in.
Most people think they know Mario. They remember the NES controller or maybe the 64-bit revolution. But when you dig into the full catalog, you realize how experimental Nintendo actually gets when they think no one is looking. For every Super Mario Odyssey, there is a Mario’s Time Machine lurking in the shadows.
The Evolution of the Platforming King
The core of the franchise—the "Super" series—is what defines the industry. In 1985, Super Mario Bros. basically saved the North American video game market after the 1983 crash. It wasn't just about moving left to right. It was about the physics. Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka designed levels that taught you how to play without a single tutorial screen. You see a Goomba, you jump, you learn. Simple.
Then things got weird.
Take Super Mario Bros. 2. In Japan, the sequel was just a much harder version of the first game (eventually released as The Lost Levels). In America, we got a re-skinned version of a game called Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic. That’s why you’re suddenly pulling radishes out of the ground and fighting a red dinosaur named Birdo instead of stomping Koopas. It felt like a fever dream, but it introduced Shy Guys and Bob-ombs to the canon. Without that "fake" sequel, the Mario universe would be a lot less colorful.
By the time Super Mario Bros. 3 hit, the NES was being pushed to its absolute limit. You had a world map, power-ups like the Tanooki Suit, and a sense of scale that felt impossible for a gray plastic toaster. It’s often cited by developers at Valve and Epic Games as the gold standard for level design. It’s tight. It’s demanding. It’s perfect.
🔗 Read more: Super Mario World Remastered: The Reality Behind the Fan Projects and Nintendo's Silence
The Jump to the Third Dimension
If the 2D era was about precision, the 3D era was about playground physics. Super Mario 64 didn't just add a Z-axis; it redefined how we interact with virtual spaces. I remember the first time I saw Mario's face in 3D—you could stretch his nose! It was goofy, but it signaled a massive shift. The Analog stick on the N64 controller was built specifically to make Mario move fluently.
However, Nintendo didn't just stick to the script. Super Mario Sunshine on the GameCube is the "black sheep" for many, mostly because of the FLUDD water pack. It’s janky in spots. The camera sometimes hates you. But the movement tech in that game is incredibly deep. Pro players still find new ways to skip entire sections of Isle Delfino by abusing the water spray mechanics.
Then came the Galaxy games. Gravity-shifting, planet-hopping madness.
The Wii era showed that Nintendo could make a game that felt grand and orchestral while still keeping that "pick up and play" vibe. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is frequently ranked as one of the greatest games ever made, and for good reason. It’s basically a masterclass in introducing a mechanic, iterating on it, and then throwing it away before it gets boring.
The Portable Powerhouses
Don't ignore the handhelds. Super Mario Land on the original Game Boy was tiny, weird, and featured a submarine level. It felt like a bootleg version of Mario, but it was official. It sold millions. It gave us Daisy.
The New Super Mario Bros. series on the DS and Wii might feel a bit "corporate" or "safe" compared to the weirdness of the 90s, but they sold astronomical numbers. They brought back the 2D side-scrolling format to a generation that grew up on 3D. While some critics say the art style is a bit sterile, the sales figures don't lie. People want to jump on flagpoles. They always will.
When Mario Goes Off-Script
When you look at all games super mario appears in, the spin-offs take up 70% of the list. We’re talking:
📖 Related: Mantle of Battle Harmony: Why This Warlock Exotic Still Carries the Endgame
- Mario Kart (The friendship destroyer)
- Mario Party (The controller destroyer)
- Mario Tennis, Golf, and Strikers
- Paper Mario and the Mario & Luigi RPGs
The RPGs are where the personality really shines. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (developed with Square) gave us a grumpy Bowser who joins your team because he lost his castle. It humanized the characters. The writing in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is genuinely funny—like, actually laugh-out-loud funny. It mocks the tropes of the series while being a deep, tactical experience.
Then there are the "lost" games. Did you know there was a Mario Teaches Typing? Or Mario is Missing! where you play as Luigi wandering around real-world cities like Nairobi and Rome? They were terrible. Educational games in the early 90s were often outsourced and lacked the "Nintendo Polish," but they are part of the history. They show a company that was willing to license its mascot to almost anyone before they got protective of their IP.
Why the Mario Formula Doesn't Break
The secret isn't the mustache. It's the "Miyamoto Philosophy."
There is a concept in Japanese design called Kishōtenketsu. It’s a four-act structure: Introduction, Development, Twist, and Reconciliation. You see this in almost every level of Super Mario 3D World.
- You see a clear pipe.
- You ride the clear pipe and realize you can control your direction.
- Suddenly, there are enemies inside the pipe or fireballs chasing you.
- You use what you learned to finish a complex pipe puzzle.
This loop makes the player feel smart. It creates a "flow state" that few other developers can replicate consistently. Whether it’s the 8-bit sprites of 1985 or the high-definition wonder of Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023), that core logic remains the same.
The Modern Era and Mario Maker
In 2015, Nintendo did something risky. They gave the keys to the kingdom to the fans with Super Mario Maker. Suddenly, everyone realized that making a good Mario level is actually really hard. We saw "Kaizo" levels that require frame-perfect inputs and levels that play themselves like a Rube Goldberg machine.
It turned Mario into a creative tool.
Super Mario Odyssey on the Switch felt like a return to the open-ended exploration of Mario 64. Cappy, the hat that lets you possess enemies, was a stroke of genius. Why give Mario a power-up when he can just become a T-Rex? It’s that kind of "why not?" thinking that keeps the franchise from feeling like a nostalgia act.
Navigating the Catalog: Where to Start?
If you’re trying to experience all games super mario has to offer, you can’t just play them chronologically. You’ll burn out. You have to mix the flavors.
- For the Purist: Super Mario World (SNES). It’s the peak of 2D design. The secret exits and the introduction of Yoshi make it endlessly replayable.
- For the Adventurer: Super Mario Odyssey. The kingdoms are dense with secrets, and the movement feels like butter.
- For the Chaos Seeker: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It’s the best-selling game on the Switch for a reason.
- For the Story Seeker: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. The 2024 remake is the definitive way to play it.
The reality is that Nintendo is very protective of their legacy now. You can find most of the classics on the Nintendo Switch Online service, but some—like the weird arcade spin-offs or the Philips CD-i disasters—are relegated to the dusty corners of eBay and emulation.
👉 See also: Metal Gear Solid 5: Why It Still Feels Better Than Every Open World Game Since
Actionable Steps for the Aspiring Completionist
If you want to actually dive into the history of these games, don't just buy everything at once. Start by leveraging what you probably already have.
- Get a Nintendo Switch Online Subscription. This is the cheapest way to access the NES, SNES, and Game Boy libraries. You get Super Mario Bros. 1-3, World, and the original Land games without hunting down old hardware.
- Check out the "Expansion Pack" for the N64 and GBA titles. This gives you Mario 64 and Mario Advance 4 (which has the e-Reader levels that were lost for years).
- Hunt for the 3D All-Stars physical copy. Nintendo stopped selling this digitally, but physical copies are still floating around in used game stores. It’s the easiest way to play Sunshine and Galaxy on modern TVs.
- Use a Wiki for the Spin-offs. Sites like MarioWiki are incredibly detailed. If you're curious about the deep lore (yes, there is Mario lore), that's your home base.
- Watch a "Speedrun" of the classics. Seeing someone beat Super Mario World in 10 minutes will give you a whole new appreciation for the sub-pixel precision built into these games.
Mario isn't just a character; he's a set of rules for how a character should move in space. Whether he's a doctor throwing pills at viruses or a cat climbing a wall, the games work because they prioritize how it feels to play over everything else. Start with the classics, but don't be afraid to try the weird stuff. That's where the real magic is hidden.