Honestly, trying to pin down a list of mario games by date is like trying to catch a Super Star while you’re sliding down a glacier. It’s chaotic. You think it’s just a straight line from 1985 to now, but then you remember the weird Japanese-only releases, the arcade cabinets, and that one time Mario taught kids how to type on a Windows 95 PC.
Most people start the clock at Super Mario Bros. on the NES. That makes sense. It’s the legend. But if you’re a real stickler for the history, the plumber actually showed up way before the Mushroom Kingdom was even a thing. He was "Jumpman" in Donkey Kong (1981), and he was actually kind of a jerk to that gorilla. Then came the Mario Bros. arcade game in '83, where Luigi finally joined the party.
If you're looking for the actual order of release, especially with the recent 2024 and 2025 hits like Mario & Luigi: Brothership and the Super Mario Galaxy remasters, here is how the timeline actually shook out.
The Foundation: 8-Bit and 16-Bit Eras (1985–1995)
The decade that started it all. This wasn't just about games; it was about Nintendo figuring out what a "Mario game" even felt like. It’s wild to look back and realize Super Mario Bros. 3 came out only three years after the first one in Japan.
- Super Mario Bros. (1985): The big bang. October 18, 1985, for the US, though people still argue about the exact day.
- Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986): Japan's sequel. It was so hard Nintendo of America basically said, "No thanks, our kids will cry."
- Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988): The one that’s actually a reskinned game called Doki Doki Panic. That’s why you’re throwing turnips instead of fireballs.
- Super Mario Land (1989): Mario’s Game Boy debut. It had a submarine level. Weird, but cool.
- Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990 in the US): Arguably the best 2D game ever made.
- Super Mario World (1991): The SNES launch title. It gave us Yoshi. Enough said.
- Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992): Introduced Wario, who was basically Mario if he never went to therapy.
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island (1995): Technically a Mario game, but you're mostly a screaming baby in a bubble.
The Jump to 3D and the "New" Era (1996–2012)
This is where the list of mario games by date gets tricky because Nintendo started branching out into different "brands." You had the 3D pioneers and the "New" side-scrollers that tried to recapture the 80s magic.
✨ Don't miss: Sex Fallout New Vegas: Why Obsidian’s Writing Still Outshines Modern RPGs
Super Mario 64 (1996) changed everything. If you weren't there, it's hard to explain how mind-blowing it was to move a character in a 360-degree space. Then we had a long dry spell. It took six years to get Super Mario Sunshine (2002) on the GameCube. People hated the water pack (FLUDD) at first, but honestly? It’s aged like fine wine.
Then came the DS and Wii explosion:
- New Super Mario Bros. (2006) - Handheld 2D revival.
- Super Mario Galaxy (2007) - Gravity-defying genius.
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009) - The beginning of four-player chaos.
- Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010) - The rare sequel that might be better than the original.
- Super Mario 3D Land (2011) - Bridging the gap between 2D and 3D on the 3DS.
The Modern Renaissance (2013–2026)
We’ve seen some massive shifts recently. The Wii U era was a bit of a "lost period" for many, but games like Super Mario 3D World (2013) and the original Super Mario Maker (2015) were actually brilliant. They just needed a better console to live on.
Enter the Switch. Super Mario Odyssey (2017) felt like a true successor to 64. But Nintendo didn't stop there. They started getting weird again, which is usually when they're at their best. Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023) was a fever dream in the best way possible.
🔗 Read more: Why the Disney Infinity Star Wars Starter Pack Still Matters for Collectors in 2026
Looking at the most recent and upcoming releases:
- Mario & Luigi: Brothership (November 7, 2024): A massive return for the RPG series.
- Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 Remastered (October 2, 2025): Finally bringing both Wii masterpieces to the Switch in one package.
- Mario Tennis Fever (February 12, 2026): The latest sports entry with "Wonder Effects" mixed into the matches.
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Switch 2 Edition (Spring 2026): An enhanced version for the new hardware, including the "Meetup in Bellabel Park" expansion.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Timeline
You'll often hear people talk about "Super Mario 128." For years, fans thought this was a secret sequel to Mario 64 that Nintendo was hiding.
In reality, it was just a tech demo from 2000 showing off how many Marios the GameCube could handle at once. Shigeru Miyamoto later admitted that the "128" project actually turned into Pikmin (for the crowd AI) and Super Mario Galaxy (for the spherical walking). It’s a great example of how Nintendo never really "cancels" anything; they just chop it up and put it into other games.
Sorting the Spin-offs
If we included every Mario Kart, Mario Party, and Dr. Mario, this list would be 5,000 items long. But keep an eye on the dates for the "sub-series" because they often tell a story of their own. For example, the Paper Mario series started in 2000 as a spiritual successor to Super Mario RPG because Square (who made the original RPG) and Nintendo were having a bit of a spat at the time.
💡 You might also like: Grand Theft Auto Games Timeline: Why the Chronology is a Beautiful Mess
How to Navigate the Mario Catalog Today
If you're looking to play through the history, don't just go in chronological order. You'll hit a wall of difficulty with the NES games that might turn you off.
Start with Odyssey or Wonder. They have the most "quality of life" features.
Then go back to Super Mario World. It’s the peak of 2D design.
Check out the 3D All-Stars collection. If you can find a copy, it’s the easiest way to see the evolution from 64 to Sunshine to Galaxy.
The most important thing to remember is that Nintendo doesn't really care about a "canon" timeline. Mario is a character, but he's also a toy. Whether he's a doctor, a racer, or a cat-suit-wearing platformer, the date on the box matters less than how the jump feels.
With a new 3D Mario rumored for a reveal in the February 2026 Nintendo Direct, the list is only going to get longer and more impressive. Keep your eyes on the Switch 2 releases—that's where the next chapter is being written.