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“Which Mario game should I start with?” It’s a question that comes from kids and grown-ups alike, from every generation. From the original Super Mario Bros. in 1985 to Wonder in 2023, the series has kept evolving for 40-plus years and sold over 413 million copies worldwide. With that many options, it’s easy to freeze up and not know where to begin — and clearing up that confusion is exactly what this article is for.
Here, we’ve hand-picked 10 standout titles from the Super Mario series and scored each one out of 100 across four categories: Accessibility, Graphics, Brutality, and Replay Value, then ranked them. “What’s the best first game for a beginner?” “Which ones can I play with my kids?” “What if I want a real challenge?” — the list is built to answer all of those.
We aimed for a ranking that makes sense to everyone, from the NES generation to the Switch generation. Read to the end, and you should find the perfect Mario for you.
Start with the score comparison table for all 10 games to get the big picture.
*Prices in this article are converted from Japanese yen at ¥153 = US$1 (September 2026 rate).
The 10 Best Super Mario Games: Score Comparison Chart
“Accessibility” measures how easy it is for players of any age to pick up. “Graphics” is judged against both the standards of its era and modern quality. “Brutality” means the higher the number, the tougher and more rewarding it is (it reflects difficulty). “Replay Value” reflects how much content keeps you playing after the credits roll. Don’t just look at the total — pick based on the categories that matter most to you.
| Title | Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Odyssey | 95 | 97 | 40 | 98 | 330 |
| Super Mario Bros. Wonder | 96 | 95 | 62 | 75 | 328 |
| Super Mario Galaxy | 87 | 93 | 72 | 72 | 324 |
| Super Mario World | 93 | 78 | 70 | 75 | 316 |
| Super Mario Galaxy 2 | 83 | 93 | 83 | 53 | 312 |
| Super Mario Bros. 3 | 82 | 72 | 78 | 73 | 305 |
| Super Mario 64 | 80 | 80 | 65 | 78 | 303 |
| Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury | 92 | 90 | 68 | 48 | 298 |
| New Super Mario Bros. Wii | 90 | 78 | 70 | 50 | 288 |
| Super Mario Bros. | 85 | 58 | 80 | 55 | 278 |
The higher the “Brutality” score, the harder the game — and the better it suits players who crave a challenge. Look at “Replay Value,” and Odyssey’s 98 sticks out a mile: when it comes to sheer post-game content, it’s in a league of its own.
No. 1: Super Mario Odyssey — 880 Moons Add Up to the Ultimate Exploration Game
| Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95 | 97 | 40 | 98 | 330 |
Released for Nintendo Switch on October 27, 2017. It racked up 20.83 million copies sold worldwide (as of March 2022) and earned a Metacritic score of 97, the highest rating in the Super Mario series. The heart of the game is a new move: throwing Cappy like a hat to “capture” enemies and objects. Take control of an octopus to swim underwater, possess a dinosaur to stomp across the land — the design rewards you with Power Moons for trying whatever pops into your head, and that squeezes every last drop of joy out of exploration.
That 98 in Replay Value comes down to the staggering volume of content: 880 Power Moons. The ultra-hard post-game stage unlocked after the credits, the Dark Side of the Moon Kingdom, is one of the most brutal areas in the entire series. The main story is on the easy side at a Brutality score of 40, but chase every last Moon and the difficulty spikes hard. Its Graphics score of 97 is the highest in this ranking, and 17 kingdoms with wildly different looks — cities, deserts, underwater zones, snowy peaks — never let your eyes get bored.
Its biggest strength is how welcoming it is to everyone, from 5-year-olds to veterans in their 40s. If I could pick just one Super Mario game, I’d recommend Odyssey without a second thought.
- Replay Value 98 — 880 Power Moons plus brutal post-game areas deliver 200+ hours of play
- Metacritic 97 and 20.83 million copies worldwide: top of the series by just about every metric
- Cappy’s capture mechanic offers huge freedom, and trying out whatever you think of is a blast
- Brutality 40 — some veterans may find the main story too easy
- Nintendo Switch exclusive ($43 tax included, as of May 2026)
No. 2: Super Mario Bros. Wonder — The First New 2D Mario in 11 Years Is the Series’ Best Yet
| Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96 | 95 | 62 | 75 | 328 |
Released for Switch on October 20, 2023. It earned a Metacritic score of 93 averaged across 72 outlets, and some critics went as far as calling it “the best since Super Mario World.” It sold 4.3 million copies worldwide in its first two weeks and reached 17.15 million by the end of December 2024 — the fastest sales pace in 2D Mario history. It also won Best Family Game at The Game Awards 2023.
Touch a Wonder Flower and the whole stage transforms dramatically — characters suddenly burst out of pipes, Mario turns into an elephant and goes on a rampage — and every single stage has a “wait, THAT’S happening?” surprise in store. Its Accessibility score of 96 is the highest in the ranking. The freedom to choose from 12 playable characters, plus a relay-style setup that lets you hand tough stages off to a friend, is why players of all kinds can enjoy it.
This is the game that opened a new era for 2D Mario. As a side-scroller, its sense of innovation rivals Super Mario World from 30 years earlier — and I’ll stand by that.
- Accessibility 96 with 12 selectable characters — fun for everyone from kids to adults
- Every stage’s unique Wonder Flower effect keeps the surprises coming nonstop
- Metacritic 93 and 17.15 million copies — the highest acclaim in 2D Mario history
- Replay Value 75 — fewer collectibles than Odyssey, so total playtime runs shorter
- Nintendo Switch exclusive ($43 tax included, as of May 2026)
No. 3: Super Mario Galaxy — Gravity-Bending 3D Action at Its Absolute Peak
| Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | 93 | 72 | 72 | 324 |
Released for Wii on November 1, 2007. It’s one of the highest-rated games of all time on GameRankings (as of the site’s 2019 shutdown), and it made Nintendo the first-ever winner of the BAFTA Games Award for Best Game. With 12.8 million copies sold worldwide (as of September 2022), it still shines brightly in gaming history as the Wii’s signature masterpiece.
Running around spherical planets with “gravity action” was a brilliant invention that solved the camera headaches unique to 3D games. Leaping from planet to planet, running upside down, swimming through water worlds — every bit of it is meticulously crafted level design. The orchestral soundtrack is superb too; while playing, it felt less like “playing a game” and more like “living through something epic.”
It’s currently playable through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack (as of May 2026). Being able to jump in right now without owning a Wii is a big plus. Collect all 120 Stars and you can play as Luigi, too.
- Gravity-based planet-hopping action — polish good enough to rank among the greatest games ever made
- The orchestral soundtrack delivers the most immersive experience of any 3D Mario
- Nintendo Switch Online members can play it right now with the Expansion Pack
- The Wii version takes some getting used to with motion controls
- The Switch version requires the NSO Expansion Pack (roughly $8 per month)
No. 4: Super Mario World — The 2D Mario Landmark That Still Holds Up 35 Years Later
| Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93 | 78 | 70 | 75 | 316 |
Released on November 21, 1990, as a launch title for the Super Famicom (SNES). With 20.61 million copies sold worldwide, it’s the fifth-best-selling game in Super Mario history. Yoshi’s first appearance, Cape Mario, the secret routes of the Star Road — idea after idea that later games would inherit was born right here.
Its Accessibility score of 93 is the third-highest in this ranking, behind only Odyssey and Wonder. The snappy, responsive controls still hold up more than 30 years later, and the thrill of playing Super Mario World on the Super Famicom for the first time comes rushing right back into my hands. Finding all 96 exits is a meaty task, and the brutal Star Road courses reduced plenty of kids to tears back in the day — that Brutality score of 70 says it all.
It’s currently playable on Nintendo Switch Online (Super Nintendo). You simply can’t talk about the history of 2D Mario without World.
- 20.61 million copies worldwide and Yoshi’s debut — a “treasure trove of inventions” and the pinnacle of 2D Mario
- 96 exits and the Star Road offer hearty completionist content
- Free to play for Nintendo Switch Online (SNES) members
- Graphics are from the SNES era, so don’t expect modern visual flair
- Some Star Road courses are brutal even by today’s standards — brace yourself
#5: Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Tougher and Denser Than the Original
| Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83 | 93 | 83 | 53 | 312 |
Released for the Wii on May 27, 2010 (in Japan). It pulled a 97 on Metacritic, matching its predecessor, and it’s widely hailed as “the sequel that pushed difficulty and density even further than the original.” With 120 Power Stars plus 120 hidden Green Stars for a total of 240, and a relentless run of tough stages, it drags veterans who’d mastered the first game into brand-new territory.
Its Brutality score of 83 ties Super Mario Bros. 3 for one of the highest marks in this ranking. Some of the Green Stars sit in brutal stages that make you wonder, “Is this even beatable?” — a design built to hook confident players for hours on end. The sense of worldbuilding and the feel of a grand journey from the first game are thinner here, but as a pure action game, the rush and sense of accomplishment actually top the original in places.
If you finished Galaxy thinking “Make it harder, please,” Galaxy 2 is the perfect answer.
- Brutality score of 83 — 240 stars of completionist grind with difficulty that’ll make veterans groan
- A 97 on Metacritic — right up there with the original among the highest-rated action games ever
- The controls can throw you if you skipped the first game — we recommend playing Galaxy 1 first
- Requires a Wii console or the NSO Expansion Pack (the Wii U version was added as of May 2026)
#6: Super Mario Bros. 3 | The Late-NES Epic That Still Shines
| Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | 72 | 78 | 73 | 305 |
Released for the Famicom on October 23, 1988 (in Japan). It sold 17.28 million copies worldwide, and as the crowning epic of the late NES era, plenty of longtime fans still call it “the best 2D Mario ever.” The lineup of power-ups — Tanooki Mario, Frog Mario, Hammer Mario and more — plus eight worlds that each carry their own distinct theme add up to seriously jaw-dropping world design.
Its Brutality score of 78 lands near the top of this ranking. The later worlds hit you with that “Wait, there’s still more?” feeling that’s equal parts thrilling and punishing. And the polished visuals, which never feel boxed in by the NES hardware, blew gamers’ minds back in the day. It’s free to play on Nintendo Switch Online (NES), so if you’ve never tried it, drop everything and play it now.
- Tons of power-ups and eight distinctive worlds make for the biggest adventure of the NES era
- Nintendo Switch Online (NES) members can play it for free right now
- It’s an NES game, so the graphics are old-school by modern standards — you’ll need to make peace with that
- The later worlds hit a Brutality score of 78 — newcomers, brace yourselves
#7: Super Mario 64 | The Revolution That Rewrote 3D Gaming History
| Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 80 | 65 | 78 | 303 |
Released on June 23, 1996 (in Japan) as a Nintendo 64 launch title. It sold 11.91 million copies worldwide and quite literally rewrote the history of 3D action games. Mario running, jumping and flying in every direction — it was the first game to bring the experience of “moving freely through 3D space” to the masses, and you honestly can’t overstate that achievement.
The Replay Value score of 78 comes down to collecting all 120 Power Stars. Hidden stars you’ll only find by combing every corner of each course still deliver a real thrill when you discover them without a guide. The Graphics score of 80 balances how revolutionary it was at the time against how it looks today — the polygons are undeniably rough, but they have a charm all their own. You can play the remastered version on Nintendo Switch in Super Mario 3D All-Stars.
- The textbook for 3D games — a design so polished and revolutionary you can still feel it today
- Hunting down all 120 stars delivers a satisfying sense of 100% completion
- The early-3D camera controls take some getting used to — they feel very different from modern games
- Super Mario 3D All-Stars is out of production, so you’ll have to hit the secondhand market
#8: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury | Unbeatable for Multiplayer Fun
| Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92 | 90 | 68 | 48 | 298 |
Released for Nintendo Switch on February 12, 2021 (3D World is a port of the 2013 Wii U game, with Bowser’s Fury added on top). It has sold 5.59 million copies worldwide (Switch version). Its biggest selling point is support for up to five players at once, making it one of the most polished Mario games around for gathering the whole family in front of the screen and having a blast.
Its Accessibility score of 92 ranks near the top of this list. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad and Rosalina each play differently, so kids can pick Peach or Rosalina while experienced players go with Toad. Bowser’s Fury is an open-world-style bonus adventure where a giant Fury Bowser can show up out of nowhere, and it feels completely different from 3D World.
- Up to five players at once — the definitive multiplayer Mario for family and friends
- Two games in one package (3D World + Bowser’s Fury) makes it a great value ($43, tax included)
- Replay Value score of 48 — Bowser’s Fury is on the short side at 3 to 5 hours
- Solo play loses half the magic — it’s designed with multiplayer in mind
#9: New Super Mario Bros. Wii | Four-Player Chaos That Makes for the Best Memories
| Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | 78 | 70 | 50 | 288 |
Released for the Wii on December 3, 2009 (in Japan). Four-player simultaneous play, a first for the 2D Mario series, generated a ton of buzz and turned it into a massive hit. With Mario, Luigi and two Toads all running around the screen at the same time, the chaos creates a one-of-a-kind experience where you can never tell if you’re helping each other or getting in each other’s way.
It’s the kind of game where the laughter and yelling from a four-player session with friends sticks with you for years. That moment when somebody flubs a tough stage and drags everyone else down with them — you only get that feeling here. And as its Accessibility score of 90 shows, it’s easy for friends who’ve never touched a Mario game to jump right in.
- The chaotic fun of four-player co-op — still one of the best party games around
- Polished 2D Mario level design that’s perfect for series newcomers
- It’s Wii-only and not available on current hardware — you’ll need to track down a console and a used copy
- Playing solo strips away much of the four-player magic
#10: Super Mario Bros. | Where It All Began, and It Still Holds Up
| Accessibility | Graphics | Challenge | Replay Value | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 58 | 80 | 55 | 278 |
Released for the Famicom on September 13, 1985 (in Japan). It’s the single most important game in history, the one that showed the entire world what video games could be. Built on nothing more than 8-bit hardware, an eight-way D-pad and a simple “run, jump, stomp” formula, it still manages a difficulty curve that spikes to a Brutality score of 80 in the later worlds. Even today, the tension of those final stages hasn’t faded one bit.
You can play it for free right now on Nintendo Switch Online (NES). No matter your generation or where you start, you owe it to yourself to experience the original at least once — it has that kind of timeless polish. And if you come back to it after playing the whole series, you’ll discover something new in its “less is more” design philosophy.
- The origin point that changed gaming history — NSO members can play it free right now
- Simple controls and a Brutality-80 difficulty curve keep you coming back for another try
- Graphics score of 58 — it’s 8-bit, so you’ll have to accept the visuals next to modern games
- There isn’t much content, so if you want something to sink hours into, the higher-ranked games are a better fit
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Best Super Mario Games Ranked | Which One Should You Pick?
Going by total score is one way to choose, but the best pick really depends on how and why you’re playing. Use the quick guide below to find the game that’s right for you.
| If You… | Our Pick |
|---|---|
| Are playing Mario for the first time | Super Mario Odyssey (Switch) |
| Want the latest 2D Mario | Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch) |
| Want to test your skills on a tough Mario | Super Mario Galaxy 2 / Super Mario Bros. 3 |
| Want to play with family and friends | Super Mario 3D World / New Super Mario Bros. Wii |
| Want to experience all-time classics | Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario 64 |
| Want to explore the roots of classic Mario | Super Mario Bros. / Super Mario World (on NSO) |
If you’re torn, you can’t go wrong starting with Odyssey. It nails graphics, replay value and accessibility all at once, so there’s something in it for every kind of player. As long as you’ve got a Switch, you can start today — it’s the one we’d recommend most as your first pick.
Over more than 40 years, the Super Mario series has reinvented what “fun” looks like again and again. Our #1 pick, Odyssey, is the culmination of everything so far, while #2, Wonder, points toward the next frontier. Whichever game you choose, you’re guaranteed that “Why is this so ridiculously fun?” moment — and that’s the timeless strength of the Mario series.
Pick up a controller, and age and experience stop mattering. That’s Super Mario.
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Snicker Kitamura
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