Nintendo frequently creates follow-up sub-franchises or new sub-franchises with Mario’s name attached because the character is so well-liked. Fans of the firm will probably highlight this as a strength, but if you like other Nintendo games, you might view this as a drawback.
Almost immediately, the Nintendo Switch overthrew the Wii U and became the home of an incredible library of titles, many of which included the beloved plumber from Mushroom Kingdom. An extensive library of classic NES and SNES games, including earlier Mario titles, are also available to you with its Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
Updated by Alfredo Robelo on October 24, 2023: Even though the well-liked older Mario games are no longer sold, Nintendo continues to reinvent the beloved franchise with every new release. While Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s debut has definitely lessened the pain, fans are still not happy that they can no longer purchase the classics. We’ve updated the list to reflect the most recent journey of Mario and friends because it’s their best and most inclusive title to yet.
14 Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
A clever idea can occasionally sell a game more than the actual game. Nintendo launched Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit at a premium pricing, even though Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains the primary Mario Kart game for the Switch. To provide some novelty, it incorporates augmented reality tracks.
Remote-controlled cars that can drive through actual environments in a virtual universe are included with the game. Like the Nintendo Labo, setting things up requires some ingenuity and patience, but the outcomes can be well worth the effort. Though a little more expensive, it’s a pretty inventive title.
13 Mario Tennis Aces
You may play a fresh and exciting tennis adventure with Mario and his buddies in Mario Tennis Aces, where you can also take on opponents from the Mushroom Kingdom. When the game first came out, it garnered mixed reviews from critics since a lot of players thought the single-player campaign had an unneeded and taxing difficulty spike that made it difficult to advance and enjoy the game.
If you can chuckle at the abrupt difficulty spikes, it’s still an enjoyable game, even though it might not be the finest Mario title on the Switch. And if you use the multiplayer feature, it’s much better.
12 Super Mario Party
Although Super Mario Party represents a comeback for the Mario Party franchise, it is still missing certain updates and content that would seem to be basic need for the game. Thankfully, Nintendo did away with the previous entry’s premise, which had players traveling with Bowser on an odd Uber excursion. Rather, Super Mario Party has the familiar and well-liked format.
We examine every Mario game with cooperative play and the benefits it offers to the overall gaming experience.
A fair number of the new, entertaining minigames make use of the JoyCon. In the event that you are playing locally with more than one player, you can also use two Nintendo Switch consoles.
11 Dr. Mario
One of the games that can be played with a Nintendo Online subscription is Dr. Mario, who is grinning and carrying a clipboard and a pill bottle in separate hands. All it’s really a Mario and medicine-themed match-three puzzle game, but you might be shocked at how frequently you find yourself returning to it.
Despite the fact that Dr. Mario’s gameplay appears to be ideal for mobile gamers, Dr. Mario World didn’t endure long—it was shut down after about two years. Fortunately, Dr. Mario may still be found on the Switch. While it’s not really novel or inventive, it does a good job of keeping you busy when you need it.
10 New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
If you never purchased a Wii U, you may still play the mainline 2D Mario game from the system using New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. New Super Luigi U is also included in this edition right away, as opposed to the previous version where you had to buy it as DLC. The levels of Luigi’s game are made to be harder and shorter.
Instead of being limited to playing as Mario or Luigi in the single-player game, you can instead choose to play as any character. The Deluxe version of the game only improves upon the already enjoyable and quick gameplay. It’s a good way to pass the time when you’re waiting for an appointment.
9 Super Mario All-Stars
Amidst the several announcements made in honor of Mario’s 35th anniversary, Super Mario All-Stars was reissued on Nintendo Switch Online. Super Mario All-Stars is all the original was and more, and that’s fantastic, especially when combined with the other legendary SNES games.
Picture of different Mario ultimate worlds, usually with Bowser and lava in them.
Although Super Mario All-Stars has a few minor graphical, physical, and musical flaws, it’s widely regarded as the canonical method of playing the NES Mario trilogy (including Lost Levels). All of the games are still quite good, and it’s a fantastic substitute for the equally accessible NES equivalents.
8 Super Mario 3D All-Stars
The game Super Mario 3D All-Stars is divisive. The bundle’s brief availability was a marketing ploy intended to instill a sense of impending doom over remastered games. Even though the transfer wasn’t perfect at times, this was the first time Super Mario Sunshine was released from its GameCube confines.
It’s difficult to dispute that these games aren’t classics, though. Each of the three is a fantastic title on its own, so for some it was definitely worth gathering them all in one place. If you’re a fan of the franchise, Super Mario 3D All-Stars is an amazing bundle in terms of a comprehensive package. Sadly, unless you’re ready to pay a premium for a used copy, it is no longer available for purchase either online or physically.
7 Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
The title Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle seems odd, and it is. However, it’s strange in the greatest kind of way. People were initially concerned about a crossover between Ubisoft and Nintendo, as well as Rabbid renditions of popular Mario characters that appeared to be millennial-fied.
The turn-based strategy game, however, was well received by critics and proved to be a pleasant surprise. The comedy unexpectedly works, and the gameplay is entertaining. If you enjoy any kind of turn-based strategy game, Mario, humor, or rabbits, it’s definitely worth a try.
6 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Within a limited category, cart-racing games exist. With the Mario Kart series, Nintendo excels at them, and Mario Kart 8 was one of the controversial titles that fans believed to be stuck on the Wii U.
Nevertheless, they were treated to a stunning port of the Switch in the shape of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe many months after its launch. In comparison to the original, the Switch edition has several extra features and enhancements, such as quicker loading times, better visuals and resolution, and even a redesigned Battle Mode. These add to the enjoyment of an already fantastic game.
5 Paper Mario: The Origami King
For a while now, the Paper Mario franchise was in limbo. The first three games in the series and anything following Super Paper Mario (perhaps all the way back to Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door) are clearly divided from one another. For better or worse, the series transitioned from turn-based role-playing games to adventure games including neighboring turn-based fights.
In spite of this, Paper Mario: The Origami King is among the most enjoyable and novel games in the Mario franchise to be produced in a long time. Every facet of the game is obviously the result of a great deal of love, and combat is finally enjoyable and worth playing again. It also brings back past partners, one of Olivia’s best among them. Though it’s not merely Thousand Year Door once more, the game is still amazing.
4 Super Mario Maker 2
Super Mario Maker is one of the few excellent Wii U titles that was thankfully moved over to the Switch, despite the system’s dismal sales results. But Super Mario Maker 2 is much more than just a port that is being sold as a follow-up.
It is very different from Super Mario Maker in a good way. Along with many other features, there’s a full story mode, a whole new Mario game type, and multiplayer. Many Mario aficionados have bestowed upon the game their own extraordinarily imaginative levels. The community’s ability to utilize this creator’s work makes them unique in addition to the content itself.
3 Super Mario Odyssey
Not only was Super Mario Odyssey the first 3D Mario platformer on the Switch, but it also brought back memories of Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 for a whole generation. Despite the existence of other noteworthy Mario 3D platformers, each one has a distinct feel and gameplay style.
Super Mario Wonder Collage featuring Bubble, Elephant, and Peach with various abilities
Though they weren’t nearly close enough, Super Mario Galaxy and Sunshine both included elements of the cherished 3D platformer. After more than ten years of waiting, Super Mario Odyssey—the spiritual sequel to Super Mario 64—was eventually released on the Switch.
2 Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
You might not have had a chance to play Super Mario 3D World back then because it was a well-liked free-roaming game with a co-op focus that was locked inside the Wii U for a while. You can still enjoy the fun of the game with Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, but with some new features and enhancements.
Among other minor adjustments, the characters appear to move a little faster and the resolution is better. In addition, Bowser’s Fury is a whole new experience in which you collaborate with Bowser Jr. and even take on his role in order to save Bowser. To be honest, the cat costumes alone make this bundle worth playing, even without considering the gameplay or narrative.
1 Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Mario returns with a quest that feels both timeless and modern. Super Mario Bros. Wonder gives the franchise a fresh look with its amazing new animations and more complex features. It’s the most playable game with the most intricate strategy and introduces the idea of builds to Mario games.
It even goes farther with the multiplayer feature. It does not feel like the least optimum way to play because it eliminates collision while maintaining four-player co-op compatibility similar to the prior games. Since the Yoshis can now be played as characters, local multiplayer is the only method to ride one. There is also an online component, where you can see the ghosts of other players and they can assist you in creative ways.