Saturday, September 13 marks the 40th anniversary of the Super Mario franchise. While the Mario character existed for years before Super Mario Bros. was released for the NES, it was that game that really put the character on the map and marks the start of his platforming adventures. Super Mario is Nintendo’s flagship franchise, with the series represented on nearly every piece of Nintendo hardware released since 1985.
Every five years, when a major Super Mario anniversary is coming up, I take it upon myself to replay all the games in the series. Thanks to services like Switch Online, it’s becoming increasingly easier to do so, though I still have to dig out some old consoles for a couple of games. For Super Mario‘s 40th anniversary, not only did I beat all the games again, but I also decided to rank them based on how much fun they were during the marathon.
Here is my official ranking of all the main series Super Mario games released by the franchise’s 40th anniversary on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
24
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels is the only game in the marathon that I actively disliked playing. For those who are unfamiliar with it, Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels is essentially a super-difficult expansion of the original Super Mario Bros. game. Released in Japan as Super Mario Bros. 2, The Lost Levels is a frustrating retread of the 1985 classic. It sacrifices fun for difficulty, though it’s not a complete waste. Interestingly, The Lost Levels is the first game to give Luigi unique characteristics compared to Mario, and it’s also the first game in the series to feature the dreaded Poison Mushroom.
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, aka Super Mario Bros. 2, was released in Japan in 1986, but it didn’t release elsewhere until 1993’s Super Mario All-Stars collection on the SNES.
23
Super Mario Land
While there have certainly been exceptions to the rule, Nintendo generally tends to release a Mario game for its new gaming hardware. The Mario game that graced the original Game Boy at launch was Super Mario Land, a bite-sized take on the classic Super Mario Bros. formula. Whereas I didn’t care for Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Land was actually a fun time, and in fact, every other game on this list I would consider at least good, if not extraordinary as we get higher up. Super Mario Land has some cool enemies and, surprisingly, scrolling shooter segments, and it’s also notable for being the first game to feature Princess Daisy. However, Super Mario Land is hilariously short, and I was able to beat it in less than an hour. It’s a good time while it lasts, but the other Super Mario games simply have more to offer.
Super Mario Land
- Released
-
July 31, 1989
- ESRB
-
e
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo R&D1
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
Unity
22
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2 is an odd duck. The game originally released in Japan as Doki Doki Panic, which had its characters swapped out with Super Mario characters for its release elsewhere in the world. Super Mario Bros. 2 is a major departure from the original game, with a focus on vertically-scrolling levels and the need to pick up and throw items at enemies to take them out. Super Mario Bros. 2 has its charms and is still a solid experience, but it was also one of the least entertaining playthroughs in the marathon. It’s just way too different from the other Super Mario games. Still, it deserves credit for taking Super Mario in bold new directions, fleshing out characters from the first game like Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad, and introducing plenty of new concepts and characters that continue to be featured in Mario games to this day.
An enhanced version of Super Mario Bros. 2 was released on the Game Boy Advance as Super Mario Advance.
Super Mario Bros. 2
- Released
-
September 1, 1988
- ESRB
-
e
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo EAD
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
Unity
21
Super Mario Run
Nintendo held out on bringing its franchises to mobile for quite a while, but it eventually caved and made a Super Mario game from the ground-up for iOS and Android devices. Super Mario Run is a main series Super Mario games that is exclusively on mobile, and while that may turn some people off, it’s surprisingly good. Super Mario Run takes endless runner concepts and applies them to traditional Super Mario levels, presented in the New Super Mario Bros. art style. Super Mario Run is fairly short, but it’s perfect for bursts of mobile gameplay and delivers the kind of quality that fans expect from a Nintendo game. Super Mario Run has received updates since launch that have added even more content, so those that haven’t played since launch may want to give it another look.
Super Mario Run
- Released
-
December 15, 2016
- ESRB
-
e
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
Unity
20
Super Mario Maker
With Super Mario Maker, Nintendo gave fans the power to create their own Super Mario stages in the style of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. U. The Wii U GamePad made level creation a breeze, and the ability to download courses created by other players gave Super Mario Maker infinite replay value. Sadly, Super Mario Maker has been shut down, and so it has lost a lot of its value compared to other Super Mario games. But even so, it’s an impressive project and one of the best uses of the Wii U GamePad.
Super Mario Maker was ported to the Nintendo 3DS with new levels made by Nintendo.
Super Mario Maker
8/10
- Released
-
September 11, 2015
- ESRB
-
E For Everyone due to Comic Mischief
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo EAD
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
Proprietary Engine
19
New Super Mario Bros. 2
In a vacuum, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is better than most other 2D platformers on the market. But at the time of its release, the New Super Mario Bros. style was getting stale. The game’s gimmick of pushing players to collect as many coins as possible wasn’t particularly engaging, and as a direct sequel to the DS original, it failed to live up to expectations. Even so, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is more Super Mario, which is never a bad thing, and it’s a little easier to enjoy now, 13 years from launch, than it was when it first came out.
New Super Mario Bros. 2
7/10
- Released
-
August 19, 2012
- ESRB
-
e
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo EAD
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
Miyamoto’s
- Multiplayer
-
Local Co-Op
18
New Super Mario Bros. U
New Super Mario Bros. U came out a few months after New Super Mario Bros. 2, so the New Super Mario Bros. fatigue was getting real. However, it’s still a better overall game than New Super Mario Bros. 2, and was a solid launch title for the Wii U. New Super Mario Bros. U is largely more of the same 2D platforming action that the series was known for, but with a few new ideas like the flying squirrel power-up and its GamePad implementation. A fifth player can use the Wii U GamePad to manipulate New Super Mario Bros. U levels, and while that’s not as fun as controlling a character on-screen, it can be good for some laughs. Ultimately, what puts New Super Mario Bros. U ahead of New Super Mario Bros. 2 for me is the 4-player co-op support, which I think gives it added replay value, and the fact that it was the first HD Super Mario game.
New Super Mario Bros. U received an expansion post launch called New Super Luigi U that earned praise for its increased challenge compared to the base game. New Super Mario Bros. U also eventually received an enhanced port for the Switch called New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.
New Super Mario Bros. U
8/10
- Released
-
November 18, 2012
- ESRB
-
E For Everyone due to Comic Mischief
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo EAD
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
Unity
- Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer
17
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins is the best Super Mario experience on the Game Boy. It feels like a proper, full-sized adventure compared to the original Super Mario Land, with vastly superior graphics and a world map to explore. Super Mario Land 2 has some of the more creative Mario levels, with Macro Zone, Mario Zone, and Space Zone all standing out especially. Super Mario Land 2 is also the debut of longtime Mario rival Wario, so not only is it a fun 2D platformer throughout, but it is also quite important when it comes to the franchise’s history.
16
Super Mario Bros.
Make no mistake about it: the original Super Mario Bros. is one of the most important video games ever made. It revitalized the video game industry and made the NES a must-have console, cementing Nintendo as the industry leader in the mid-1980s. The simple side-scrolling action inspired countless copycats and laid the foundation for the many Super Mario games to come. Even though it’s 40 years old at this point, Super Mario Bros. is still a fun game by today’s standards. Certain elements, like the screen only scrolling one way and the basic art style, haven’t aged well compared to other 2D Super Mario games, but the OG still pulls its weight.
Super Mario Bros.
- Released
-
November 17, 1985
- ESRB
-
e
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo R&D4
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
miyamoto
15
Bowser’s Fury
Bowser’s Fury is technically extra content included in the Switch re-release of Super Mario 3D World, but in my opinion, it is notable enough to stand on its own. Bowser’s Fury sees Mario teaming up with Bowser Jr. to fight the ultra-powerful Fury Bowser. Its most notable feature is its use of an open world, and in many ways, it feels like Nintendo testing the waters for what a fully open world Super Mario game would be like. It’s short but sweet and makes the Super Mario 3D World package on the Switch that much better.
About The Author
