Although these days Ubisoft's Rayman series is creeping up on the loveable perfectly-animated heels of Mario and his merry band of chums, nobody does platforming like Nintendo, and should you be able to procure a copy of Super Mario Galaxy it's a conclusion you'll reach almost instantly. Of course you can totally make a case that newcomers to gaming should delve into the archives and play something like the original Super Mario Bros., but as many earlier films just aren't as approachable as their modern-day counterparts, here it's much better to jump into the Mario timeline near the present and work your way back over, as it's just as interesting and fun to see his humble beginnings as it is to see where they would take him. From the perfectly-designed worlds that usher back in the essentialist need to collect every last little star just for the sake of it, to the cute characters and overall buckets of charm and polish that Nintendo always pour over their most beloved creations, Galaxy marks not just a high point for the franchis but for gaming in general. Whereas before you always heard the pop-cultural rumblings of Mario 64 begging to be played from afar, it's the Galaxy series that has transcended the generational-gap to become the go-to platformer of choice.
