Super Mario: Every Game Ranked From Worst To Best

1. Super Mario 64

Mario Feat Copy
Nintendo

This. Obviously this.

Let's forget what Mario 64 did for the series for a moment, and take a broader perspective. Until Mario's first leap into 3D came along, the industry didn't really know how to handle this tricky new dimension. Then Nintendo showed them at the first time of asking, with a virtuoso display of design supremacy.

But this wasn't just a glorified blueprint, a tech demo for everyone else to build on. This was a magical, multifarious delight in its own right, both innovative and entertaining in equal measure. Unadulterated enjoyment permeated the castle walls in Miyamoto's masterpiece, as it drastically recalculated what we could expect from a game. No title had landed with greater impact before, and it's unlikely one ever will again.

The Nintendo 64 was more or less designed for Mario 64 - but Mario 64 was lovingly crafted for us. A true pipe dream that can never be topped.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.