Mario has been the flagship character for Nintendo for decades, starring in countless video games published by the company on virtually every platform it’s produced. While the “Super Mario” franchise started out as a 2D side-scroller, it eventually moved into 3D platforming in 1996 on the Nintendo 64. Since then, Nintendo has balanced its 2D and 3D experiences for its marquee property, but whenever the “Super Mario” series goes 3D, it still feels like an event. Bearing that in mind, we’re looking at our personal favorite 3D Mario games that have provided countless hours of entertainment over the years.
To clarify, we’re focusing on games in the “Super Mario” series, not spin-offs like “Mario Kart” or “Mario Party,” even if they do feature 3D gameplay. For these titles, platforming is the focal point, often featuring Mario and his friends trying to save the day from the villainous Bowser’s latest scheme. But even with that common narrative premise, these games always feel fresh and exciting, redefining what the franchise can be. These are the five best 3D Mario games ranked, each providing their own immersive platforming thrills.
5. Super Mario 3D World
Most 3D “Super Mario” games are solo outings but the 2013 title “Super Mario 3D World” turns this into a party experience. Originally released for the Wii U, the game provides up to four-person cooperative multiplayer, with the Mario Bros. joined by Peach and Toad. While a side-scroller in a broader sense, players are given a 3D field of movement to navigate as they advance. The Switch version of “Super Mario 3D World” included new features as well as the continuation story “Bowser’s Fury.”
At its core, “Super Mario 3D World” is really an expansion of the “New Super Mario Bros.” sub-series that had cooperative 2D side-scrolling gameplay. The level designs are solid enough but the real source of fun comes from playing with friends, racing each other to see how to end the level first. The game’s new enhancements, like the ability to transform into a cat, help give it additional personality, even when playing alone. One of the best Wii U games ever made, improved by its enhanced Nintendo Switch port, “Super Mario 3D World” is an unassuming good time.
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
At first glance, “Super Mario Galaxy 2” seemed like a cheap cash-in on the success of the original “Super Mario Galaxy.” After all, there hadn’t been a direct “Super Mario” sequel in years and the premise felt like it retreading old ground and reusing assets for its cosmic follow-up. Fortunately, there is enough going on in the 2010 sequel that makes it feel like its own distinct experience, largely driven by the addition of Yoshi. Beyond this added mechanic, the game offers its own set of engaging levels to navigate and new power-ups, like the ability to transform into Cloud Mario.
“Super Mario Galaxy 2” is a surprisingly deep and challenging follow-up to the 2007 masterpiece and one of the more difficult 3D entries in the “Super Mario” series. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but anyone coming off the original “Super Mario Galaxy” expecting a similarly breezy time might be in for a wake-up call. But the game does like an organic continuation of its predecessor, building up bolder levels around the established platforming mechanics. Upping the gameplay precision as it continues its tour of the cosmos, “Super Mario Galaxy 2” lives up to the legacy of the preceding title.
3. Super Mario Odyssey
Currently the most recent 3D entry in the “Super Mario” series, 2017’s “Super Mario Odyssey” helped justify the price of the Nintendo Switch, launched seven months after the console. As with most titles in the series, the game opens with Bowser once again kidnapping Peach, leaving Mario to pursue him. What changes things up this time is Mario has his own airship to travel between worlds and a sentient hat named Cappy. The hat provides a new mechanic, with Mario able to temporarily possess the things that he can throw Cappy on.
Outside of its hat mechanic, “Super Mario Odyssey” doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel and that’s largely a smart move. The gameplay feels more refined and rather than featuring standalone levels, the game opts for a more uninterrupted world exploration experience. That shift in design makes the overall experience feel more inviting and immersive, with memorable worlds like New Donk City rewarding thorough exploration. We may never get a sequel to “Super Mario Odyssey” but the game stands perfectly fine on its own.
2. Super Mario 64
The game that radically redefined what Mario and platformers as whole could be, “Super Mario 64” remains an absolute triumph. The game has Mario explore several distinct levels, all connected to the game’s central hub of Peach’s castle, as he gathers enough Power Stars to progress. Mario battles Bowser in challenge-oriented levels, with each of these encounters feeling like obstacle courses testing players to see how well they can maneuver the heroic plumber. “Super Mario 64” went on to become the best-selling N64 game of all time and it’s easy to see why, with its technical presentation and handling beautifully showcasing the console’s capabilities.
If it was just about nostalgia, we wouldn’t still be talking about “Super Mario 64” so fondly 30 years after its release. But Nintendo truly created something special when they brought Mario into 3D with the game, with imaginatively designed levels and intuitive movement for its iconic protagonist. The amount of things that players can do in every single level to obtain Power Stars is staggering and the boss battles punctuating the game’s three acts truly feel epic. Whenever Nintendo revisits “Super Mario 64,” they wisely stay true to the original, recognizing its enduring appeal as we all have for decades.
1. Super Mario Galaxy
The first “Super Mario Galaxy” isn’t just the best 3D Mario game, it’s the best “Super Mario” game overall, including side-scrollers. Released for the Wii in 2007, the game has Mario team up with Rosalina to rescue Peach after Bowser uses magic to transport her castle with him into outer space. Taking advantage of its cosmic premise, the game plays with gravity and level design as players navigate different planets. This gives the action a pronounced sense of propulsion and engagement that had been lacking in prior 3D titles like “Super Mario Sunshine.”
“Super Mario Galaxy” feels like a work of art in addition to being a stellar – apologies for the pun – platforming game. Koji Kondo and Mahito Yokota’s sweeping orchestral score makes the experience feel like a star-crossed fairy tale, from its serene moments between levels to its rousing set pieces. This is bolstered by the game’s immaculate level design, with “Super Mario Galaxy” packed with plenty of secrets and small details that add tremendous depth to its presentation. Still the height of what the “Super Mario” series can and should be, “Super Mario Galaxy” in the franchise’s undeniable magnum opus.
