Nintendo forever changed platformers when Mario leapt into 3D with Super Mario 64 back in 1996. Everything from the camera controls to how it feels to jump laid the foundation for not just Mario, but also for the likes of Donkey Kong 64, Banjo Kazooie, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, and pretty much every third person game with a character that could jump. Nintendo didn’t stop there, however, constantly refining how Mario plays with seven more superb 3D games released since. Now, we’re here with a ranked list of all the 3D Mario games from worst to best.
Ranking these eight titles is no easy task as there’s truly no bad 3D Mario game, which made this list especially difficult – and subjective – to assemble. Leaning toward innovation and pure fun, read on to find out where your favorite 3D Mario games ended up.
Related: All 2D Mario Games, Ranked From Worst to Best
8. Super Mario 3D Land
Someone has to fall into last place. Unfortunately, Super Mario 3D Land misses the jump by virtue of every other game on this list being better. Yes, there was nothing inherently wrong with Super Mario 3D Land: it was essentially a 2D Mario game in a 3D space, with no Stars, Shines, or Power Moons for Mario to find, but rather set objectives to reach. The only innovation Super Mario 3D Land brought is how it translated that 2D Mario feel into 3D, making for a great handheld platforming experience – probably the best on the Nintendo 3DS.
7. Super Mario Sunshine
Once again, it’s quite difficult to rank Super Mario Sunshine higher because the titles below just have so much going for them. One of the most unique Mario games that saw the mustachioed hero cleaning up gunk throughout Delfino Island, it lacked a bit of polish and suffered from how innovative its predecessor was. Still, the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection brought it back for the Nintendo Switch and revisiting Delfino Island proved to be a delight.
6. Super Mario 3D World
Continuing the trend of its 2D contemporaries, Super Mario 3D World successfully brought co-op multiplayer to the 3D space, which turned out only marginally less frustrating. Luckily, Super Mario 3D World, both its original Wii U release and the Nintendo Switch remaster, featured some great level design with tight controls. While a lot of the game wasn’t very innovative, with or without friends it was a blast. Bonus points for Cat Mario.
5. Bowser’s Fury
While more of a demo than a full game, Bowser’s Fury’s short runtime provided a glimpse into the future of 3D Mario: exciting, pseudo-open world adventures that expand as Mario explores. The giant Fury Bowser spawning every few minutes like a particularly malevolent Godzilla was like nothing Nintendo has ever done; so too was the climactic final battle as the giant Giga Cat Mario. If Bower’s Fury did anything well, it was making the future of 3D Mario look as bright as a Cat Shine through sheer innovation. If it were a full-length game, it might’ve topped this list.
4. Super Mario Odyssey
After Super Mario Galaxy 2, many wondered where Mario could possibly go after traveling through space on two adventures that – if you haven’t noticed – are higher up on this list. Super Mario Odyssey’s bizarre adventure debuted on the Nintendo Switch with an amazing answer: a city akin to New York. Sure, there were 9 other great Kingdoms to hunt down Power Moons in, but Super Mario Odyssey’s New Donk City stands out as one of the best locales in Mario history. It helped that Nintendo refined Mario’s controls to absolute perfection and let him become a T-rex, too.
Related: All Pre-Order Bonuses for Super Mario Bros. Wonder
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2
The most impressive thing about Super Mario Galaxy 2 is how different it plays to Super Mario Galaxy. While it followed a similar plot and featured the same base mechanics, Super Mario Galaxy 2 played almost like a completely different game than the original with how many new ideas Nintendo packed into 49 new Galaxies, including the Cloud Suit, Yoshi and his specific power-ups, and amazing levels like the Cosmic Cove Galaxy, which had you navigate both water and ice while you hunted down Stars. It may be the best 3D Mario in terms of pure fun, but two other titles outmatch it in the innovation department.
2. Super Mario 64
This list wouldn’t exist without the sheer, genre-changing power that was Super Mario 64. Not only did it define the controls of platformers, it also provided a blueprint for every 3D Mario since. And with 120 Power Stars spread out throughout some iconic levels, from Bomb-Omb Battlefield to Tiny-Huge Island, it packed in more content than you’d expect for a game released in 1996. Revisiting it with the Switch’s Super Mario 3D All-Stars also proved it holds up all these years later, even if Nintendo has greatly improved Mario’s movement since.
1. Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy blew minds not only by introducing planetoid gravity to effect Mario’s leaps, but showing that Mario still has room for innovation. All of the 42 explorable galaxies, including the stellar Gusty Garden and Toy-Time Galaxies, were an absolute treat to explore, being packed to the brim with clever ideas that never overstayed their welcome. Super Mario Galaxy also showed us that minimalist Wiimote controls could truly enhance gameplay as you wiggled and pointed to spin and collect Star Bits, all the while enjoying a slightly more serene atmosphere that Rosalina and her Lumas brought. Truly, no other Mario game has felt like such a leap forward as the first Galaxy title since Super Mario 64, and at this point, Nintendo may never top what Super Mario Galaxy achieved.
That’s our list of every 3D Mario game ranked from worst to best. If you’re looking for more on the franchise, check out our coverage of Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
