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If your old NES cartridge won't work no matter how much you blow on it, don't fret—nearly every major Mario game is available on the Nintendo Switch. We've rounded up the very best.
ByWill Greenwald
Will Greenwald
Lead Analyst, Consumer Electronics
My Experience
I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).
Read Full Bio
April 5, 2023
- RELATED:
- Best Nintendo Switch Games
- Best Nintendo Switch Games for Kids
- Best Nintendo Switch Accessories
(Credit: René Ramos; Nintendo)
Table of Contents
If you're planning to see The Super Mario Bros. movie or visit Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood, you probably want to play some Mario games to get in the mood. Luckily, you don't need to break out all of your old consoles—with a Nintendo Switch, you can play almost every Mario title in the main series.
Read on for the best Mario games available on modern hardware.
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The Early Years: Super Mario Bros., Super Mario World, Mario 64, and More (1985-1996)
Nintendo Switch Online
3.5
For a $20 yearly subscription to Nintendo Switch Online, you get libraries of NES, Super NES, and Game Boy games, which cover all of Mario's classic 2D adventures, along with the fantastic Super Mario RPG. Getting the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass for $50 a year adds N64, Game Boy Advance, and Sega Genesis (no Mario there) games to the list. That includes Mario 64, the seminal game that defined not only 3D Mario but also 3D platforming as a whole.
It also includes the original Super Mario Kart and its better-in-every-way sequel, Mario Kart 64; Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, which launched the Mario & Luigi RPG sub-series; and the GBA version of Super Mario Bros. 3, which features several unique levels. In addition, the Expansion Pass includes the massive Booster Course Pass of DLC tracks for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which doubles the number of tracks in the game to an incredible 96.
Nintendo Switch Online:
Super Mario Bros. (NES)
Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
Super Mario World (SNES)
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)
Super Mario All-Stars (SNES)
Super Mario Kart (SNES)
Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins (Game Boy)
Expansion Pass:
Mario 64 (N64)
Mario Kart 64 (N64)
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA)
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA)
Nintendo Switch Online Review
Three 3D Mario Hits: Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy (1996-2007)
Super Mario 3D All-Stars
3.5
This classic three-pack compilation of Mario's early 3D adventures is worthwhile though imperfect. Mario 64 looks dated, even upconverted to 1080p; Super Mario Sunshine is infamously uneven in difficulty; and Super Mario Galaxy 2 isn't included in the package. Still, you should want it just for Super Mario Galaxy alone. For many Mario fans (including me), it's the best one—or rather, it was until Super Mario Odyssey.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars
Mario 64 (N64)
Super Mario Sunshine (GameCube)
Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
Super Mario 3D All-Stars (for Nintendo Switch) Review
Mario's Latest 2D Adventure: New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2012)
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
3.5
New Super Mario Bros. U was, as the name suggests, first released for the Nintendo Wii U. It's also the third game in the confusingly named New Super Mario Bros. sub-series. After Mario jumped into 3D games, Nintendo still wanted to make 2D Mario games and had to distinguish them from the 3D games, so New Super Mario Bros. was born. New Super Mario Bros. U is a lengthy side-scrolling adventure with some strong level design, and the Deluxe version for the Switch includes the much more difficult New Super Luigi U standalone expansion.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U)
New Super Luigi U (Wii U)
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (for Nintendo Switch) Review
Cat Mario and Angry Bowser: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2013)
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
4.5
Super Mario 3D World for the Wii U was an interesting combination of 3D movement and classic 2D-style linear level design. It built on the straightforward paths of Super Mario Galaxy and made them even more straightforward, taking away the gravity-focused planet concept and sending Mario across flatter but still varied and interesting worlds. In this game, Mario can become a wall-climbing cat, and you can play as both Princess Peach and (after you beat the game) Princess Rosalina, each with unique abilities. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury adds the more open-world Bowser's Fury game mode, which puts the gameplay of Super Mario 3D World into an open world filled with collectible Cat Shines that are hidden by challenges and puzzles, and a kaiju-sized Bowser in the background.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (for Nintendo Switch) Review
The Ultimate Mario Kart: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2014)
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (for Nintendo Switch)
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe isn't strictly a mainline Mario game, but it's the best and most comprehensive game in Mario's kart-racing sub-series. The game was fun though flawed when it launched on the Wii, but the Deluxe version for the Switch fixes those flaws and includes all of the downloadable content (DLC) released for the original game. It's getting more DLC, too, in the form of the Booster Course Pass, with six packs of eight courses each, adding to the already impressive selection of 48 courses included in the game.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (for Nintendo Switch) Review
Mario Goes Globetrotting: Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
Super Mario Odyssey
5.0
Super Mario Odyssey is the newest mainline Mario game—and one of the best yet. Mario trades the M on his cap for a pair of eyes, using the powers of his new hat-person friend Cappy to take over enemies and objects as he travels the world to rescue Princess Peach. The game features hundreds of collectible Power Moons and dozens of missions and puzzles across 17 mostly open kingdoms, and Mario's new Capture power with Cappy is used in many clever ways.
Super Mario Odyssey (for Nintendo Switch) Review
Make Your Own Mario Games: Super Mario Maker 2 (2019)
Super Mario Maker 2
4.5
Super Mario Maker 2 takes the already brilliant idea of the first Super Mario Maker and adds new themes and tricks. It isn't a full Mario game (though it offers a single-player campaign); instead, it's a toolkit for designing your own Mario levels and sharing them with friends. You can play with Super Mario Bros., Mario 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros., and even side-scrolling Super Mario 3D World game styles, each with their own classic graphics and unique mechanics. The package also includes thousands upon thousands of levels and whole worlds created by other players that you can download.
Super Mario Maker 2 (for Nintendo Switch) Review
There's More Than Mario
The Nintendo Switch offers a ton of games that don't feature the titular plumber, and many are fantastic. Check out our list of the best Nintendo Switch games for our top recommendations.
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Further Reading
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The Best Nintendo Switch Games for Kids
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Editors' Choice
I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).
Read Will's full bio
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