Snowstalker Ranks the Top 10 Mario Games

#6. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995, SNES)

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No, this does not break the "Mario must be playable" rule; you control him in the Starman rooms, and he's there with Yoshi the entire game. But this game deserves a lot more love. A SMW sequel in name only, it stars Yoshi this time, giving him new abilities and taking place many years before the other games. It's fun, sure, but it's here for two other reasons. First of all, it has arguably the nicest-looking graphics of any SNES game, a bright pastel style which was sadly thrown away in Yoshi's Island DS. It also has a great soundtrack, from the cute and catchy standard level theme to the rock ballad when you fight Baby Bowser. It's also tough as nails, especially by World 6 and the extra levels. The biggest problem with this game, ironically, is the presence of Baby Mario, because of both his ear-bleeding screeches and the need to run after him every 10 seconds. Overall, however, it's fun, hard, and looks and sounds great.
 
Yeah, probably. :P

I did mention it in passing, though it's possibly the best boss fight in a Mario game. It's lame that NSMBW and now NSMB2 just have you run from a giant Bowser.
 
#5. Super Mario Galaxy (2007, Wii)

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The Wii was Nintendo's big comeback, and the big Mario title, released a year after the console, was Super Mario Galaxy. It was simply stunning; a beautiful graphical style that amazed you even when you were just collecting Star Bits in Toad Town. Then came the music; first a great remix of Super Mario Bros. 3's airship theme, then...nearly all the other music in the game, from the Comet Observatory's calm waltz to the epic battle music in the clashes with Bowser. The orchestra music set a new standard for Mario soundtracks which has failed to be matched. The gameplay is also solid, of course, and varied, with creative levels and plenty of secrets. It's no stretch to call Super Mario Galaxy the best Mario game of the 21st century, which I'm doing right now.
 
^That picture represents the only thing I missed from Galaxy while playing Galaxy 2.
 
I assume that most of you can guess the top 4 at this point. :P

Galaxy 2 looked better for sure, but I preferred the music, boss fights, and hub world from Galaxy.
 
Byakuya Togami said:
^That picture represents the only thing I missed from Galaxy while playing Galaxy 2.
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What about levels that at least had some non-linearity?

So, all the other games are from before 2000.
 
I don't really think that Galaxy was overrated. I couldn't really find many flaws in it.
 
Gummy said:
I assume that most of you can guess the top 4 at this point. :P
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SMB, SMB3, SMW, SM64.