It has been more than 40 years since Mario made his first appearance in the world of video games. The one who started out as a jumping character in 1981’s Donkey Kong would soon become Super Mario, the Italian plumber from the Mushroom Kingdom and Nintendo‘s mascot . Since then, Mario has been on all kinds of adventures, starring in over 200 video games to date. In this article we will talk about its history , its evolution and some of the most important titles of this saga.
The origins of Mario, the Nintendo mascot
It’s no wonder Mario has become one of the most well-known characters of all time. Its creation was carried out by Shigeru Miyamoto , that genius who turns everything that passes through his hand into gold. Its origin dates back to 1981 . Miyamoto wanted Popeye to be the one fighting to save Pauline in the original Donkey Kong . However, he couldn’t get hold of the rights —or those of King Kong , apparently—, so he ended up creating this character, who in this first meeting was a carpenter . He wasn’t called ‘Mario’ until 1985. He was originally called ‘Mr. Video‘, and people called him “Jumpman”. In any case, the success of Donkey Kong encouraged Nintendo to dedicate a solo video game to this character. Super Mario Bros would thus arrive, the first of an endless list of titles.
Mario lives in the Mushroom Kingdom with his brother Luigi , of identical appearance, but somewhat thinner, clumsier and always wearing green, although Luigi’s role in most video games is quite secondary. Unlike other sagas, the plot of Mario does not evolve in the main titles. Almost every title begins with Bowser or some other villain kidnapping Princess Peach . Mario, and sometimes also Luigi, jump to the rescue. Anyone would say that this “damsel in distress” formula would run out sooner or later — even more so today — but Nintendo has also been evolving the role of Peach, which is increasingly marking the distance with Mario. He is still madly in love with her, but the princess makes it increasingly clear to the plumber that he is in the “friend zone”.
However, the fact that Mario’s plot does not evolve does not make the game tiresome. Mario stars in dozens of series. From the classic platform game to multiple spin-offs that don’t have to tell any story. Mario works because of his simplicity and charisma . His games hook. Rescuing the princess is just an excuse to go through its complicated levels, kingdoms full of enemies and mysteries.
Classic Mario Platform Games
Let’s take a look at the classic titles.
Super Mario Bros. (1985)
The first Mario video game as such is Super Mario Bros from 1985, for the NES. Already in that title, Pauline was replaced by Peach and we see most of the characters and places from the Mushroom Kingdom . Despite being a fairly old game, the truth is that it has aged extraordinarily well. It’s a game with simple mechanics (jumping, getting into pipes, hitting blocks…), but whose difficulty increases as you go through the levels. This masterpiece can continue to be enjoyed on more current consoles, such as through the Nintendo Switch virtual console.
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986)
This sequel did not reach all markets. Using the same base as Super Mario Bros, The Lost Levels increased the difficulty in a very brutal way, right from the first level. There was even a green mushroom that came out of the blocks and killed you if you picked it up by mistake. Years later, this game would be added to Super Mario Bros Deluxe (1999), a Game Boy Color cartridge that combined the two games we’ve discussed so far.
Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)
Featuring a totally different graphic style, Super Mario Bros 2 is based on Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic . It was originally only released in the United States , but came to Europe and Japan in 1992. This title was playable with Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Peach. Each had their own abilities . The characters defended themselves by throwing vegetables, something a bit strange. Characters like Shy Guy were also born here. The game was tweaked and came to the SNES bundled with the console itself under the title Super Mario All-Stars (1993).
Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
After the strange experiment of the previous game, Mario returned to his original path in this title. It originally came out for the NES and was graphically improved over the original game. Added new items and further cultivated the essence of the plumber.
Super Mario Land (1989)
Nintendo was going like a rocket. Super Mario was super sales. And the Game Boy came out . However, Nintendo knew that the handheld couldn’t move graphics as smoothly as the NES. The Japanese turned their heads and decided to create a completely different title. Super Mario Land takes place in Sarasaland, a kingdom invaded by aliens who kidnap Princess Daisy. Mario’s mechanics were faithful to the original game, but the stages (and even Mario’s model) had to be simplified for the Game Boy. Even so, it is the third best-selling title of the entire saga . A complete success.
Super Mario World (1990)
The nineties arrived and Mario made the leap to the SNES . Super Mario World is considered by most fans to be the best 2D Mario platformer . The years have not passed for this classic. The game was difficult, absurdly long and full of mysteries.
The game takes place in Dinosaur Land . For the first time, we meet one of its inhabitants, Yoshi , who will join our team —and we will betray from time to time so as not to fall into the void—. In 2002 it was ported and adapted to the Game Boy Advance .
From this year through 1996, Nintendo exploited the Mario formula by releasing multiple spin-offs of the saga and even prequels ( Yoshi’s Island ) until Super Mario 64 was released . Following the jump to 3D, Nintendo reissued all of its titles for its handheld consoles . They hardly needed to invent new games in this line, which would evolve later after the Nintendo DS, with the New Super Mario Bros games .
Mario Bros 3D Games
If Nintendo knows how to do something well, it is to adapt the plumber to any situation. As soon as technology allowed, Mario jumped into 3D , a story that began on the Nintendo 64.
Super Mario 64 (1996)
Super Mario marked a before and after in the history of video games with this title. Nintendo made a fantastic transformation from the world of the plumber to 3D. In fact, it is known that many other franchises were inspired by this Nintendo work to work on their own translations.
In Super Mario 64, the plot remains the same, that is, Bowser kidnaps Peach. Nothing new. But there are very substantial changes. Now we are in the castle of the princess, decorated with paintings . And there are no longer worlds and screens as such, but small scenarios (frames) with different phases. The objective is to collect stars to open different doors of the castle and thus be able to access the box where Bowser is. Each box offers a unique map, with several unlockable stars and the ability to explore the terrain a bit. It is not an open world game, but the premise was so good that this mechanic was carried over to later games in this line. Years later, this game would come to the Nintendo DS at launch, demonstrating the capabilities of the company’s handheld.
Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
If its predecessor was already good, Sunshine was almost sublime. Unfortunately, the GameCube was not a successful console. Six years later, Nintendo exploited the formula of Super Mario 64 again , but camouflaging it in such a way that it seemed that we were playing in an open world.
The game begins with a vacation for Mario and company on the paradisiacal Isla Delfino . Minutes before landing, the island is presented to us in an advertisement in the purest “Marina d’Or” style. But when Mario steps on dry land, he begins his nightmare. The inhabitants of Isla Delfino, beings addicted to the Sun, have seen how Mario filled the city with it and its beaches with paint. Mario is imprisoned , and a judge sentences him to clean the island, which has even lost its shine by being dirty. Mario will be equipped with the ACUAC ., an invention of Professor Fesor that revolutionizes the way the plumber moves. Can be used to shoot water , use it as a jet-packand even to propel the character up or give it momentum. The objective of the game is to recover the 120 soles of the island and prove to the locals that it was not Mario who committed the crimes. Visually and mechanically, Super Mario Sunshine is a delight; a nugget of gold that not all Super Mario players have gotten to try.
Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
It was the first Mario title for the Nintendo Wii, and also one of the best rated by critics. We continue with the classic plot, but in this place, Mario will have to go through all kinds of systems and planets to rescue Peach from the clutches of Bowser. He now he would have to collect Superstars to access new launchers that would allow us to travel to new worlds from a space station.
There are all kinds of levels. From explorable worlds in the style of Super Mario 64 and Sunshine to linear courses full of small planets or satellites with their own gravity. The title had a second part in the year 2010, Super Mario Galaxy 2. It could have been a DLC, but it was released as a standalone game. Mechanically it is identical and is even more linear than its predecessor. Still, the game sold well and received good reviews.
The first three 3D games were included in Super Mario 3D All-Stars , a compilation for the Nintendo Switch that saw limited distribution.
super mario odyssey
The fifth title in this line is Super Mario Odyssey , for the Nintendo Switch. Here we will join Cappy , a little ghost whose sister has also been kidnapped by Bowser along with Peach. We will team up with him. Together, Mario and Cappy will have abilities never seen before. The goal is to gather SuperMoons to serve as fuel for the Odyssey, the hat-shaped ship with which the two protagonists travel around the world. During the process we will discover that Bowser has attacked multiple kingdoms stealing a ring, a cake, a dress… for his big wedding with the princess.
Mario 3D Land and 3D World
Within this same category, Nintendo experimented with a parallel line with Super Mario 3D Land for Nintendo 3DS in 2011. The best definition of this title was given by Shigeru Miyamoto himself: “Super Mario 3D Land is a game that is handled like a 2D Mario game. And, indeed, it is. Super Mario 3D Land is like a 2D Mario game with an extra dimension added . It works with levels and the goal is always to go to the right. Mario has a smaller skill set than in the mainline 3D games. But, unlike other games, the levels are very well done.
A few years later, in 2013, Super Mario 3D World came to Wii U. The mechanics were identical. The game was later ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2021. However, it would come with the Bowser’s Fury DLC , a title that was marketed as Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury . This new extra provides several more hours of gameplay with a system more similar to that of an open world (without being completely so), but simpler than that of Super Mario Odyssey .
Current line of Mario platformers: New Super Mario Bros.
As we said previously, the classic Mario platform games evolved into what we now know as New Super Mario Bros. They are games very similar to the classics, but with somewhat more three-dimensional figures. Super Mario Maker is also born from this line .
New Super Mario Bros.
The concept of the original Mario Bros returned to Nintendo DS in the summer of 2006. The classic mechanics were brought back, but in much more elaborate environments, and with totally new scenarios and enemies. The reception of New Super Mario Bros (2006) was spectacular. Soon, Nintendo realized that players did not necessarily demand graphics in titles of this type, so the game came to Wii with a cooperative format and finally, this new successful series was developed, made up of these titles:
- New Super Mario Bros (Nintendo DS, 2006)
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii, 2009)
- New Super Mario Bros. 2 (Nintendo 3DS, 2012)
- New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U, 2012)
- New Super Luigi U (Wii U, 2013)
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (Nintendo Switch, 2019)
super mario maker
Although it’s hard to get bored of New Super Mario Bros due to the huge number of titles out there, Nintendo played it again on Wii U with Super Mario Maker , a title that gives you the tools to create your own New Super Mario Bros (and even your own classic Mario Bros). A lot of people thought that would be the end of New Super Mario Bros , and… to tell you the truth, they haven’t put out too many games in the series since then either. What they have released are several Mario Maker , which are the following:
- Super Mario Maker (Wii U, 2015)
- Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS (Nintendo 3DS, 2016)
- Super Mario Maker 2 (Nintendo Switch, 2019)
Sports Based Mario Games
Mario and Luigi aren’t just experts at repairing pipes and rescuing princesses. They are also great athletes . Some of these spin-offs have gone on to sell more copies than the main games. Without going into too much detail, these are the most recognized:
Mario Kart
This franchise appeared on the SNES in 1992 as an experiment, but has become Nintendo’s goose that lays the golden eggs . Mario Kart is a very creative arcade racing game where anything goes during the races. Players use items and all sorts of tricks to outrun other racers. Its main titles are the following:
- Super Mario Kart ( SNES, 1992)
- Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64, 1996)
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit (Game Boy Advance, 2001)
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GameCube, 2003)
- Mario Kart DS (Nintendo DS, 2005)
- Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo Wii, 2008)
- Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo 3DS, 2011)
- Mario Kart 8 (Nintendo Wii U, 2014)
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch, 2017)
mario-golf
This franchise is developed by Gamelot Software. In its origins, the game had RPG overtones, although over the years, these details have been disappearing from this line of games. So far, 7 titles of this type have been published:
- NES OpenTournament Golf (NES, 1987)
- Mario Golf (Nintendo 64, 1999)
- Mario Golf (Game Boy Color, 1999)
- Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (GameCube, 2003)
- Mario Golf: Advance Tour (Game Boy Advance, 2004)
- Mario Golf: World Tour (Nintendo 3DS, 2014)
- Mario Golf: Super Rush (Nintendo Switch, 2021)
mario tennis
The Mario Tennis series is also run by Camelot. In these titles, Mario and company will compete in the sport of Rafa Nadal doing all kinds of special shots and mechanics unknown in the real world. It is made up of these titles at the moment:
- Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64, 2000)
- Mario Tennis (Game Boy Color, 2000)
- Mario Power Tennis (GameCube, 2004)
- Mario Tennis: Power Tour (Game Boy Advance, 2005)
- Mario Tennis Open (Nintendo 3DS, 2012)
- Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash (Wii U, 2015)
- Mario Tennis Aces (Nintendo Switch, 2018)
Mario Strikers
We could summarize this series as Mario Kart applied to soccer . If you play the beautiful game like Gravesen, this is your game. Mario Strikers foul play is allowed . From throwing objects at rivals to tilting the pitch so that it is more difficult for opponents to enter our field. A real madness and a very addictive game. It is made up of the following titles:
- Super Mario Strikers / Super Mario Smash Football (GameCube, 2005)
- Mario Strikers: Charged Football (Wii, 2007)
- Mario Strikers: Battle League (Nintendo Switch, 2022)
mario baseball
Developed by Bandai Namco and with little success in our country, Mario, Luigi, Peach and the other characters from the Mushroom Kingdom are also batting cracks. Of course, there are only two titles in this series:
- Mario Superstar Baseball (GameCube, 2005)
- Mario Super Spluggers (Wii, 2008)
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
SEGA and Nintendo had a past in which they were fierce rivals. In fact, SEGA’s own slogan was very harsh against Nintendo “SEGA does what Nintendon’t”.
However, Mario and Sonic have been starring in their own series since 2007, a crossover to celebrate each edition of the Olympic Games .
The games of this line are the following:
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii, Nintendo DS)
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii, Nintendo DS)
- Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii, Nintendo 3DS)
- Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (Wii U)
- Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U, Nintendo 3DS)
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (Nintendo Switch)
Other sports and competition games
Mario tried to replicate the success of Wii Sports with Mario Sports Superstars for Nintendo 3DS, whose Tennis and Golf games were also developed by Camelot and the rest by Bandai Namco).
Other games that would also fit into this section are the following:
- Dancing Stage: Mario Mix (Dance) (GameCube, 2005)
- Mario Slam Basketball (Basketball) (Nintendo DS, 2007)
- Mario Sports Mix (Multisport) (Wii, 2011)
Mario RPG Games
Another of the funniest Mario series are role-playing titles. There are several, although the best known line is that of Paper Mario . The first of all was Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996) for SNES, a game with touches of humor and counted by chapters and with a turn-based combat system. Nintendo, however, would continue its RPGs with Paper Mario .
Paper Mario
The first Paper Mario came in 2000 for the Nintendo 64 . It was developed by Intelligent Systems and is another of those jewels that the plumber has starred in. The premise is simple: Bowser has kidnapped Peach, but she has become invincible. Mario will have to gather the seven stellar spirits to be able to face the evil king Bowser. To do this, he will have to join other characters that will help him in the adventure.
The second title of this series is without a doubt the best resolved of all. In 2004, Intelligent Systems would repeat with Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door for the GameCube. It received the award for best role-playing game of the year from the Interactive Archievement Awards. In La Puerta Milenaria , the mechanics of the original are repeated, but everything is much harder and darker, making this game one of the most adult in the entire saga . In addition to the turn-based role-playing battles and Mario’s fantastic companions, the story is told from three points of view: Mario, who takes the main weight of the adventure. On the other hand, we see Peach, kidnapped by the Mega-X, who manages to make the computer that controls her from her prison fall in love with her (with a nod to HAL 9000 from A Space Odyssey ). And finally, Bowser, who seeks to confront the Mega-X, but is always late, his appearance being a mere parody.
From here, Paper Mario notably lowered the level. Super Paper Mario for Nintendo Wii (2007) took advantage of the pull, but it cannot be considered an RPG. Paper Mario: Sticker Star (2012), Paper Mario: Color Splash (2016) and Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020) would later arrive . Despite the changes of generations, these three titles are far removed from the RPG format of their two predecessors, with a very watered-down combat system and stories that are not as attractive as their origins.
Mario and Luigi RPG
The other series of Mario RPG games is the Mario & Luigi series , released primarily for handhelds. Many of these titles follow the mechanics of the original Paper Mario a bit, with a turn- based combat system , but without recruiting characters, so the adventures are less complex. The following games belong to this line:
- Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga (2003)
- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005)
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Journey to the Center (2009)
- Mario & Luigi Dream Team Bros (2013)
- Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (2015)
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser Minions (2017)
mario party
The quintessential party game. Also the Mario series that has the most titles of all. Mario Party combines highly addictive board and mini -games , making it the ideal video game to play with friends and family . Not all Mario Parties have come out of Japan, but these are the ones we know internationally:
- Mario Party (Nintendo 64, 1999)
- Mario Party 2 (Nintendo 64, 2000)
- Mario Party 3 (Nintendo 64, 2001)
- Mario Party 4 (GameCube, 2002)
- Mario Party 5 (GameCube, 2003)
- Mario Party 6 (GameCube, 2005)
- Mario Party Advance (Game Boy Advance, 2003)
- Mario Party 7 (GameCube, 2006)
- Mario Party 8 (Wii, 2007)
- Mario Party DS (Nintendo DS, 2007)
- Mario Party 9 (Wii, 2012)
- Mario Party: Island Tour (Nintendo 3DS, 2014)
- Mario Party 10 (Wii U, 2015)
- Mario Party: The Top 100 (Nintendo 3DS, 2017)
- Super Mario Party (Nintendo Switch, 2017)
- Mario Party Superstars (Nintendo Switch, 2021)
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
This series was a nod to the first Mario video game . It is a strategy game with small levels that you have to solve with your ingenuity. A highly addictive video game, but unfortunately, Nintendo has no plans to continue. Still, it was nice while it lasted. The games that made up this series were the following:
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GameBoy Advance, 2004)
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (Nintendo DS, 2006)
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong : Minis March Again! (NintendoDSi, 2009)
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! (Nintendo DS, 2010)
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, 2015)
Other Mario games
At this point, we could still be talking about more Mario or Mario-related titles. There are dozens of games that were released in very specific markets. Others were released on Game & Watch , and finally we have the games where Mario is not the protagonist or part of a crossover . Let’s talk a little about some of the most important:
Mario + Rabbids
The result of a collaboration between Nintendo and Ubisoft , these titles have their market niche being very elaborate games, with touches of humor and full of nods to the entire Super Mario saga.
At the moment there are two deliveries for Nintendo Switch:
- Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (2017)
- Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (2022)
Game & Watch Gallery
These titles grouped together several of the Mario minigames that were released in Game & Watch format . They are the following:
- Game & Watch Gallery (Game Boy, 1997)
- Game & Watch Gallery 2 (Game Boy, 1998)
- Game & Watch Gallery 3 (Game Boy Color, 1999)
- Game & Watch Gallery 4 (Game Boy Advance, 2002)
