Earlier this week I ended up on the Mario wiki. I don't remember exactly what I was looking for, but due to link wandering and curiosity, I lost about three hours to the site, and 28 bucks when I noticed how cheap Amazon was selling a couple of Wii games, and it really donned on me just how big the Mario franchise is. The first games I ever played were Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3, and the first one I bought (used, with trade in credit) was Super Mario 2. I've always been aware of Mario, and when I was younger, each game that came out that I couldn't afford or didn't own the console for hurt a little bit. But later I learned that Super Mario Bros. wasn't even technically the first Mario game, I'd miss Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong simply due to ignorance. I've been on a bit of a Mario binge lately, playing Mario Galaxy and Mario RPG, with Galaxy 2, New Super Mario Bros Wii U and now its DLC Luigi U, Super Mario Sticker Star, and Super Mario 3d world all sitting on my stack to play next. Which got me wondering... just how many Mario games are there?
I've compiled a list below, divided into catagories of my own devising. This isn't comprehensive, I've left out Japan Only releases, as well as games that were released on the GB and NES or NES and SNES or 3DS and Wii at the same time. I've also more than likely missed a couple of games, due to the sheer number of games we're dealing with here. I've put the games I've played in italics, so you know how informed my opinions in each category are.
Early Games 5
Donkey Kong (Arcade)
Donkey Kong Jr. (Arcade)
Mario Bros. (Arcade)
Wrecking Crew (Arcade)
Mario Clash (VB)
2/5
I've defined Mario's early games mostly as those predating Super Mario Bros. This is somewhat self-centric, as that's the first one I played, but it feels accurate since he was called "Jumpman" in the original, and there was no real unifying theme between them. Mario Clash is an enhanced remake or Mario Bros. for the Virtual Boy (remember that thing?) so I lumped it in here. While these games are aracdy and fun, they're pretty basic by most standards, luckily most of them are available for Virtual Console if you want to check them out.
Sidescrollers 14
Super Mario Bros. (NES)
Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)
Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels (NES)
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
Super Mario Land (GB)
Super Mario World (SNES)
Super Mario Land 2 6 Golden Coins (GB)
Wario Land Super Mario Land 3 (GB)
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)
New Super Mario Brothers (DS)
Super Paper Mario (Wii)
New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS)
New Super Mario Bros. WiiU (WiiU)
7/14
Of the 14 games I put in the Sidescroller category, I've played half of them. This is the meat of the Mario franchise, both it's greatest strength and greatest weakness. On the one hand, they're a ton of fun. On the other, New Super Mario Bros. WiiU is pretty similar to Super Mario Bros. The graphics are way better, four player is fun, and there are some new powerups but you still run and jump and try to reach the end of the course. I having finished New Super Mario Bros. WiiU yet, but I plan to fairly soon, and having never played any of the Super Mario Land games makes me think perhaps we should have a Mobile Month here on LTOVG soon. I'll see what the other guys think.
Cameos 11
Pinball (NES)
F-1 Race (NES)
Tennis (NES)
Baseball (NES)
Golf (NES)
Punchout (NES)
Tetris (NES)
Alleyway (NES)
Qix (GBA)
NBA Street V3 (GCN)
SSX On Tour (GCN)
0/11
On our most recent episode, we talked about how marketable Mario has been for Nintendo. They frequently used him to add to the "feel" of Nintendo games, as a simple mascot in many of their sports games, often acting as referee or umpire. EA actually stuck Mario Peach and Luigi in a few of their Game Cube sports games as well. Part of me still wishes that every game on a Nintendo system had Mario somewhere, though that just wouldn't be practical these days.
Puzzle 11
Dr. Mario (NES)
Yoshi (NES)
Yoshi's Cookie (SNES)
Mario's Picross (GB)
Mario's Super Picross (SNES)
Dr. Mario 64 (N64)
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong (GBA)
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (DS)
Dr. Mario Express (DS)
Dr Mario Online RX (Wii)
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong Mini land Mayhem (DS)
2/11
In a similar fashion, puzzle games were pretty easy to make, but hard to market. Slapping Mario's name and iconography on them was an easy way to get people to buy them. Dr. Mario is still pretty good, but Yoshi is incredibly easy and bland. I've never played the Mario Vs. Donkey Kong games, which are far more complex then standard puzzle games, but I've always wanted to give them a try.
Educational 8
Mario Teaches Typing (PC)
Mario is Missing (PC)
Mario's Time Machine (PC)
Mario's Early Years: Fun With: Letters (PC)
Mario's Early Years: Fun With: Numbers (PC)
Mario's Early Years: Preschool Fun (PC)
Mario's Game Gallery (PC)
Mario Teaches Typing 2 (PC)
1/8
Mario was such a big deal, his likeness was even used for educational games, most of which were considered terrible. I put there here for two reasons, 1 completeness, but 2, I played Mario Is Missing on the NES. I never got far enough to realize how terrible it was, and didn't own it, I feel like I must have rented it, but I can't really remember. Anyway, again I wish Mario was big enough to be in more things like this, even if they sucked, just to spread the brand.
Sports 20
NES Open Tornument Golf (Mario Golf in Japan) (NES)
Mario Tennis (VB)
Mario Golf (N64)
Mario Golf (GBC)
Mario Tennis (N64)
Mario Tennis (GBC)
Mario Golf Toadstool Tour (GCN)
Mario Power Tennis (GCN)
Mario Golf: Advance Tour (GBA)
Mario Superstar Baseball (GCN)
Super Mario Strikers (GCN)
Mario Tennis Power Tour (GBA)
Mario Hoops 3 on 3 (DS)
Super Mario Strikers Charged (Wii)
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)
Mario Super Sluggers (Wii)
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winger Games (Wii)
Mario Sports Mix (Wii)
Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)
Mario Tennis Open (3DS)
3/20
Some might say an obvious follow up to Mario's many cameos in in early NES sports games was to simply feature him as a character in them. Mario had a couple of scattered sports games early on, but it wasn't until the N64 and Nintendo's partnership with Camelot Software that things really took off. I loved Mario Tennis when it came out, and Hoops 3 on 3 was one of my favorite DS games, so going through the list of Mario Sports games, I was surprised how few of them I've really played. I really want to give Mario Sports Mix a try, as it was made by the same team as Hoops 3 on 3 and includes a dodgeball game, and one of the new Tennis games would probably be as fun as the old ones, but I've just never plunked down the cash. Perhaps it's due to my friends mostly preferring Fighters or First Person Shooters on the rare occasions we do hang out these days.
Racing 9
Super Mario Kart (SNES)
Mario Kart 64 (N64)
Mario Kart Super Circuit (GBA)
Mario Kart Double Dash (GCN)
Mario Kart DS (DS)
Mario Kart Arcade GP (Arcade)
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 (Arcade)
Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
Mario Kart 7 (3DS)
5/9
The Mario Kart series is odd, in that it's clearly its own seperate series, with completely different from any other Mario game, and yet the theme feels so close, and they're just so good, they're practically their own sub-genre of racing games. It's amazing to me that they're already on Mario Kart 7 with 8 set for release soon, especially when that doesn't count the arcade versions, both of which I've had to pleasure of playing, and recommend if you can find one nearby.
3d Platformers 5
Mario 64 (N64)
Super Mario Sunshine (GCN)
Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
Super Mario 3d Land (3DS)
3/5
The 3d Platformers have been the "big" Mario game releases for the past 14 years or so, so it's interesting that there are only 5. Mario 64 is one of my favorite games, Sunshine one of my least favorite, certainly my least favorite in the Mario franchise, and Galaxy had some really cool controls and concepts but ended up sort of meh. Both Galaxy 2 and 3d land are at the top of my "to play" list right now, so I'm glad I can at least finish all of these before 3d world comes out.
RPGs 7
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)
Paper Mario (N64)
Mario and Luigi: Super Star Saga (GBA)
Paper Mario The thousand Year Door (GCN)
Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time (DS)
Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (DS)
Paper Mario Sticker Star (3DS)
2/7
Paper Mario was a novel concept that I couldn't help but love when it was released, and as a big fan of Pokemon, but some one who didn't own a Super Nintendo, turn based combat was novel and interesting. I've heard that great things have been done with the franchise since, but I've never played any of the Mario and Luigi games, and I've only barely touched Sticker star. Still, that and Thousand Year Door are on my "to play" pile, and I'm very interested in finding a cheap copy of Super Star Saga.
Party 12
Mario Party (N64)
Mario Party 2 (N64)
Mario Party 3 (N64)
Mario Party 4 (GCN)
Mario Party 5 (GCN)
Mario Party 6 (GCN)
Mario Party 7 (GCN)
Mario Party Advance (GBA)
Mario Party 8 (Wii)
Mario Party DS (DS)
Fortune Street (Wii)
Mario Party 9 (Wii)
5/12
Man there have been a lot of Mario Party games. I remember renting the first one and loving the concept. I remember renting the second one and feeling they'd improved greatly, even if I missed some of the old maps. I remember loving the third one, thinking they'd added plenty of new features and hit the top. I remember buying the 4th and kind of hating it, it felt samey, and yet not as good as the third. I stopped following the series after that, but have played Mario Party 8 and am curious about what could be done with the WiiU. Fortune Street just arrived at my house today, it was only 11 bucks on amazon and I figured that made it worth trying, we'll see how I think it compares.
Other 6
Super Scope 6 (SNES)
Mario Paint (SNES)
Yoshi's Safari (SNES)
Hotel Mario (CD-i)
Mario Pinball Land (GBA)
Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix (GCN)
0/6
Included for completeness, here are the Mario games that didn't fit anywhere else. I havn't actually played any of them, so I don't have much comentary.
Spin Offs
Yoshi Story (N64)
Luigi's Mansion (GCN)
Yoshi Touch and Go (DS)
Yoshi Topsey Turvey (GBA)
Super Princess Peach (DS)
Yoshi's Island DS (DS)
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS)
1/6
Again, for completeness, these aren't really Mario games, but clearly spun out of them, so I included them. Yoshi Story is the only one I played and it's a lot of fun. I hear great things about the new Luigi's Mansion as well, so it's probably worth a look.
Now it's time for metrics. By this count, Mario has been in 114 games. As I said, the count is not complete, as I left off stuff like Mario 64 DS and some Japan only releases. Of those I've played 31, or about 27% If we remove the Spin Offs, Cameos and Educational games, the number drops to 89, of which I've played 29, or about 33% or a third of the games. That means I have a ton to go, and in particular, I really want to track down some of the RPGs and Sports Titles from a few years back. If we really drill down and only take the "core" games, that is the 2d sidescrollers and 3d platformers, the plumber has been in 19 games, of which I've played 10, which means I've played a little over half of them. While it's a little depressing that I've left so many of my favorite characters games on the shelf, I'm really excited to try and make that number go up, especially with so many of the games available via things like Virtual Console.
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