May 31, 2009

• Top 10 Mario Games

  This post is going to be my take on a ScrewAttack video with the same title. I had some disagreements, but the rules are going to be the same. To make it on this list, the game just has to feature Mario as a playable character.

  1. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
     This game is boss. With a huge number of levels, hours of gameplay, tons of secrets, this game is an epitome of greatness. Hell, it's right there on my top-ten list of greatest games ever. If you haven't played this game, you did not have a childhood. If it came out while you were an adult (old fart!), then you still have not had a childhood. Go and buy it. It's been remade a few thousand times, so it shouldn't be difficult to find.
  2. Paper Mario (N64)
     Normally, I'm an RPG-hater. They are boring, long-winded, and have characters about as likable as a can of flat soda. Paper Mario, on the other hand, completely destroys this presupposition by making a fun and engrossing RPG. I've played all the Paper Mario games, and the first one is still my absolute favorite. I might just write a full-length review to it someday.
  3. Super Mario 64 (N64)
     This was my very first 3D game, so I suppose nostalgic bias may play a role in this decision. You cannot deny, however, the pure fun this game offers. A huge variety of worlds, amazing controls, and a just right difficulty curve makes for a great game. I know they remade this game for the DS, but I honestly still enjoy the N64 version better. On top of all of that, the game camera is an actual character! More games need to do that.
  4. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
     I almost didn't include this game because I hardly play Mario in it. In hindsight, though, I realize that wasn't part of the criteria, so I added it since it's such a great game. With a huge roster, more levels, and a gargantuan number of collectibles, this game remains fun for the long run.
  5. Mario Kart: Double Dash (GCN)
     Double Dash is, in my mind, the best Mario Kart to date. The game mechanics are pretty much unchanged from any of the others in the series, but the addition of dual character gameplay makes the game more fun and, to a degree, customizable. Granted, I hardly play as Mario (I'm a Paratroopa/Bowser Jr. kinda guy), but that still doesn't exclude it from the list.
  6. Yoshi's Cookie (NES)
     Dr. Mario has nothing on the chef. I don't know what is so exciting about lining up rows of cookies, but I could lose myself for hours in such simple elegance.
  7. Super Mario Bros. 2 (US) (NES)
     I do not know why this game continues to get overlooked. Sure, it's a rip off of Doki Doki Panic!, but why should I care. This game practically ushered in Peach's move set in all following games, introduced the Shy Guy (still my favorite enemy in the series), and was just pure fun.
  8. New Super Mario Bros. (DS)
     Finally, the guys at Nintendo understood what was fun about Mario games and returned to its roots. Sure, it was a bit shorter than most Mario games of this type, but that should hardly be a fault. It's a portable system, so the length is just right for something like a plane ride. It's still one of my favorite games on the DS.
  9. Super Mario World (SNES)
     Why is this game relatively low on the list? It was fun, long, and had tons of secrets that can only be rivaled by Mario 3? The reason is simply because of the introduction of Yoshi. Sure, he didn't speak much in this particular game, but the shear fact that it gave birth to this irritating monstrosity is reason enough to dock some points from it.
  10. Mario Tennis (N64)
      This is the game that got me into tennis (an interest that I have hardly acted upon, mind). It was simple, intuitive, and featured Peach in a miniskirt had lots of characters and styles to choose from. This is probably the only Mario sports game that I enjoyed. I played Mario Power Tennis on the Gamecube as well, but it just didn't seem as much fun as the N64 version. It was trying to do to much and this actually interfered with the fun.

  

  • 7:58 am
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