The Super Mario franchise is one of the longest-running video game series of all time. The series has seen classic games like Super Mario 64, Super Mario Bros. 3, and many more incredible games. Unfortunately, with a 40-year history under its belt, there are bound to be some stinkers. But what are the worst Super Mario Games ever released?
For this list, we’re looking at main Mario games. Spin-off games like Mario Golf, Mario Kart, Mario Party, and others aren’t a part of this. Those rankings will come in future lists that we’ll add here as they are released.
What are the 5 worst Super Mario games ever?
Super Mario Land – Game Boy
Yes, it was the first Super Mario game we could play on the go, but that didn’t make it a great game. More or less, we settled because it’s all we had. Super Mario Land played well for the time, but the game just was a bit empty and left a lot to be desired. Luckily, we got an incredible sequel just a couple of years later in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins.
New Super Mario Bros. – DS
For a game with “New” in the title, there was nothing really new about New Super Mario Bros. Nothing added to the game felt like it made the game feel any different from past 2D side-scrolling installments. It was just a forgettable experience overall.
Super Mario Bros. 2 The Lost Levels – SNES
Sure, the game was more difficult than the first, but that’s not why it’s here. It’s on this list because it’s just more of the same as the first game. There are some new power ups, — like a poison mushroom that kills you — but there’s really nothing offered aside from a difficulty spike that makes the game feel any different from the 1985 original.
READ MORE: Super Mario Bros Wonder Overview Trailer Released
New Super Mario Bros. 2 – 3DS
If you were disappointed by the first New Super Mario Bros. then the second installment left you completely dumbfounded. They tried a new coin-collecting mechanic, but all that did was add a feature that wasn’t really a feature. The game was short and run-of-the-mill that left you wanting more…but not in a good way.
READ MORE: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Remaster is Coming to Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Sunshine – GameCube
Now, I don’t want to blanketly say that Super Mario Sunshine is a bad game. It’s not all that bad, but it just feels…there. The game doesn’t really do anything to bring the 3D games in the franchise forward in any way. It offered some frustrating platforming, and I think the story and mechanics used just fell flat.
What do you think are the worst Mario games ever? Let us know in the comments below. For more Insider Gaming, check out the best 7 Best Survival Horror Games.
I’m really not understanding how Sunshine is the worst Mario game. Although Fludd was a different mechanic to add to a Mario game, it was at the very least Unique. I don’t put Sunshine anywhere on the same level as the others that it’s being compared to.