In July of 1983, the Mario Bros. arcade game was released and the world instantly fell in love with the most iconic character in gaming history… Mario! I was born in 1982, so I’ve basically spent my entire life playing Mario games and appreciating repeated bar-raising ingenuity from Nintendo. To celebrate MAR10 Day, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate my 10 all-time favorite Mario games. It wasn’t an easy task but LETSSSSAAAAAGOOO!

Mario Tennis Aces (Switch)

Release Date: June 22. 2018

Sure, you might think I’m crazy, but I would look you in the eyes and say that Mario Tennis Aces is my all-time favorite Mario game. It’s absolutely flawless and whether or not you’re a tennis enthusiast, that doesn’t matter because this game has it all including an insanely challenging adventure mode but the versus mode is beyond epic! Whether you’re playing online or, hopefully, in the same room, the short and intense matches are as good as it gets. Tons of characters with unique playing styles provide the ultimate head-to-head gameplay experience. I’ve clocked 90+ hours of Mario Tennis and look forward to 90 more because this game ages incredibly well and only gets better when your friends are into it. If you’ve been sleeping under a rock, check this game out ASAP! If you don’t, it’s your own (double) fault!

Super Mario Bros 3 (NES)

Release Date; February 12, 1990

A friend recently explained to me that Mario 3 was actually a theatrical stage play. Did you know that? This revelation blew my mind and resulted in yours truly traveling down an amazing YouTube rabbit hole with examples & theories that proved why Director / Producer / Designer Shigeru Miyamoto is an absolute genius for creating this iconic game. Friends, I cannot stress how big of a deal this game was when it dropped. Back in the day we didn’t have gameplay trailers or anything like that. In 1989 we had a movie called “The Wizard” that revealed Super Mario 3 at the end of the film - in the most spectacular way - an OG Esports tournament! You’ve probably seen the GIFs / memes of “Lucas” the cool 80s kid with the Nintendo Power Glove but check out The Wizard if you haven’t watched this very 80’s, kinda about video games but really it’s more of a coming of age story for Fred Savage and two other young runaways. Fast forward to Spring 1990 and the GAME WAS CHANGED when I grabbed a leaf and Mario hopped into a tanooki suit! Mario 3 was very challenging and Nintendo Power magazine definitely helped me with some tips & tricks (another dated reference for those scoring at home). However, for a game that’s over 35 years old, Mario 3’s insanely good level design and innovative gameplay experience withstand the test of time. Gamers continue to appreciate this iconic game and experience new ways to play it. And now, it’s amazing to see how fast the speedrunners can best Boweser and rescue Princess Toadstool. Everything about Super Mario Bros 3 rules from the iconic box art to those side scrolling match-em-up puzzles that frequently get celebrated in meme form aka “when the trauma began.” Pure awesomeness!

Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)

Release Date: October 27, 2017

Super Mario Odyssey should rank in everyone’s top 25 game list. No questions asked! The extremely innovative *multiple* open-worlds combined with arguably the best video game ‘accessory’ of all time - Cappy - made this game an instant classic with seemingly infinite replay value. I will admit, I’m not quite a completionist who collected every star in the game (I blame those pesky Broodals) but I kept coming back to this masterpiece - particularly Seaside Kingdom and the super relaxing bossa nova music. Can we also talk about the Koopa races in this game? So much fun… particularly the race in Metro Kingdom, which might have been the craziest (my most favorite?) race of all. In terms of ‘modern era’ games, Odyssey is a reigning champion that will be enjoyed by games of all ages for years to come.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (Switch)

Release Date: July 18, 2024

OK, I know what you’re thinking.. I’m bending the rules here with Nintendo World Championships but hear me out. For starters, this is the most underrated game out there! I think a summer release combined with ‘highlights’ (aka challenges) from the classic game confused or turned people off a bit.. but don’t sleep on World Championships because 1) this is an incredibly fun party mode multiplayer experience.. especially when you have a bunch of friends over (with Switch controllers) and a huge TV. Also, 2) there’s some really cool content in World Championships like Super Mario Bros “The Lost Levels” which I hadn’t played before! Friends can’t make it over? No problem! Fire up the World Championships mode and take a crack at hand-picked challenges and compare your best times with other players at the end of the week. Not sold? Well, earlier you heard me go on and on about “The Wizard” movie and let's be honest.. Nintendo World Championships are the closest thing to being in the movie! Take note.. If you want to become a legend at playing this game, you need to have pretty amazing reflexes and focus. To help give me an edge over my buddies and online competition, I absolutely recommend rocking the No-Slip Thumb Grips for my Switch Joy-Con controllers. If I’m playing as Toad in Mario 2 and it’s a mad dash to uproot a vegetable, there’s no margin for error and the slightest movements can result in first or even last place. I’m playing for the top spot, so if you see me online - you best be sure that I’ll be using my No-Slip Thumb Grips with my Switch Pro controller! Game on!

Mario Kart 8 (Switch)

Release Date: May 30, 2014

The first Mario Kart game arrived in 1992 (SNES) and ever since these ‘Kart’ releases served as a phenomenal connecting point for gamers of all ages and abilities. Sure, I could have listed the OG Mario Kart in my Top 10 list but why not include the latest & greatest, right? I’m talking about the version that featured insanely cool DLC with some of the best levels in the history of the game like the new Squeaky Clean Sprint and some old favorites Los Angeles Laps (Mario Kart Tour) & Waluigi Pinball (DS). Oh, and the extensive roster of playable characters? Yea, safe to say that Mario Kart 8 is pretty much flawless and should definitely be included in everyone’s Switch game library! I can’t wait for Mario Kart 9 on Switch 2 - so a few more laps of “8” will hopefully hold me over. Hopefully!

Super Mario 64 (N64 / Switch)

Release Date: June 23, 1996

Three hundred and sixty degrees. That’s the only thing you need to know about Super Mario 64’s revolutionary gameplay experience. Yes, friends, this was the first game that allowed you to ditch the iconic side-scrolling Mario experience and explore expansive lands with that wonderful N64 controller in hand. Just thinking about this game has me jumping through a metaphorical painting into the late 90s when many of us spent hours searching these fast polygonal lands for hidden stars. Let’s take a minute to talk about the soundtrack for Mario 64 too.. nothing short of legendary! Truth be told, I think this game is the best sounding (gameplay + music) Mario game of them all.. however, it might be the onslaught of great memories of playing this game that I hold. Digging deeper, I likely attribute those strong feelings to a certain point of time when I received the game as a present from my parents but N64 consoles were in short supply and seemingly impossible to purchase (yes, there was a time before flipping highly coveted items on eBay when consumers had to actually wait for a brick & mortar store to received inventory). As a result, my anticipation for playing that game was through the roof and yet another core life memory was unlocked when I received an N64 for Christmas a few months later. Going back to play the “rez’ed up” Mario 64 on Switch via Super Mario 3D All-Stars was cool but nothing’s quite like holding the iconic controller and firing that game’s amazing 64 bit sound and visuals through the yellow, red and white inputs from a classic TV (yes, I still have one)! What’s my favorite memory of Mario 64? Well, it’s tough to say but I’d say the Big Penguin Race takes the cake because it consumed hours of my life but still holds up to this day! Just take a moment to think of the massive impact that Mario 64 made on this franchise - much less 3D world gaming as a whole. It remains a favorite of mine is pound-for-pound one of the best games ever!

Super Smash Bros. (N64)

Release Date: April 26, 1999

Ohhhh the 90’s. What a time to be alive! Looking back, I feel like fighting games were at their peak during this glorious decade - mainly because gamers threw down in the same room against their opponents. I’m talking Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Tekken, Virtua Fighter, Soulcalibur, and Primal Rage to name a few (I could go on & on!). But, seemingly out of nowhere, here comes Super Smash Bros with a game changing multi-tiered level experience (might be wrong but I can’t remember anything like this innovative gameplay prior to Super Smash) and insanely fun mechanics. Next to N64’s Goldeneye 007 (and maybe one could make the argument for Mario Kart on ‘retro’ consoles), it’s safe to say that ‘Smash’ was the pinnacle of 4 player *in-room* gaming. Sure, online play in the modern era is cool but playing ‘Smash’ in a dorm room, basement, living room with your buddies is the essence of nostalgia. Perfectly timing Donkey Kong’s aerial smash, using Fox’s deflector to an item back or pulling off some sneaky stuff with Pikachu come to mind but I’m sure everyone has some classic ‘battle’ memories that made you want to chuck those wonderful N64 cow controllers as I used to call them in disgust. If you are a lucky person who still has an N64, fire this one up sometime soon and prepare to be hit with a tidal wave of retro feels.

Super Mario World (SNES)

Release Date: August 23, 1991

When this game dropped, fans around the world were absolutely blown away from the insane graphics, wonderful soundtrack, creative level design and gameplay & more! The jump from 8 to 16 bit Mario felt like riding a bike to hopping into a rocket ship. Let’s talk about the cape for a moment too, shall we? This ‘power up’ was unlike anything we’ve seen in the side-scrolling world of our favorite plumber! And saddling up to control our favorite dinosaur Yoshi? I mean, come on! The innovation infused into Super Mario World is off-the-charts but it boils down to the seemingly perfect controls for this iconic game. So much of these wonderful Mario games center around running and jumping and with the multi-button Super Nintendo controller that made your heart absolutely race when navigating Bowser’s Castle to rescue Princess.

Super Mario Bros (NES)

Release Date: October 18, 1985

I legitimately think that my first core life memory is getting a NES for Christmas and it’s safe to say that my reaction was similar to the legendary ‘Nintendo Sixty Fouuuuur’ kid’s response. It was the 1987 holiday season and that pivotal (lucky kid!) moment set me on a path of loving video games for the rest of my life. My Super Mario Bros cartridge also included Duck Hunt - along with the NES Zapper that should have earned the inventor a Nobel Prize because it was so flippin innovative. For real, even to this day, I’m still amazed by the tech that makes the Zapper work.. in the late 80s! Wild stuff. And you know what’s also crazy? Beating Super Mario Bros. back in the day because it was a huge deal. Did you know the fastest time to beat Super Mario Bros is 4 minutes, 54 seconds by American speedrunner Niftski? Yea, that melted my mind too because I can recall spending hours playing that game and treating every jump as if it would determine my own fate IRL This game’s impact on pop culture, the industry and nerds like us simply cannot be understated.

Donkey Kong (NES)

Release Date: June 1986

I know.. I know..for those scoring at home, some might say this isn’t technically a Mario game but I’d like to take a moment to ask you a question. Who’s the main playable character / hero of the game? I rest my case! If I were to walk into an old school arcade and cruise up to one cabinet, what would I choose? And for the record, I’m talking about CLASSIC games of the Galaga, Asteroids, Space Invaders, Pac-Man. That’s right, I’m channeling my inner Billy Mitchell (IYKYK) and jumping barrels and climbing those ladders to bring Pauline to safety. What’s amazing about this classic arcade - turned NES game - is the fact that one’s focus and precision are absolutely put to the test. I’ve never seen a Donkey Kong arcade ‘kill screen’ in person and not sure if that even exists in the cartridge version but I hope that one day.. one glorious day.. I can get hyper focused and beat the game. Now, where’s my Game Genie and list of codes?!