Summary
There is no getting around the sheer level of quality that theSuper Mario Bros.franchise brings to the table. More or less modern gaming’s grandfather, the originalSuper Mario Bros.set a precedent for good controls, good level design, and good music that is still being adhered to today.
While many may argue that the franchise’s heights belong to the 3D side of things, 2DMariohas maintained a consistent level of quality over the decades. Which are thegreatest 2DSuperMariogamesof all time? Which ones have aged beautifully?
Updated August 11, 2025, by Blaise Santi:Super Mario Bros. Wonder debuted in Fall 2023 as the latest installment in the 2D Mario dynasty, but it won’t be the last in the near future. March 2024 will produce Princess Peach: Showtime, which is set to be the first 2D Mario title since Super Princess Peach to star the franchise’s iconic damsel-in-distress. In February 2024, Mario vs Donkey Kong will also be debuting, which is a remake of the first entry in that spin-off series. Those games are not particularly similar to the mainline franchise, but the upcoming project is nevertheless worth a look by Switch owners. With Nintendo’s upcoming video game lineup looking bright for fans of Mario, it’s worthwhile to take a look at some of thebest 2D Mario gamesthe company has ever released.
Mario’s First Handheld Adventure Was Primitive
Super Mario Land
Mario’s acclaimed Game Boy debut brings the plucky plumber to new territory: Sarasaland, where the evil space monster Tatanga has hypnotised the people and kidnapped Princess Daisy!
While the gameplay will be at first familiar, with the winning blend of platforming and power-ups, Super Mario Land is unique for introducing vehicles for Mario to ride: the Sky Pop aeroplane and Marine Pop submarine.
You’ll need all your skills on land, in the sea and through the air, to traverse the four diverse kingdoms of Sarasaland in your quest to defeat the dastardly Tatanga and rescue Daisy.
There aren’t a lot of fans that holdSuper Mario Landin high regard, likely because it felt like a much different adventure in comparison to the NES titles.Super Mario Land, the firstMariogame on Nintendo’s Game Boy, separates itself from the mainline franchise thanks to its weird enemies, somewhat janky playstyle, and overarching story.
In this release, Mario tracks down Princess Daisy and can use Super Balls, a special powerup that allows him to launch projectiles. Throw in some strange vehicle-based levels, and it’s easy to see why this particular title stands out like a sore thumb. That said, there are still quite a few fans who look back on this color-devoid Game Boy release fondly.
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Known as Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan, Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels is a true video game treasure. Originally released only in Japan, this sequel to the smash hit platformer was never brought to the West in its original NES format. Now you can experience this rare classic in all its 8-bit glory on Nintendo 3DS!
The Lost Levels expands on Super Mario Bros. with tough new level designs, trickier enemies, and new features like fierce winds that blow Mario away.
It’s the ultimate challenge for any Mario fan. Are you up to the task?
The originalSuper Mario Bros. 2,The Lost Levelsis something of a mixed bag for most fans. A brutally difficult re-imagining of the first game originally released as a Japan-exclusive, it reused several assets to churn out something that would nowadays be considered a challenge mode, including Poison Mushrooms and harder controls.
It’s by no means badly designed (for the most part), but it is an overwhelming game. That said, it’s indicative of an era of game design where there were no hard and fast rules on how to develop a video game sequel.The Lost Levelsplays things safe in terms of visuals,but shoots for the moon in terms of level design, for better and for worse.
Super Mario Runis among Nintendo’s better attempts to adapt one of its flagship properties to mobile devices, and it is considerably better thanDr. Mario WorldorMario Kart Tour. Blending endless runners with the franchise’s traditional gameplay,Super Mario Runfinds a nice middle-ground that allows both sides of the equation to shine.
Unlike a console entry in the series, inSuper Mario Run, the iconic mascot runs forward and performs some minor jumps automatically. While this creates a somewhat hand-off experience, the game asks players to focus almost exclusively on executing jumps using touch controls. The input’s length determines the height of Mario’s jump. It is a simple concept that works well, and the game is also fairly attractive for a mobile release.
Mario’s Triumphant Return To 2D
New Super Mario Bros.
Nostalgic and new in equal doses, New Super Mario Bros. brings classic gameplay bang up to date with sumptuous visuals, toe-tapping tunes, and tons of secrets and surprises.In Super Mario’s first 2D platformer since Super Mario World, you’ll run, jump and stomp your way through the Mushroom Kingdom in pursuit of Bowser Jr. and a kidnapped Princess Peach. Eight worlds are yours to explore and you’ll need all your Super Mario skills, plus power-ups like the Mega Mushroom, Blue Koopa Shell and Mini Mushroom, to discover all 240 Star Coins.Plus – if you fancy a break from Goomba-stomping, there is a wide selection of touch screen minigames to enjoy!
The first big 2D Mario releaseto come out after the series transitioned into 3D, theNew Super Mario Bros.moniker hasn’t exactly been seen as a seal of quality. They all sound the same, they all look the same, and they all play the same. Considering how innovative 2DMariowas, it’s disappointing, but the first title for DS was a stand-out on the handheld.
TheNew Super Mario Bros.games tend to feature pretty great level design, something the original DS release is no stranger to either. It’s a bit on the short side and aesthetically bland, but the actual moment-to-moment gameplay is fantastic. If only Nintendo didn’t play its style so safe with this run of games.
Mario’s Dreamiest Adventure
Super Mario Bros. 2
This time it’s a fierce action-packed battle to free the land of Sub-con from the curse of the evil Wart. It’s up to you, along with Mario, Luigi, Toad and the Princess, to fight your way through bizarre multi-level worlds and find him! This time you’ve got a brand new kind of power - plucking power — and now anything you find can be a weapon. But beware! You’ve never seen creatures like these! Shyguys and Tweeters! Ninji and Beezos! And you’ve never had an adventure like this! Only cunning and speed can save you now…
AfterThe Lost Levelsproved to be too difficult for most audiences in Japan, Nintendo saw fit to develop an alternate version ofSuper Mario Bros. 2for Western audiences. UsingDoki Doki Panicas its graphical and technical basis,Super Mario Bros. 2emphasized verticality over the horizontal planes of movement of its predecessor.
In many respects,Doki Doki Panicwas the natural evolution ofSuper Mario Bros.’ style of movement, soSuper Mario Bros. 2’s USA release feels totally at home with the rest of the series. Most notably,Super Mario Bros. 2introduced Toad and Peachas playable characters, several new enemies that became staples, and was Miyamoto’s favoriteMariogame for quite a while.
By the timeNew Super Mario Bros. 2was released on Nintendo 3DS, the original game for DS had already seen a follow-up on the Nintendo Wii. While this handheld sequel didn’t do much to innovate on the 2D platforming series, it placed a huge emphasis on the collection of coins, something that’s arguably pointless in other 2DMariogames.
Compared to its predecessor,New Super Mario Bros. 2is much more expansive in terms of its number of levels, alternate flagpoles,and even some brand-new power-ups. Overall, the game was a strong follow-up to Nintendo’s successful 2DMariotitles on the Nintendo DS, though the 3DS could’ve done with a title that was a bit more original.
Although Yoshi is usually Mario’s trusty steed and sidekick, the character has seen a few of his own spin-off titles. The most notable, perhaps, isYoshi’s Island, a SNES release that saw Yoshi take center stage as a hero trying toprotect a baby version of Mario from harm. Painted to look like a storybook, the visuals were pretty breathtaking for the time, featuring the same colorful design that fans had come to expect fromSuper Mario Bros.
The only downside is thatYoshi’s Islandwas panned by many for being exceedingly easy. Unfortunately, the lack of difficulty does take away from its overall package. Lack of challenge aside,Yoshi’s Islandstands the test of time as one of thebest 2DMariogamesout there, and certainly has one of the best soundtracks, too.
It’s Iconic For A Reason
Super Mario Bros.
Do you have what it takes to save the Mushroom Princess?You’ll have to think fast and move even faster to complete this quest! The Mushroom Princess is being held captive by the evil Koopa tribe of turtles. It’s up to you to rescue her from the clutches of the Koopa King before time runs out. But it won’t be easy. To get to the Princess, you’ll have to climb mountains, cross seas, avoid bottomless pits, fight off turtle soldiers and a host of black magic traps that only Bowser, the Koopa King, can devise. It’s another non-stop adventure as the Mario Bros. become “Super”!
The game that started it all,Super Mario Bros.may not be as visually or musically impressive as it was back in its day, but its level design is second to none. This is a game that’s so well-designed, it could be released today as is and still garner rave reviews. Nintendo understood exactly what they were doing with the platforming genre.
It can get a bit cryptic near the end, and it forgoes high points in favor of a more consistent degree of quality, but those are hardly bad things when the game as a whole is so cohesive. Later entries in the seriesgreatly improved on the Famicom original, but it remains a classic for a reason.
TheLost LevelsTo The Breezy DS Title
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii offers a combination of cooperation and competition. Players can pick each other up to save them from danger or toss them into it.Mario, Luigi and two Toads are all playable characters, while many others from the Mushroom Kingdom make appearances throughout the game. Players can even ride different Yoshi characters and use their tongues to swallow enemies - or their fellow players.In some areas, players use the motion abilities of the Wii Remote controller. The first player to reach a seesaw might make it tilt to help his or her character reach a higher platform – and then tilt it incorrectly just to mess with other players.New items include the propeller suit, which will shoot players high into the sky with just a shake of the Wii Remote and Mario’s new ability to transform into Penguin Mario.At the end of each stage during the simultaneous multiplayer mode, players are ranked based on their score, the coins collected and the number of enemies defeated.
The second entry in theNew Super Mario Bros.franchise was amassiveimprovement over the original. Unfortunately, it had one glaring issue: its overwhelming difficulty. For whatever reason, Nintendo really prioritized challenge with its first multiplayer 2DMariogame. This led to a level of chaos that would only be replicated inSuper Mario 3D World.
Other than that, though,New Super Mario Bros. Wiifeatures great level design, fun power-ups,and amazing co-op. It’s not a game that’ll be particularly enjoyable for very casualMariofans, but veterans of the franchise will finda lotto appreciate even while tearing their hair out in Level 9-3.
Being the fourthNew Super Mario Bros.game in a rather short amount of time, fans were not particularly thrilled withNew Super Mario Bros. U’s release despite its glowing reviews. Fans immediately rejected it (and the Wii U, for what it’s worth), leaving the follow-up forgotten to the wayside, which is a shame as it’s incredibly good for a 2DMariogame.
New Super Mario Bros. Ulegitimately features some of the best level design in the series, if not the overall best. This is a game Nintendo clearly put a considerable amount of work into, even going so far as to better balance the multiplayer. It suffers from theNew Super Mario Bros.aesthetic, but it’s an impressive game that deserves more love.
