Feature: Every 3D Super Mario Game Ranked

...I'm not sure about this order, but I'm not sure if we could ever have an official list.

This series is too big a part of people's gaming lives to get an unbiased opinion, but they're all enjoyable in their own way

Try as I might I've just never been able to get into Mario Odyssey. It was the first Mario game I'd played since Sunshine and I just found it really jarring/tedious to have to learn all the different controls/movements all the time for the various characters you "turned into" The Cappy thing just didn't seem to click with me...

I will try again after working my way through Mario 3D All-stars. Maybe after Galaxy which I've never played it will make more sense, I dunno. Clearly I'm in a minority from these poll results!

Funny how every one of these has either a nine or a ten rating by Nintendolife. Goes to show how special these games are in every way, no matter how you rank them.

Galaxy is a great game, but certainly not the best one. Most likely the new generations voted for it as the best because it's the one they have played.

Also, 3D Land and 3D World should have better scores! They are great!

Odyssey and both galaxies deserve to be top 3. Odyssey is my favorite 3D mario game and second favourite mario platformer.

Couldn’t stand Odyssey. The game interrupts itself way too much, and the sound design is generally annoying. Mario 64 all the way. 3D Land should have been higher on the list, shame on all you voters lol

Maybe it's just because I'm old and missed 64 DS on original release, but I do really struggle with the controls in the game. Even on 3DS, it just doesn't feel precise because of the simulated nature of the analog stick. Also, having to reach over to attack while running and jumping is awkward. It's a shame because the added content is interesting to me and I love the original. That said, it's still at least "good" and is still fun.

Odyssey is a very good game but there are quite a few elements that I wasn't a big fan of so I only ended up scoring it an 8/10. The two Galaxy games are the pinnacle of 3D platforming for me.

@TG16_IS_BAE Agreed completely! I loved Mario 3D Land. To me it felt like the first true 3D interpretation of the 2D games (as opposed to the Mario 64 formula which took things in more of an adventure/puzzle direction) I really can't wait to play 3D World for the first time in February!

I'm surprised Super Mario 64 is so far back. It must be nostalgia, but that game should be No.1 in my book. Everything else draws from it.

64 DS brings back memories. I lost so much money to Luigi!

Seems fine by me although I would put 3D Land above Sunshine

Mario 64 DS is definitely the weakest, Mario 3d World seems too low but its hard to argue with those above it, basically if you're playing a 3D Mario then you're playing a top tier game.

Personally I'd have to put Mario 64 top purely because of what it achieved when it came out and it still plays better then some 3D platformers I've played over the last few years. But New Donk City is the best Mario level I've ever played

Personally I'd switch Sunshine in place of 3d world.

Other than that I think the list is bang on.

I'd argue 3D World and land shouldn't qualify and should be in a category of their own (they're neither 2d or 3d but something in between but that's an argument for another day)

Personally would drop 64 down by like 2 but this list seems fine for my side of the spectrum.

@Clyde_Radcliffe personally I'd actually group 3d Land and 3d World with the 2d entries (ironic given the names), as both play very much like those and not like 64, Odyssey etc at all

@Clyde_Radcliffe Yeah, curb your expectations for 3D World, it's MUCH different than 3D Land and uh, yeah I couldn't get into that for the life of me. Nintendo is so hit or miss, these days!

I think Sunshine is actually too much like 64, but hey.

It's a good list I think, only games I haven't played are 3D World, Oddessy and Galaxy.

I still think galaxy and galaxy 2 are the best (can’t pick between them) with odyssey a close second. I would have sunshine over 3d world as well

3D Land broke ground back into going back to the Mario 64 style and was an original 3D Mario for a handheld. For that alone it got me to buy a 3DS to play it. Odyssey is good and all but could have really used some new content after release.

A ranking I have no major issue with. Approved! 👍👍👍😉

Hm. Quite the order. Sunshine is just far better than 3D World, that game doesn’t play like the 3D entries at all and I couldn’t get into it.

Do you all thing 64 would score lower now since everybody replayed it In the last 24h and is basically shocked how it aged?

to many old people are baised with mario 64. dosent hold up and now your going to learn when you all play all stars

@TG16_IS_BAE Oh no, different how? I thought it was essentially a bigger, expanded 3D Land with multiplayer! What didn't you like about it?

@carlos82 I know what you mean, although re-playing Mario 64 last night (on 3D all-stars) I was struck by how some of the more linear levels (such as Bowser In The Dark World) felt quite 3D Land like with the camera at a certain angle.

I would personally rate them in this order, with my top 5 all worthy of a 10/10. The top 2 are just that little bit more special though, due to the impact they had at the time.

1. Galaxy
2. 64
3. Galaxy 2
4. Odyssey
5. 3D World
6. Sunshine

I felt like the original Galaxy was way too easy and short, but I really liked Galaxy 2. For my money the best 3D Mario games are 64, Odyssey and Galaxy 2, which could all essentially be tied for first. Then 3D World, then Sunshine/Galaxy 1.

I also didn't really dig 64 DS, to the point where I gave up and sold my DS after playing Phantom Hourglass and never finished it. I never played 3D Land because I never got a 3DS.

@Clyde_Radcliffe I recommend watching some let's plays, and coming to your own decision.

Switch Galaxy 1&2 and I'm on board

@OorWullie you've just saved me making a spookily similar list!

Odyssey would have been exceptional, had its difficulty been higher.

Funny how people always comment how hard it was to handle the controls in SM64DS. Maybe I just mastered them quickly back in 2005. I really liked the extra content and wish every rerelease had such features (new stages, characters etc.)

I am surprised Odyssey made number 1. Probably my least favorite out of all the 3D Marios.

@ferroreo It's hard to rank these games in any specific order because they're all just about equally great in my book! Sunshine has always been one of my favs but thats probably because I grew up playing it...

@TG16_IS_BAE what are you talking about? 3D World is MILES BETTER than 3D Land in every way XD. I mean, everything 3D Land does good, 3D World does much better. And with multiplayer!
I think you played it the wrong way or in a bad time... I reccomend you replay it, it's such a gem.

Sunshine was robbed

Not surprised in the slightest! All of them are good just some better than others... don’t get mad...

So... I don't agree with the ordering of this list, but at least 64 isn't in the top three, and Galaxy is. It's something.

@AaronTReece I agree. I actually played every of these 3D games when they first came out. I actually gave 10 to all of them except to Mario 64 for the 3DS, and that one I played on my 3DS so I still got to enjoy thoroughly.

@PaisanoJake @Yanina

I’m playing 64 first and it’s still superb

Only major changes I would make are:
1 - Sunshine last. That game was not "great", it was awful. It took a gimmick and tried to make a whole game around it. As much as I loved getting the Kuribo shoe in SMB3, I never would've wanted a full game of it.
2 - Odyssey and 64 2-3 ranks lower each. I have never been a fan of the sandbox games. I feel cheated in them because they skimp on levels and the controls always felt imprecise to me.

I love Odyssey and I actually don't have an issue with it being number one because it is brilliant open world platforming. But Galaxy 2 and then Galaxy 1 are the absolute peak of 3D platforming in gaming overall for me. Absolute magical excellence.

I agree, Super Mario 64DS when played on the 3DS is actually quite good and worthy of a 9. Since it was originally designed for the DS, you'd have to put it below the original, revolutionary SM64.

The re-worked Sunshine is actually significantly more fun than the GC version. The visuals and camera. But the original I would put bottom of this list as an 8/10 level game in context here. 3D Land is technically a better 3D platformer.

1. Galaxy 2
2. Galaxy 1
3. Odyssey
4. 64
5. 3D World
6. 3D Land
7. 64 DS
8. Sunshine

Sunshine Forever Here ! Playing it again and boy does it take me back

My personal favorite is Super Mario 3D Land. It should have been much higher on this list.

Sunshine was robbed

@the_beaver I’m good, I don’t force myself to play things I don’t like. I found 3D Land trimmed all the useless fat from 3D World, and made for a better experience. If you like it for the multiplayer, good on you, not really into that stuff!

Galaxy 2 is #1 imho. Hope we get a remastered version someday.

3D world, sunshine, and odyssey are my top three. 64 is too antiquated and I despised the motion controls in Galaxy.

I like the more linear games like Galaxy and 3D world more, and think 64 is the best of the more open design. Odyssey felt like you got rewarded too much for doing very little.

@electrolite77 I understand how people have different tastes growing up on galaxy 1, 2, and 3D world I think has set a high standard for me lol

Galaxy 1
Odyssey
Galaxy 2
3D World
64
3D Land
I haven't played Sunshine

I just completed Galaxy 2 for the first time. It is likely just that the Wii remote and nunchuck have really aged, but it felt like a slog, and much less exciting than the first Galaxy game. Hopefully it will be DLC for 3D All-Stars and I can get a better opinion of it. I'm enjoying Galaxy with the Pro Controller quite a bit! To me Galaxy 2 already felt a little like DLC... I don't know if I would rank as the 2nd best 3D Mario Game.

SM 3D Land is underrated.

1. Odyssey
2. 3D World
3. Galaxy 1
4. 3D Land
5. 64
6. Sunshine
7. Galaxy 2
100. 64DS

I'm happy with that list. SM64 obviously holds a special place for paving the way for its successors, but it has been surpassed by far two or three times already.

Odyssey is, as mentioned in the article, what SM64 would be like if it had been released now. The games are very similar. Galaxy offers great gameplay but it is still very linear and sometimes feels quite constricted. Sunshine also gives another great example of large levels, but the tropical theme is maybe a bit boring after some time.

@Glamdring64 I’m not sure how, but I managed to get every single star and secret star in the DS remake.

Well, I hope I disagree with the list after I play All Stars because Odyssey was a wholly underwhelming experience.

I feel like sunshine should be at the bottom. I played it recently, and its just...not that good

@PaisanoJake

Yeah possibly. If you started with Galaxy then 64 will seem pretty clunky 🙂 The Camera isn’t perfect by any means but I still love the level design, music and structure.

I loved Super Mario 3D Land, It's Such a underrated game.. I even enjoyed it more than Odyssey, I know i'm in the minority with that opinion but i just loved everything about 3D Land..

@electrolite77 ok cool!

@Yanina

Thinking about it, probably helps that I’m old enough to have played it on first release! 👴🏼

I understand Mario 64's place in the ranking, but due to it's age, I don't think it will win over most young people new to 3D Mario games.

3D land will always be number one for me.
BTW I have been playing Sunshine (wich I was ready to hate but i am really enjoying it) for the first time and I’m impressed at how influential and ahead of its time that game was. Astro Bot Rescue Mission (one of the most revered games of 2019) borrows a lot from it.

@TG16_IS_BAE I don´t like it just for the multiplayer. I played it also alone, and I think I enjoyed it even more. It´s a great desgined game, with so much variety. 3D Land after that felt too simple for me. It´s like comparing NSMBWii with the orginal on the DS.

I loved Odessy and played through it twice but my heart still belongs to Galaxy 2.

Top 10 of anything lists are by far the most controversial and debating topics of ALL time. Me being a passionate fan of rock & roll and metal I've learned to avoid the debates like the plague. You can only imagine what hell goes down with these top lists debates about best guitar player or drummer etc.

Now back on topic to keep it simple I completely agree with Odyssey being #1. That game rocked my world from beginning to end. The others like Mario 64 (DS too!), 3D Land etc will always have that special place in my heart because they were great experiences too. Not saying they were a less positive experience than Odyssey. Just different. They're all awesome each in their own way.

My personal ratings would be as follows:

1) Super Mario 64
2) Super Mario Odyssey
3) Super Mario Sunshine
4) Super Mario Galaxy
5) Super Mario 3D Land
6) Super Mario Galaxy 2
7) Super Mario 3D World
8) Super Mario 64 DS

There really isn't a bad Mario game, so it all comes down to personal taste. I ultimately prefer the sandbox style over the linear style 3D games. I love every game on this list, though. 3D Mario is always my most anticipated games on Nintendo consoles, followed closely by Zelda and Metroid.

It’s funny how when you play sunshine on the 3D all stars the controls feel so wrong.

Super Mario Odyssey has the best movement in any game I have EVER played, period. Aside from that... it doesn't do anything for me. Anyone feel the same? I dunno, save a few exceptions (Metro, Luncheon, Wooded) the Kingdoms were so uninspired or lacklustre. The mission objectives were all too easy or just plain boring. I like the sandbox style Mario game fine, just feel as if they did absolutely nothing with the concept.

64, Galaxy 2 and Odyssey are all my joint favourites so I can’t argue with those rankings! In fact the whole list is pretty much exactly as I’d order them, the only oddity is Galaxy 1 but I never really played it much back in the day, hopefully 3D All-stars will allow me to appreciate Galaxy 1.

I completely agree with the top 3 in order. Odyssey is a modern classic and I'm glad a lot of folks here share that sentiment.

Super Mario 3D Land in 7th makes me sad.

I freaking love that game. I guess the standard is just so high for all these games.

@carlos82 to be honest I think 3 groups would be best:
3D, 2D and semi-3D, where by semi-3D I mean both the 3D games AND the Galaxy games.
If you think about it the Galaxy games are structurally more similar to 3D Land/World, than 64/Sunshine/Odyssey.

Galaxy 1 is my favourite for sure, with Odyssey a close second... if it wasn't for New Donk City, it would likely be top for me, but I hate that level with a passion.

Once again, the readers are wrong.

It always seems to be an unpopular opinion, but I didn't like the added characters in Super Mario 64 DS.

They basically cut Mario's abilities into thirds and made Luigi and Wario. I always thought it was clunky to have to switch characters just to do something Mario could have done himself in the original game.

Wow, 3D Land got done dirty.

Remember, best and worst are objective terms. Favorite and unfavorite should not have played a role in the making of this list, nor in the comments objecting to this list.

I'm one of those weird people whose favorite has always been Sunshine ngl. I find the game incredibly cheerful and endearing, and I enjoy the fact that it has some semblance of a story, not to mention its "quests", which were disappointingly missing, for the most part, from subsequent 3D Mario games, in favor of standard collect-a-thon style structure.

I'm an odd duck, I've never been able to get into 64, I have tried so many times. I have no nostalgic connection to it. The Galaxies and 3D world hit all the right notes for my tastes. Odyssey is fine and I love Sunshine. I think I am passing on 3D All Stars. I have a million versions of Galaxy and 64 and I am not sure Sunshine justifies $60.

@MetalMario I'm with you, even without the poor controls I didn't like the multiple characters. Mario just plays so much better in 64 then any of these

Agreeable list! I'm just starting out on Sunshine for the first time ever here. Exciting!

Only thing Sunshine has going for it is the music and aesthetic.

I really can't pick a favorite from the top 3. All phenomenal games. I'd still say 64 is my favorite, because it was the one that got me into gaming and no game has ever felt as revolutionary and magical to me, but I think the top three are better games in general.

"If you've never played Super Mario 64, you'll probably want to begin as nature intended with the home console version due to its vastly superior control system. This remake controls too awkwardly on original DS hardware to compare favourably to the N64 launch title."

Except it's hardly "vastly superior"; Super Mario 64 DS controls great if you actually spend two minutes getting used to the controls instead of watching Youtube videos about how bad it supposedly is, and the additional content more than makes up for it.

Personally, I like 3d world most but after replaying 3d all stars I understand why odyssey beat Galaxy despite Galaxy's universal praise. There's something so perfect to the way mario controls in a 3d environment that was established in 64 and I think the gimmicks introduced in sunshine and galaxy diminished that feeling. I still love both of those games but mario feels best when just running and jumping in a vast open world and I think odyssey truly managed to recapture what made Mario's first 3d effort so magical.

Really all the Mario games have been very excellent, really remarkable, and you certainly can't argue with how good they are.
Now, in personal opinion, my preference is more for 3D Mario (Land and World), especially for that mixture of the classic 2D Mario games of reaching the goal before time runs out, Powe ups and the journey is quite a challenge, now in a 3D environment very beautiful.

I look forward to 3D World for the Switch!!

Place the DS games last, throw the rest in the air and see where they land.

Hmm well this is a list I totally don't agree with. Have 3D Land swap places with 3D World and Mario 64 swap places with Mario Odyssey then this is much closer to how I honestly feel.

Odyssey doesn't make my top 3 3D mazzas

I love Odyssey but nope, Super Mario Galaxy is #1 in my eyes.

@TG16_IS_BAE
I can't believe they rated the Galaxy games higher than Mario 64. Are they basing this order on how these games play today or how they were when they were initially released?

Odyssey is a bit too hodge podge for better or worse. it's art direction isn't consistent and basically throws everything out the window and does whatever it wants. Collecting a lot of the moons is super annoying and too easy which never gives the player a sense of achievement. I can't stand it when the game pauses and does that 'you got a moon' animation.

And of course, as always, anything Switch gets the number one spot on this site. go figure

@JayJ

3D Lands two biggest downsides was that it only ran in 30fps which was jarring after being accustomed to the 60fps of Galaxy 1&2, plus it could only be played on a tiny portable screen. still, a solid mario, but i'd easily give the nod to 3D world.

@NintendoJunkie

well that's just it, you had to of been there in 1996 to experience mario 64 when it was absolutely groundbreaking. younger gamers who grew up playing the later entries will never know just how mind blowing the earlier games were such as Super Mario World and Mario 64.

Odyssey would actually be awesome if more work was put into it
It seems like it pretends to be big with the hidden moons

Interesting choices - I certaintly agree with them, although I would've swapped Galaxy with Galaxy 2!

Nearly all Mario games are awesome but only World and Odyssey had me feeling like this is something really special. Loved 64, Sunshine and Galaxy when I played them at the time but they didn't have the wow factor for me.

@Wavey84 I was around for 64 but wasn't gaming for about a 5 year stretch that spanned the Nintendo 64. I jumped straight from 16 bit to the Gamecube. I'm an old dude, I remember when the original Mario Bros (not Super) came out. Since then, I went back to revisit the games in that gap and I love other of it's contemporaries like Ocarina and MK64, there is just something about Mario 64 that hasn't clicked with me, and it's not for a lack of trying, or that I think M64 is a bad game. Oddly enough, I think my love of the original Super Mario 2 (Doki Doki Panic) is what makes me like 3D world so much.

Galaxy 2 all the way. Such an amazing game. Odyssey was too much of a collect-a-thon for me.

I love each and every one of these games (except Sunshine, I’ve unfortunately never played it yet), and they’re all special to me. I commented my original ranking on the voting post, so go check it out if you want.

Also, am I the only person that LOVED 64 DS? Maybe I was able to stand the controls because I’m double-jointed.

I think my personal ranking would be like so (though it somewhat contradicts my rankings for 64 and 64 DS that I did for this poll):

8. 64 DS
7. 64
6. Sunshine
5. Odyssey
4. 3D Land
3. 3D World
2. Galaxy
1. Galaxy 2

Even the lower ranked games are still top drawer quality, and I would play them in a heartbeat over 90% of everything else out there. Here's hoping 3D Land, Galaxy 2, and (unlikely as it may be) 64 DS make it to the Switch.

I'd use Galaxy to make an Odyssey Sandwich. Galaxy 1, Odyssey, Galaxy 2.

@NintendoJunkie
Super Mario Bros. 2 is actually my favorite game of all time. that was thee' game that defined it all for me back in 89'...I'm one of the odd ducklings that vastly preferred it over SMB.3 which surprisingly is my least favorite of the 3 NES games based on when I initially first played them.

SMWorld on the other hand was jaw dropping amazing, and my experience with that legendary classic back in 91' still crushes the experience i had with Super Mario 64 in 96' and it's held up much better as well...And i'm with you on 3D World, it perfectly nails that classic mario 2D to 3D transition and brings the 4 player dynamic of SMB2 into the mix.

But yup, so you're saying you skipped the Saturn, PS1 and N64 generation, along with the Dreamcast & PS2 and went straight to the Gamecube? If that's the case i completely understand what you'er saying. Playing Mario 64 now doesn't hold a candle to how it played in 96, something feels off or lost about it. I dont know, PS1 & N64 visuals in general just haven't aged well, the often come across incredibly lifeless.

@Wavey84 Haha. Sounds like we are spirit animals to each other. Everything you said about SMB2 and SMB3 I 100% agree with. I remember feeling bummed as a kid that they ditched the playable characters in 3. Although, I wouldn't say 3 is my least favorite, 1 is probably that for me.

And for SMWorld, in a funny way that I came to the same conclusion later on, that you did earlier. I was a Genesis kid in the early 90's so I never played World. Decades later with the Wii VC, I came back and revisited the games I missed and was completely blown away by World. Having absolutely no nostalgic connection, it was immediately captivating. I'm a game dev, and I found World to be a master class in design. The Castlevania, and Ninja Gaiden games had a similar positive effect, I had never played them and they held up very well. Sonic had the exact opposite effect. I played Sonic a ton as a kid and now find it nauseating.

@Wavey84 Exactly

@the_beaver Glad you enjoyed it.

wow everyone voted and they still disagree?

3D World for me. They're pretty much all good though.

I must have missed this poll.
Galaxy is so much better than Odyssey, it has much more variety, a ton more worlds and Galaxy's headline mechanic of gravity is more fun than Odyssey's headline mechanic of cappy. They had enough ideas to make a second game out of it so that says a lot.

Playing sunshine for the first time... it’s a good game but goodness me has it been frustrating. Been using the switches recording feature to capture deaths that are not my fault... the worst was a wall jump that instead of getting me on top of the platform sent me hurtling into the abyss.
I accept the possibility that i may not be good at this game, but considering I’ve 100% every other 3D Mario except 3D world, where I just wasn’t massochistic enough to finish champion road, I’d say I’m not exactly a bad player.

I wonder how much effect nostalgia has on people’s opinions in this list?

I've played multiple 3D Mario games but only ever beat Odyssey in full. Really great game!

That's exactly how I would rank them, with the exception of Super Mario 64, not sure where I would place it, but I guess I'll find out once I finish the game.

I don't understand the fascination with Odyssey. Found it very bland and aimless. The two Galaxy games are probably the best for me.

Super Mario Sunshine is by far the weakest 3D game, and dint live to our expectation of a sequel to one of the most influential games of the industry, gladly Nintendo give us Super Mario Galaxy 1 e 2/Super Mario Odyssey to take the bitter taste Super Mario Sunshine give us.

I’m pretty biased with this. Because I saw most of these games come out and I find it hard to separate the context of their releases.
Mario 64 was potentially the first ever 3D platformer and, bugs and camera issues aside, was an amazing game because most of the things the designers achieved on that game had never been done before. They also laid the foundations for ocarina of time.
Galaxy, much like Odyssey, revived Nintendo from a period of limited success. So both of those games rate highly for me and each introduced unique dynamics that just worked. However nostalgia probably bumps Galaxy as well as the fact I happily 100% that one while quickly gave up in odyssey once having beat it.
Galaxy 2 was always pitched as the left over stuff they couldn’t fit in the first game. Terrible marketing. Probably ruined it for me and never finished it.

I actualy prefer the exploratory and open 3D Mario like Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Odyssey, i don't like the limited style of Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World, 3D Mario games are better when you have semi-open or open world 3D Mario like Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Odyssey.

Interesting list for sure, though I'd probably put 3D World higher. Man oh man do I love that game. I distinctly remember playing it all the time over the holidays in 2014 after working 12 hour shifts at Toys R Us or after a day of college classes. It was such a great way to end a long day and was the first time in years that I genuinely grinned ear to ear playing a game. Mario Odyssey did that for me too.

Can't wait to relive 3D World on my Switch this March!

Odyssey is overrated. The core game is so much shorter than any other 3d Mario game. Galaxy or 64 should have taken top spot imo.

What a list. All of these games are an easy 9 out of 10. I'd probably say that Odyssey isn't quite as good as the Galaxies, but it's really neck and neck

A couple aspects of Mario 64 reeeally haven't aged well. Some very stupid deaths, a camera that seems to go against you and some unfair and punishing mechanics make me wish they had tweaked it a tiny bit. Though I'm certainly having a blast anyways

@TG16_IS_BAE
3d land was my personal favorite. Mario galaxy 2 was second

Wow, 3d world should be about threespots higher

Odyssey won lets go!
my ranking
1 Odyssey
2 Galaxy 1
3 64
4 Galaxy 2
5 3D World
6 Sunshine
7 3D Land

@the_beaver I'm also weirded out by those who prefer 3D Land to 3D World. The former feels like a tech demo with a mod podge of (admittedly good) levels stuck together. 3D World is a more cohesive unit with thematic levels and a lot more personality. It is way better than 3D Land because there's a lot more to it, in my opinion.

I think it's a big disservice to the quality of 3D Land that it's behind Sunshine and World. 3D Land was VERY good, and 3D World just didn't captivate me the same way. And let's not pretend Odyssey is really the best. In 3 years, do you really think you're going to yearn for Odyssey over 64 or Galaxy? Nah. Galaxy is the best, and the argument for 64 is there. But Odyssey? No way, man. Appropriate ranking has got to be Galaxy and 64 in the top 3. I get that everyone has their preferences, but Galaxy 1 and Mario 64 are the ones you're gonna come back to. Maybe Sunshine in there as one you come back to because it's a good alternate take on 64.

Galaxy was such a good game.

i would take 3d World over Odyssey
I think the 4 player multiplayer was just pure fun.

i think the camera bogs down Mario 64 while the DS version just went over board with adding things. But they also pushed that touch screen thumb pad thing when the DS launched. I did like the Run button as i felt it gave me more control

You all clearly haven't played Super Mario 64 DS recently. What the article writer is saying about the controls is absolutely false. The controls are not vastly inferior to the N64 version. If you played the game you would know that A) the dpad controls work pretty well because they use gradual turning and not immediate turning (aka only 8 directions), and B) the 3DS makes the game control worse and not better, despite you thinking otherwise because you assume the circle pad somehow "fixes" the controls, but with the way the controls are programmed (gradual turning) it objectively makes it worse. On a DS with a good diagonal turning dpad (aka the DS Lite because it's the only non-clicky dpad DS), the game controls feel good. And of course nobody mentions the vastly improved camera in Mario 64 DS - well, I wouldn't expect any of you to mention that because you played it 15 years ago when you were 8. For anyone that wants to know more about 64 DS since so most of you haven't played it, watch this video: https://youtu.be/re6qlTbQB4w

Oh, and I agree with everyone that 3D Land is too low.

I personally voted for 3D Land. Most enjoyment ive had with a Mario game since 64. Interesting though I actually haven't completed a Mario game in full screen aka TV since Sunshine...

@HexagonSun I found the person who hasn't played 64 DS and thus ranked it the lowest because they "think" the controls are terrible!

My favorites are Galaxy, Mario 64 and 3D World.

I knew Odyssey would win, even before clicking on the article.
I just found most of the worlds incredibly boring. Some even felt like rush jobs.

@ThePolitician A "best of" list wouldn't be a "best of" list without people complaining about it!

For me it's Galaxy by quite some margin, but my opinion wouldn't be useful for this as I'd probably put 3D Land on 3 (don't ask).

Never exactly got why people liked Galaxy 2 more than one... Yes, there is more content but the levels are not necessarily better (they are a lot brighter, though, which I've always found odd cuz I love the dark starry skied levels), and the home planet is actually awful compared to the Comet Observatory. And then the level selection screen is a bunch of lines between the galaxies that you navigate like in 3D Land... Very uninspired and always rubbed me the wrong way. Part of why I loved Galaxy, though, was because I was really taken with the story of Rosalina.

Suprise, suprise. The most recent 3D entry is number one.

I think it says a lot for the superb work Nintendo have done in getting Mario into 3D that looking at this list of excellent games I am still left feeling that there is so much more potential! Odyssey is a great game, and worthy of the top spot - but it's still a far cry from absolute perfection and has so much opportunity for improvement.

If a sequel to Odyssey does happen, we will comfortably see a new number 1.

@PaisanoJake @Yanina I've beaten Mario 64 on every system it's been on. Still fantastic.

@Snivy102 Wrong. Completely wrong, actually. I got Mario 64 DS at launch and just replayed it about a month ago. I love the game. It's just that I love the N64 original so much more. It's true that the controls are imprecise compared to the original, but that's not the only reason why I rank it lower than the rest. I also didn't really like playing with the other characters as much as Mario. The challenge has been dumbed down compared to the original. While the character models are improved, the environment and textures don't look as good. I personally like the original character models better anyway. Mario 64 is my all-time favorite game. I just think the remake is flawed compared to the original. I still think it's a great game, though. It's my most played DS game.

fully agree, mario odyssey is epic game, from my 49 years old, this is the best Mario.

I understand how the Galaxy games and Odyssey are objectively better in every almost every way to SM64 but SM64 changed the landscape for all console gaming because the leap from 2D to 3D was the greatest gaming leap we’ve had so far and SM64 nailed it. Nothing in my life will compare to playing SM64 for the first time except of course for holding children in my arms for the first time. Yes that is how unbelievable those first true 3D games were for some of us veteran gamers. Long live the N64!

The ds version of 64 gets way too much hate. It was the definitive experience minus control wise before the switch version came out. It had additional content, better models etc.
The issue of control becomes almost non exist if you were to play it on the 3ds or wii u virtual console. (Or just emulate it altogether).
If 64ds was ported/romed to the switch instead of the n64 version it would be undoubtedly the best one.

I dont care what this list says.. sunshine should be dead last lol it has aged horribly

@Clyde_Radcliffe Odyssey was más first 3D Mario. In fact my last Mario I played back to was on a Super Nintendo (I owed a Wii but dedicated my time to Zelda, sports and CoD back then) and many many elements on the SMO, like stages, characters, mechanics, were completely random, new, out of the blue for me so I feel you. In my case I did enjoy them and was able to move one and complete it. My son then got involved and started checking out old entries (that skipped) and and sharing some vids with me and then everything made sense. I even got the Super Mario U remake for switch and you can see how, despite obvious and needed fresh elements, Odyssey is the ultimate expression of a maturing Mario where all adds up.

@HexagonSun You need 8 stars to unlock Mario (they can be from anywhere). You can play as Mario for the vast majority of the other 142. Not that there's really anything wrong with the other characters.

@HexagonSun but if you actually played the game, then you would know that if you really wanted to, you could play pretty much the whole game with Mario. That's what I did because Mario controls the most fun in my opinion (although I usually hear Luigi is the favourite). Also, you saying the original game looks better in any way is just nostalgia talking. The DS game looks better in every aspect until you blow it up to a big screen. On actual DS hardware the game looks great.

I just think it's absurd how to rank Mario 64 as #1 but rank 64 DS as #8. Absolutely absurd.

@Snivy102 Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. We're merely talking about different tastes. I said in my comment that I love the DS game. It's rating eight great games. One of them has to be last. I choose the remake. I like the original better. I've played them both very recently. I played 64 DS on a small model DSi. I still think the original looks better. It's not a big deal. Relax.

@Euler I know that, but there are still character specific stars that I didn't enjoy as much. I had to either exit the level and change characters or find the appropriate cap. I still love the game and 100% completed it more than once. I just like the original better.

1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. Super Mario Odyssey
4. Super Mario 64/SM 64 DS
5. Super Mario 3D World
6. Super Mario 3D Land
7. Super Mario Sunshine

The top 4 were easy for me, I love all those games but the Galaxy series stands out the most. Like a perfect mix of the more 'open' Mario games and the the goal-based 2D games. Would love it if the next new 3D Mario platformer is Galaxy 3.

Number 1 is no surprise, I still haven’t played it yet. 😂

Still think Mario galaxy 1 and 2 still edge above odyssey. All three games are masterpieces though.

1. 3D World
2. 3D Land
3. Odyssey
4. Galaxy 2
5. Galaxy
6. 64
7. 64 DS
8. Sunshine

@Slowdive Agreed. I much prefer linear level-style 3D platformers over sandbox collectathons. On top of that, since the levels are all well designed around fixed camera angles, they don't suffer from Nintendo's stupid manual camera policy. Aside from that fixed angle exception, all 3D platformers and other 3D third-person games need decent automatic cameras to be any good!

I actually had zero issues with the controls for 64 DS, I thought they worked surprisingly well for only having a d-pad to work with. I 100%'d 64 DS before I ever did 64.

@NintendoJunkie
I went from the NES and then straight to the Genesis in 1990, but i played the SNES religiously at friends houses, much more so than the genesis that i actually owned and that I actually Stuck with for some odd ball reason when the reality was it just wasn't really doing it for me.

Those three Sonic genesis games combined don't have a patch, or should i say trinket on SMWorld...not even close.

To me, the sonic games were always mediocre at best. i liked Sonic himself, in terms of character design but he was essentially just a speedy gimmick to combat mario. the platforming is sloppy, clunky and horribly boring, and when the game wants you to go fast it becomes nearly unplayable... it's like the equivalent of watching somebody on a roller coaster ride. then you're greeted with either a pit of spikes, slamming into a wall or enemy because it's so hard to tell what's coming ahead. i'll never understand the praise, and those bonus stages sucked. nice graphics and music though i'll give them that.

The genesis overall was a mixed bag to me growing up, it didn't come close to leaving an impression on me the same way the NES & SNES did. those two were magical, more so the SNES. The genesis typically put me off with it's low quality gargling sound effects, as if somebody was drowning in a sea of electricity, the games didn't have enough colors being displayed simultaneously which gave the games a dreary darker depressing color palette. it worked though for horror games if anything....and the graphics just wen't in league compared to SNES either.

there were definitely some gems though, but none of them really come close to the legendary classics on snes. Love me some Splatterhouse 2&3, Rocket knight adventures, shadow dancer, Castlevania bloodlines etc though.

Galaxy 1 and 2, as well as 3D World and Land are some of my favorite games of all time, the rest are just meh, and Super Mario 64 DS is awful imo.

For me it goes:

1. Mario 64
2. Galaxy
3. Galaxy 2
4. Sunshine
5. Odyssey
6. 3D World
7. 3D Land

Odyssey is very good but ridiculously overrated imo. 3D Land and World are more polished than something like Sunshine but lack any sort of personality and feel very bland/factory made, easily my least favorites of the bunch. The Galaxies have both creativity and polish and Mario 64 is just immaculate and I don't think it will ever be topped for me personally

Anybody who doesn't think Odyssey is at the very least top 3 is cooked. That game is an absolute masterpiece. It's so nice to have a collect-a-thon Mario game again, especially one that hasn't aged like Mario 64, and designed much better than Sunshine. It's possible that I could see Galaxy 1 or 2 being a technically better game, but I definitely have a personal preference to the more open design of Odyssey.

@Klobb For as good as Odyssey is it's way too bloated. 999 power moons is nothing short of excessive. Its like the blue coins from Sunshine amplified by 10. Not too mention most of those moons are acquired by retreading through old levels you've already played or through an arbitrary achievement system. Odyssey could have benefited greatly by exercising some restraint

kinda feel like mario sunshine should be in front of 64 though

1-Super Mario Odyssey
2-Super Mario Galaxy 2
3-Super Mario Galaxy 1
4-Super Mario 64
5-Super Mario 3D Land and World

Time for a real critic to step in. This comment thread will soon be appetizers compared to what I’m about to say.

Super Mario 64. Just because this game has had a massive impact on 3D games, and the nostalgia is through the roof for these games, doesn’t mean the game itself is good. The camera is bad. The graphics haven’t aged well, the controls can be imprecise and sometimes lead to unnecessary deaths, and the bosses are very generic. I mean one boss is literally an eye ball.

Super Mario sunshine. The Pachinko level, the chuckster level Lilly pad level and just trying to get there, the sand bird, the watermelon festival, the roller coaster boss, corona mountain, the controls can feel slippery, the story is so bad along with the voice acting. And there’s many game breaking glitches like falling through the floor.

Super Mario galaxy. This game never leaves a challenge and when it’s getting good, it ends. very often this game would feel more like 3D world and a 2D game, the camera can sometimes be annoying but not as bad as Mario 64, I do not care about the story at all and it has nothing to do with the game itself, and this game is less original than sunshine and feels like it’s borrowing music and sound effects for older Mario games.

Mario galaxy 2. Just like galaxy 1, prankster comets feel like a way to just flesh the game out a bit more, when the final boss is about to get good, it ends, the hub world is way less original than the comet observatory, the layout of this game is just like galaxy 1, it never differentiates itself, and many times the game can be extra bland like the map, and when you complete it, you get to do it all over again

There’s no excuse for 3d land. On one angle its like the 2d games but more fleshed out, but at the same time the camera is so zoomed in. The levels are way to short, the bosses are repetitive, the music is so bland, and the game forces the tanooki suit because of how fun and broken it is. It’s very linear and the game isn't forgiving for it.

I’m gonna back up 3D world because way too many people dog on it for not being like odyssey, and some people even say this game is worse than 3D land. The music is fantastic. Many of the tracks may not be like galaxy’s orchestra, but the tracks with jazz sound so good. I like how this game is so unique and such a perfect mix between 2D and 3D mario. This game goes straight to the point, its more open with its gameplay and tries to pick up the pace and throw more punches world after world. The bosses are original and don’t feel repetitive. People always give this game the generic grass and ice world shtick but if anything, the levels in these worlds have so much variety, it doesn’t center around one theme, theres so many good power ups, for once the story is not peach getting kidnapped, the stamps are way more fun to collect than blue coins, and its way of completion only makes it more open for replay ability.

And as for odyssey, the only thing I can really say is that the worlds don’t feel big or immersive, when your traveling to another world cappy gives you as whole essay you probably wont care for, they didn’t go all the way with the capture ability in my opinion, the game feels extremely easy, and the action isn’t as straight to the point as 3D world.

One major problem with the 3d games as that it all feels like the same but with a different theme. These games have had the same bowser is the main villain and peach gets captured go to grass level collect 120 stars get hit 3 times and die structure for so long, that I feel like its gonna get boring at some point. And many times these games rely on a single gimmick that “changes the game entirely and it’s nothing like you’ve seen before.” Way too many times the 3D games play out like the 2D games, many levels are stuff we could’ve seen in a nsmb games. I want 3D and 2D mario to be completely different things and to be extremely groundbreaking like traditional Zelda compared to breath of the wild. Thank you for reviewing my essay.

If I had to rank them,

1- odyssey
2- galaxy
3- galaxy 2
4- Mario 3D world (+ bowser’s fury when it comes out)
5- Mario sunshine
6- Mario 64
7- Mario 3D land

@crudfish I know you made your comment ages ago, but I really agree. Going from Galaxy 1 + Pro Controller + gyro pointer to Galaxy 2 + Wiimote + Nunchuck + sensor bar pointer felt like a huge step back. I'm really hoping Galaxy 2 still comes to Switch because the Galaxy games play so much better on Switch in my opinion.