March 10 is Mario Day!

Ever since I was a kid, Mario has been a staple in my life! In fact, he might be the very reason I got into video games. And I know I’m not the only one who has been so impacted by him! In the video game world, I’d say Mario is on the same level as Mickey Mouse!

To celebrate this day, let’s count down my top five favorite Mario games of all time!!

5. New Super Mario Brothers Wii– I have a lot of amazing memories with this video game. Playing in the Co-Op mode with my family always created so much chaotic fun! When this game came out, it took the best of what made Mario great and updated it to modern times. I think that’s why such a wide array of people enjoyed it. No matter what age you were, or what Mario game you grew up playing, this one offered something for everybody.

4. Super Mario Brothers 3- What can you say about this game that hasn’t already been said? Even though Mario was already amazing, this third entry took him to a whole new level! I think if you ask people who had an NES growing up what their favorite games were, this one almost always gets mentioned. I don’t think Mario would be where he is today without this game.

3. Super Mario Odyssey- The most recent Mario game on this list! When Mario came to Nintendo Switch, of course I was excited! But I had no idea how much this game would amaze me! While it tries some new things gameplay wise, it also just feels like a celebration of all things Mario. A masterpiece in my opinion! Everything in it is so well done, and it’s a game you can easily keep coming back to because there is just so much to do!

2. Mario Kart 8- To me, the Mario Kart games are just as iconic as the mainline Mario games. I’ve had great times with all of them, but Mario Kart 8 is the standout. I’ve probably put more hours into this game than any video game ever! Will a Mario Kart game in the future top it? Hard to say! But I know this one is a racing masterpiece I’ll go back to it for years to come.

 1. Super Mario 64- This game is a favorite among many. For good reason too! It brought Mario into a whole new generation, and truly changed everything for the series. I think you could argue this game is just as iconic and important as the original Super Mario Brothers. It was the game that made me realize that Mario is my all time favorite video game character. I can play it any day and still have a ton of fun and I’ll never grow tired of it.

That’s a quick rundown of my favorites when it comes to Mario! This was tough, because he’s a character with a lot of fantastic games. What are your favorites?!? I’d love to know!