Was there really a bad Super Mario game? It depends on who you ask. If we’re going to talk about bad programming and optimization a la the recent Pokemon games (we’re looking at you, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet), there isn’t any iteration in the franchise that sported such a bad first-day launch.
While some entries to the Super Mario franchise felt bland and uninspired, the platformer-style of gameplay still provided delight and entertainment to its players. USA Today’s Josh Broadwell lists and ranks all of the games available in terms of their gameplay, design, as well as what the titles’ identities. Note that this is his opinion and that if your favorite game isn’t on the top of the list, then, that’s totally fine.
Much to our surprise though, his top game isn’t Mario: Odyssey. Check the rankings here!
Image credit: Nintendo