The Best Mario Games That Deserve A Sequel

Nintendo doesn’t often miss an opportunity to capitalize when one of its games resonates with players (or players’ wallets, at least). The sheer number of Super Mario Bros. sequels and spinoffs out there is a testament to that. We even got two Mario + Rabbids games. That’s either confidence in your product or a true commitment to chaos.

But even among this endless sea of wahoo, there are still plenty of Mario games that simply never went beyond a single entry. Some probably deserve more, others are Hotel Mario. But what are some genuinely fun games in the series that should have gotten another crack at it?

10

Yoshi’s Cookie

A Flagrant Misuse Of Baked Goods

Sometimes, simplicity is underrated. The easy-to-grasp idea of Yoshi’s Cookie earned it a respectable reputation since its debut on the Game Boy and NES, so much so that it earned a remake on the SNES and a few scattered ports in the decades following. Nevertheless, this charming and kid-friendly puzzle game never gained any momentum at Nintendo.

It’s a shame because it’s a nice comfy game that would absolutely do well if a new title was produced, say, for mobile devices. Imagine being able to pop open this satisfying and hunger-inducing game with updated visuals anywhere you want. Just maybe put your phone on silent. Yoshi’s celebratory shouts can be an exercise in endurance after a few minutes.

9

Super Mario Sunshine

Maybe Mario Won’t Get Arrested Next Time

It’s undeniable that Super Mario Sunshine is truly one-of-a-kind in the Mario series. Subsequent games never quite recreated the same creative swings this game went for, and while some might appreciate going back to basics, others miss this quirky title.

Changing up the gameplay with Mario’s F.L.U.D.D. water jet pack, setting its story in a tropical tourist trap, whatever that pachinko level was, it all remains trapped in this game. So why not give the format another go in a proper sequel and try to smooth out some of those rough (pachinko) edges?

8

Mario Paint

Somebody Should Make A Synthwave Album With It

Mario Paint was such a novelty when it was released on the SNES. Despite requiring the SNES Mouse, a peripheral that the vast majority of players would never use for another game, this art, music, and minigame extravaganza still embedded itself in the fond and cozy memories of countless creative kids and exhausted parents.

It deserves a follow-up. But in what form? As shown by the Nintendo Alarmo, this company can be creative with standalone tech. So if not as a regular console game, why not repurpose the Mario Paint brand as a tablet app or its own set of tools, helping aspiring young artists hone their talents in real ways?

7

Super Mario RPG

Maybe A Sequel Would Add Another Camera Angle

Nintendo already knows the fans love Super Mario RPG. They had developer ArtePiazza do a gorgeous remake on the Switch nearly 30 years after the SNES original. But what’s stopping them from greenlighting a proper sequel?

Well, aside from the fact that Paper Mario technically serves as the sequel to Super Mario RPG, we still haven’t seen another Mario game in this specific style since then. The battle system may have been sent off to other series, but that adorable art style is still timeless and deserves another shot at the isometric limelight.

6

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

Kaiju Got Your Tongue

There’s a reason the Wii U’s Super Mario 3D World got ported to the Switch with a whole new mini-campaign added on. This game is just fun to play and control and fans wanted more. They got it with Bowser’s Fury, though while it didn’t overstay its welcome, many fans would have liked if it tried to.

The Bowser’s Fury addition was almost unanimously loved, fine-tuning the already excellent gameplay of Super Mario 3D World with a free camera and new mechanics. You also get to fight Bowser as a giant Cat Mario. Why is this experience exclusive to one game?

5

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Toadcharted

Outside of Bowser’s Fury, one of the more delightful distractions you can find in Super Mario 3D World is the periodic Captain Toad segments. Nintendo knew what they had with those relatively low-impact puzzle-platformer tidbits, so they gave them their own game.

That’s where Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker comes in. It expands on that idea with plenty of more involved levels all while retaining the core of what made those original ones so endearing. You might even say Nintendo didn’t go far enough, and another nice and chill Captain Toad game would be welcome.

4

Super Princess Peach

Peach Would Wreak Havoc In Inside Out

While you can play as Princess Peach in plenty of Mario games, there is a tragically low number of them where she’s the actual star. Nintendo seemed to want to remedy this situation with Super Princess Peach, a charming Nintendo DS platformer that frankly deserved better.

In this game, Peach’s powers are all based on her emotions. Despite the arguably problematic aspect of making that the mechanic of a female-led game, it works well. Peach got another starring role with the also enjoyable Princess Peach: Showtime! But another 2D platformer like this on less proprietary hardware would be welcome.

3

Wario World

Have Another Rotten Day

Look, as much as everyone loves playing the hero as Mario, sometimes you just want to embody somebody nasty. Wario isn’t exactly evil, but in his 3D platformer outing, Wario World, your singular purpose while running around body-slamming everything that moves is making some sweet cash. People have admittedly done worse things in the name of capitalism.

This GameCube game isn’t revolutionary, but it is satisfying (as long as you’re not lingering on that transcendent pause screen). Mowing through enemies as everyone’s favorite Mario Kart character to lose to can be a cathartic experience and, tragically, this feeling never got a sequel for today’s eternally anxious public to enjoy.

2

Wario: Master Of Disguise

If He Has A Plumber Suit, Does He Just Become Mario?

Wario: Master of Disguise is an interesting example of Nintendo (technically, developer Suzak) trying something new with an established formula. Much like the Wario Land games, this is a 2D platformer, but it adds a cool costume-based twist that might sound familiar.

Wario gets his abilities by changing costumes, and yes, that’s the idea behind Princess Peach: Showtime! as well. That deserves a sequel too, but Master of Disguise has waited longer. So is this just an excuse to pitch a new game that’s just Wario and Peach teaming up with their costume powers? Don’t worry about it.

1

Super Paper Mario

Paper Beats Block

No, it’s not cheating to claim a Paper Mario game didn’t get any sequels. Look at any of them and say with a straight face that they’re a proper follow-up to Super Paper Mario. See? You can’t. It’s a travesty.

Super Paper Mario was the first game in the series to drastically change up the formula, switching from turn-based to a 2D platforming RPG hybrid. Some new perspective-switching mechanics and a unique geometric art style keep their identity its own, and all of that deserves to return in a new game someday.