9 Best 3D Mario Games, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Super Mario games offer 3D platformers beloved by fans and critics, taking Mario to unique worlds with collectibles and challenges.
• Super Mario Sunshine was divisive due to its gimmick, Super Mario 64 revolutionized 3D platforming, and Super Mario Odyssey introduced 800 Moons.
• Super Mario Galaxy series offered innovative mechanics, characters, and level designs, becoming classics loved by many.

While Mario is mostly known for 2D sidescrolling games, there is a chunk of his universe that is composed of 3D platformers. They take Mario and throw him into various worlds filled with collectibles and traversal challenges that can be enjoyed by all ages, making them the ideal family games.

The 3D games have become a beloved part of the long line of Mario games, with some becoming some of the highest-rated games in the franchise among fans as well as critics. They take Mario across the Mushroom Kingdom, through Peach’s castle, and even other dimensions. Each game has something that helps it stand out with some considered better than others.

9 Super Mario Sunshine

A Tropical Romp That Divided Fans With Its Gimmick

In general, Super Mario Sunshine does many things right for fans, continuing the formula from Super Mario 64 but in a tropical island setting as the hub world that takes Mario to different worlds to collect Shines. The game is still enjoyed by many for its visuals, gameplay, and even some twists in the story, turning it into a Nintendo GameCube classic for many people.

However, there is no denying that Super Mario Sunshine is a divisive game in the long line of Mario games. This is mainly due to some frustrating camera controls, certain overly difficult puzzles, and, most notably, how much Nintendo committed to the game’s gimmick, which was Mario’s water-spraying pack known as the F.L.U.D.D. that some gamers felt ruined some of Mario’s controls.

8 Super Mario 3D Land

A Mario Game That Walked So Its Sequel Could Run

Super Mario 3D Land is a more overlooked Mario game as a result of being exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS, but that does not mean it lacks in quality. Most credit the game for spicing things up by taking a classic sidescrolling adventure but implementing it into a 3D environment that allows for more exploration of linear levels.

While the formula it established would later be improved upon with another game, Super Mario 3D Land still earned the love and affection of fans. It’s a short but sweet romp through sixteen worlds that shows off the capabilities of the 3DS and the malleability of the Mario franchise.

7 Super Mario 64

The 3D Mario Game That Started All 3D Mario Games

The world wouldn’t have the 3D Mario games they are today without Super Mario 64. While it didn’t invent 3D visuals, it used them combined with innovative controls to show the potential of 3D platforming. After it came out, many games used Super Mario 64 as the template to create other 3D platformer classics, such as Donkey Kong 64 and Banjo-Kazooie.

Super Mario 64 was the first game to introduce a hub world, using Peach’s castle as a nexus to get to various worlds hidden within the walls. Each world featured multiple Stars to collect via objectives and this would become the gold standard for 3D Mario games up to Super Mario Odyssey, showing just how revolutionary it was.

6 Super Mario 64 DS

Nintendo Went Above And Beyond With This Remake

The original game is so well-made, that Nintendo fans were expecting a 1:1 port to the Nintendo DS, but Super Mario 64 DS proved to be more impressive than that. Not only did it introduce three new characters to control, but it also featured new levels mixed in with all the familiar ones, and even the familiar ones had alterations to fit the four characters.

Sometimes, simple additions go a long way to making a new game enjoyable, and having Luigi, Yoshi, and Wario is an example of that. However, Nintendo went even further with power-ups that were never in the original and each character has their specific uses to get certain stars. Aside from the more limited movement on the Nintendo DS, Super Mario 64 DS is a remake that respects the original while properly updating it.

5 Super Mario 3D World

Four Characters Made For Four Times The Fun

With the introduction of the Cat Bell and other power-ups, Super Mario 3D World took what Super Mario 3D Land established and improved upon it by taking bits of the original Super Mario Bros. 2 with four playable characters, each featuring a unique ability. This culminated in another adventure with 3D sidescrolling that became a massive hit for the Wii U and, later on, the Switch.

Super Mario 3D World came out during a time when many felt that the 2D sidescrolling games had become slightly stale, even if they were still well-made games. So, gamers appreciated a new formula that introduced new worlds, enemies, and gameplay elements, hence why it was lucky enough to get a remaster on the Nintendo Switch.

4 Super Mario Odyssey

Collecting 800 Moons Lives Up To The Game’s Title

Super Mario Odyssey is massive with 800 main collectibles in the form of Moons this time around and each world has a multitude of objectives to find them all. With new beautiful visuals on the Switch, Super Mario Odyssey was a spectacle for fans of the franchise as it took the bits and pieces of what fans loved about previous games, fused them, and then trimmed the fat off.

Mario’s gameplay in Super Mario Odyssey was given classic moves such as the long jump, the dive, wall jumping, and more, but thanks to new abilities given to his hat named Cappy, he can do so much more, from possessing his enemies to extending his traversal movements.

3 Bowser’s Fury

Lake Lapcat Gives Fans Their First Open-World Mario Journey

What could have been a lackluster mode thrown into the Super Mario 3D World remaster turned out to be the first truly open-world Mario game called Bowser’s Fury. It takes the Super Mario 3D World engine and its mechanics to craft a unique adventure featuring Mario and Bowser Jr. working together to save Bowser from his inky corrupted Godzilla-sized state.

On top of the titular Fury Bowser being instantly memorable, the game is a pleasant journey with multiple islands to explore to collect Cat Shines. The player is allowed to freely roam in any direction and collect the Shines in any order they wish, which has earned it a reputation for being a more comforting experience and not to its detriment, as gamers quickly fell in love with Bowser’s Fury.

2 Super Mario Galaxy 2

More Of The Same But In The Best Way Possible

It’s not often that Mario games get direct sequels, but Super Mario Galaxy 2 is one of those rare occasions. It takes everything people love about the first Super Mario Galaxy and adds Yoshi, new power-ups, and new level designs to expand on the formula from the first game. Both Mario and Yoshi have exclusive power-ups, such as Cloud or Bulb, adding variety to the gameplay.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a more straightforward adventure, with less emphasis on exploring the Observatory hub world, and streamlines the galaxies to a more classic Mario progression. On the one hand, fans consider it a near-perfect sequel since it keeps what many enjoyed about the first game, but on the other hand, it is often considered to be more like an expansion to Super Mario Galaxy.

1 Super Mario Galaxy

Putting Mario In Space Resulted In A Universally Loved Title

One of the most beloved games for the Nintendo Wii, Super Mario Galaxy, took Mario out of his world and into a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid adventure. It not only gave players new mechanics to work with but never-before-seen level designs as Mario runs across planets and deals with all kinds of gravity-based puzzles combined with a plethora of unique power-ups.

Fans were also blessed with new characters, such as the Lumas and the mysterious space fairy godmother Rosalina, who has since become a staple in various Mario spin-offs. Combined with some of the critically acclaimed music in the franchise, Super Mario Galaxy hit all the right notes with fans and critics, thus turning it into a beloved classic on the Wii.