THE Super Mario Bros. Movie is introducing people who aren’t usually interested in games to Mario’s world.
If watching the film has sparked something in you to find out more, then there is a huge library of games to choose from.
It’s Mario but not as we’ve seen him before.
This can be quite daunting for some, with 30 years of games to look back through.
Here are the five games we recommend you start with from the Super Mario Bros. series.
Super Mario World
When it comes to the 2D Mario games, Super Mario World really got the formula down.
It has all the characters that Mario fans have come to know and love, and is the first time we meet Yoshi.
The movement is fantastic, the map is full of secrets, and it features a number of homages you’ll recognise from the film.
This is the game that truly launched Mario into infamy, and one that all Mario fans have to play at least once.
Super Mario 64
SM64 will not only teach you about how Mario transitioned from 2D to 3D, it will also teach you what the first popular 3D platformer looked like.
No one had tried to jump around in 3D before, and the fluid movement has made SM64 popular even to this day.
This is another game that is so essential to Mario’s history that there are plenty of callbacks to it in the Mario Movie.
The camera may be a little different to what you’re used to, but once you’re past this you will be rewarded with something excellent.
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Did you know that platformers aside, there is a whole series of Super Mario RPGs?
Paper Mario proved that not only was Mario the king of all platformers, but he could be the star of a solid role-playing game too.
In a completely new art style for the series, Mario embarks on his quest alongside some of the series’ best characters.
This one contains a lot more story than most Mario games to give you a deeper insight into the characters.
Super Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Rainbow Road was already featured in the trailer, but there is so much more racing to see.
Mario Kart became a phenomenon in its own right, with many families gathering around the TV for a few laps.
Each track has callbacks to all of the different games, giving you a slice of everything Mario has to offer.
On top of that it’s probably one of the best kart racing games out there, so you owe it to yourself to try it out.
Super Mario Odyssey
Mario is always changing up the formula in his games, and Super Mario Odyssey changed everything once again by letting you gain new powers.
As is a staple of the Mario series at this point, the movement options are improved once more, allowing Mario to reach new heights.
Just like the Mario Movie, Odyssey sees Mario embark on an epic adventure through worlds he doesn’t belong in.
If you want to play a game that’s closest to the movie experience, then this is the one to go for.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
