ALL Of The 3D Mario Games, Ranked
So... I really didn't expect this to be the year that I would end up beating all the remaining 3D Marios I had yet to complete, but here we are...
It's a bit of strech to call these a ''series'' since, even if of course they do share a ton of elements, each 3D Mario adventure goes for a completely different thing; even the expansions, remakes or even direct sequels of past games feel very dinstinct and have different goals from one another, but they all do have one something in common: all of these games experiment with the fundamentals of movement and level design, and how to reach high levels of fun and inmersion through does elements... also some of them have Luigi which is very cool.
And well, here's my ranking! My thoughts of each of them will be brief since I've already reviewed a lot of the games, and those I haven't written about are ones I want to talk about more in the future, so, for now... let's-a go!.
It's a bit of strech to call these a ''series'' since, even if of course they do share a ton of elements, each 3D Mario adventure goes for a completely different thing; even the expansions, remakes or even direct sequels of past games feel very dinstinct and have different goals from one another, but they all do have one something in common: all of these games experiment with the fundamentals of movement and level design, and how to reach high levels of fun and inmersion through does elements... also some of them have Luigi which is very cool.
And well, here's my ranking! My thoughts of each of them will be brief since I've already reviewed a lot of the games, and those I haven't written about are ones I want to talk about more in the future, so, for now... let's-a go!.
9 Games
Yeah cool game.
To try to say more about Odyssey that I already have would be redundant an a bit comical; I adore this game with every ounce of my being, it's just so fun, so sincere with itself and the player, so expansive and wondersul to just... move around and explore. My favortie 3D platformer, no doubt, and even if that changes with the passage of time, I'll cherrish it forever...
You can check out my extended thoughts over here.
To try to say more about Odyssey that I already have would be redundant an a bit comical; I adore this game with every ounce of my being, it's just so fun, so sincere with itself and the player, so expansive and wondersul to just... move around and explore. My favortie 3D platformer, no doubt, and even if that changes with the passage of time, I'll cherrish it forever...
You can check out my extended thoughts over here.
King Kaliente is the best boss name to ever grace this planer and I'll never take a negative for an answer.
Galaxy manages to hit so many of the right notes its scary, and while for me it's not perfect, it's undoubtedly an achievement of a game. It's a beautiful, emotional voyage though the space, that experiments like no 3D Mario had done up until that point, and it pays off so fucking much.
I really need to write a review of it in the future, I adore this game.
Galaxy manages to hit so many of the right notes its scary, and while for me it's not perfect, it's undoubtedly an achievement of a game. It's a beautiful, emotional voyage though the space, that experiments like no 3D Mario had done up until that point, and it pays off so fucking much.
I really need to write a review of it in the future, I adore this game.
Yeah no I'm not sorry, Bowser's Fury fucking sweeps.
It repurposes the elements of 3D World and turns them into a completely different game, a fantastic one at that. These cat isles are just so damn fun to traverse, and the whole design, visuals and music is just on point, and honestly, this may be the best part of the package it comes in.
What was meant to be an extra, a little experiment, eneded up being one of my favorite games from 2021.
Mario is off the shits.
It repurposes the elements of 3D World and turns them into a completely different game, a fantastic one at that. These cat isles are just so damn fun to traverse, and the whole design, visuals and music is just on point, and honestly, this may be the best part of the package it comes in.
What was meant to be an extra, a little experiment, eneded up being one of my favorite games from 2021.
Mario is off the shits.
Honestly, when looking for the best level pack, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the best, no doubt.
It's the pinnacle of level design of imagination, but it does have some drawbacks that make it weaker to other games, at least for me. Still, it's fantastic, and I just wished it had more Yoshi in it.
You can check out my extended thoughts over here.
It's the pinnacle of level design of imagination, but it does have some drawbacks that make it weaker to other games, at least for me. Still, it's fantastic, and I just wished it had more Yoshi in it.
You can check out my extended thoughts over here.
3D World? More like, Kino World!
3D World is just so neat. I think that's the best way to describe it honestly, it's really neat. It's a fantastic collection of levels, very reminicent of the Galaxy and 2D games, but that crafts its own identity and expands on where 3D Land created.
Again, I should really write a review for this one, I actually have quite a ton to say about it, both good and bad.
3D World is just so neat. I think that's the best way to describe it honestly, it's really neat. It's a fantastic collection of levels, very reminicent of the Galaxy and 2D games, but that crafts its own identity and expands on where 3D Land created.
Again, I should really write a review for this one, I actually have quite a ton to say about it, both good and bad.
Y'know that these games are rad when the game that changed the industry, or at least a huge part of it, it's below so many games.
Make no mistake, I love Super Mario 64, but I have my gripes with it, and it does shows its age in some areas, as well as things that weren't quite on point even back when it released.
You can check out my extended thoughts over here.
Make no mistake, I love Super Mario 64, but I have my gripes with it, and it does shows its age in some areas, as well as things that weren't quite on point even back when it released.
You can check out my extended thoughts over here.
Oh me oh my, so close yet so far...
Sunshine has so many high highs and so many glaring low lows... I have a fondness for it after beating, but it's impossible to ignore the sheer amount of stuff that just... misses the mark on it.
Still, Delfino Plaza is fucking gold and the Isle as a whole is the best setting the series ever had. I rest my case.
You can check out my extended thoughts over here.
Sunshine has so many high highs and so many glaring low lows... I have a fondness for it after beating, but it's impossible to ignore the sheer amount of stuff that just... misses the mark on it.
Still, Delfino Plaza is fucking gold and the Isle as a whole is the best setting the series ever had. I rest my case.
You can check out my extended thoughts over here.
If 3D World is really neat, then 3D Land is really... average. Not bad at all mind you, but it also doesn't really shine on practically anything on its own. It's like fast food in a way; it's easy to pick up, simple, familiar, but I very much prefer to eat in other restaurants, even if one of them has a rat or two in it.
It's just another platformer, and I just wished it had the courage to do more, be more...
It's just another platformer, and I just wished it had the courage to do more, be more...
Minigames are the best part sorry not sorry.
My last review was about this one, but TL;DR: Fun and does some things quite well, but the controls, some design decisions and its inability to aknowledge the faults of the original game really hinder it, and while still not bad by any means, it 's my least prefered game out of all this selection, and the one with the lowest lows.
You can check out my extended thoughts over here.
My last review was about this one, but TL;DR: Fun and does some things quite well, but the controls, some design decisions and its inability to aknowledge the faults of the original game really hinder it, and while still not bad by any means, it 's my least prefered game out of all this selection, and the one with the lowest lows.
You can check out my extended thoughts over here.
6 Comments
I’d put Mario 64 a lot higher but I mostly agree with this, I’m a Bowser’s Fury enjoyer. All killer, no filler for me. Just a lean, mean game. Great list, love the included thoughts/explanations
@AlphaOne2 Ok yeah, I'll give you that, it is a glorious name, the only one that may compete with King Kaliente... that and the other one https://i0.wp.com/punishedbacklog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Screen-Shot-2022-07-14-at-4.00.30-PM.png?fit=1908%2C1182&ssl=1
@conman I'd honestly love SM64 more, and I really respect everyone that would put it higher, it's just that some of its faults make it less of an enjoyable experience for me, but still, fantastic game. Also, super happy to see more Bowser's Fury enjoyers; you nailed it with that description, it just has the perfect amount of content and makes up for a fantastic platforming experience. And thank you! Glad you liked my minor thoughts about all of them, and expect to see full-blown reviews of games like Galaxy very soon!
@conman I'd honestly love SM64 more, and I really respect everyone that would put it higher, it's just that some of its faults make it less of an enjoyable experience for me, but still, fantastic game. Also, super happy to see more Bowser's Fury enjoyers; you nailed it with that description, it just has the perfect amount of content and makes up for a fantastic platforming experience. And thank you! Glad you liked my minor thoughts about all of them, and expect to see full-blown reviews of games like Galaxy very soon!
Can't argue with this ranking, really. Super Mario 64 DS is really good if you emulate it with an analog stick mod though!
@thealexmott I'd imagine as much, and if I ever revisit it it will be with the analog stick mod no doubt! But I wanted to experience the game the way it released in a original system, and let's just say that yeah, a ton of problems do arise when played with a D-Pad. Still, wouldn't call it a bad game at all, but it is the most flawed out of all the 3D Marios, at least for me.
Yes, it is absolutely awful with a d-pad. It was cool in 2004 because it was expanded Mario 64 on a handheld, but that novelty isn't really a factor anymore.
AlphaOne2
8 months ago