Today is March 10th, which can only mean one thing – it's Mario Day. That's right, it's the day when the world gets together to celebrate the Princess-saving plumber by eating mushrooms and racing karts. Unless you're even a tiny bit overweight, apparently. To help celebrate Mario Day, I wanted to see what Electronic Gaming Monthly had to say about Nintendo's beloved mascot throughout the years.
In case you're wondering, EGM reviewed a total of 70 Super Mario Bros. games between 1989 and 2009. That includes most of the main series games, a whole bunch of sports games, a number of re-releases, a popular fighting series, a few racing games and a staggering amount of other spin-offs. In order to compile this list, we've decided to include most of the games and spin-offs that feature Mario as a playable character. We're not going to include any of the games starring the side-characters (even if Mario shows up), so Luigi's Mansion and the Wario games will need to wait for another countdown. We're also not going to include the games where Mario makes little more than a cameo, such as SSX3, NBA Street and Mike Tyson's Punch-Out. Ideally, all the games on the list have Mario in some sort of starring capacity, though there will be a couple examples that blur the lines a bit.
Now, with all that out of the way, what we're going to do is countdown the best and worst Mario games using Electronic Gaming Monthly's own words and scores. There's no editorializing here, we're going to focus on what the critics said back when these games first came out. So, change into your tanooki suit and rev up your go-kart, because you're going to warp into another super-sized episode of Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 70 Super Mario Games. This might take a while.
Sonic the Hedgehog (Xbox 360)
#43
"Sonic's 15th birthday bash has turned out to be more of a bust. With each new Sonic game it releases, Sega moves closer to assassinating the very character that once distinguished the company. Ironically, despite trying to expose Sonic to a broader audience, Sonic Team has now managed to render the next-gen game almost completely unplayable. Since when does breakneck speed combined with completely unhinged camera equal playability? It doesn't, and for the first time in history, hardcore gamers and casual consumers alike will find keeping Sonic on track a near impossibility." (4 out of 10)
Sonic Rivals (PSP)
#42
"I don't want to brag, but I'm awesome at Rivals. All I have to do is memorize each stage, hold down that right button, and jump once in awhile. If you too want to become this good and offer me a challenge, all you need is one distinct quality: A gluttony for punishment. Imagine trying to run a race, but suddenly getting stuck on a series of tricky jumps and then trying to overcome the insane frustration of falling off cliffs. Fun." (4 out of 10)
Sonic the Hedgehog: Spinball (Game Gear)
#41
"Sonic Spinball in an original concept blending elements of Sonic and pinball. Unfortunately, it falls short on fun and game play. The left flipper being the "1" button is a hinderance and should have been on the control pad. It was just difficult to play, especially with the blurs that you must squint through. Many times the ball seems to move to the same location where you hit it, making progress slow. AARGH!" (4.25 out of 10)
Sonic Labyrinth (Game Gear)
#40
"Sonic Labyrinth boasts some really nice graphics for the Game Gear, and I was having a good time with it. But after a few levels, the game becomes very repetitive. One of the major downfalls of the game is the 3D perspective. I found myself knowing exactly where I wanted to go, but having problems getting there. The younger players may enjoy this title, but for the experience player, this may be a little too simple. Sonic Labyrinth could have been a little more exciting." (4.75 out of 10)
Sonic Unleashed (PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360)
#39
"Unleashed's absolute nadir comes in the form of profoundly lame, unskippable minigames (including a disastrous button-matching exercise aboard Tails' plane) that'll have older gamers tossing controllers in frustration. This simply isn't the fresh start Sonic fans hoped for -- but it's not as execrable as the last two efforts." (C out of A+)
Sonic Shuffle (Dreamcast)
#38
"I have never been so bored playing a party game as I was with Sonic Shuffle. The minigames are similar to Mario Party's, only not as good. The long load times in between everything doesn't help matters. There are minigames where you'll inexplicably lose and not know how. And playing any game against the computer is an exercise in futility, since you know you're going to lose. I'm sure someone will eventually top Nintendo's benchmark party game, but this isn't it." (5.2 out of 10)
Shadow the Hedgehog (PlayStation 2, GameCube & Xbox)
#37
"Seems like someone in Japan decided it was a good time to make a Sonic game that was 'street' but had no idea of how to go about it. Shadow loses his memory, starts toting guns he finds on the bodies of characters he kills, says words like 'damn,' and is the angsty yin to Sonic's hopeful yang. This premise would still be stupid even if Shadow didn't suffer from slowdown issues, a nonexistent lock-on system, a horrible camera, and bottomless pits in which to fall. But it does, and it is stupid -- just like this is a stupid way to spend 50 bucks." (5.2 out of 10)
Sonic Riders (PlayStation 2, GameCube & Xbox)
#36
"Wait, what the hell is going on here? After a close examination of the game's manual and several hours of gameplay, I never really got an answer. It's as if Sonic Adventure married F-Zero GX, they had an ugly baby together, it wouldn't shut up, and nobody knew what was wrong with it. The problem is that Sonic Riders becomes far more complex than it needs to be by having an arbitrary "air" system that's depleted when you use not only special moves, but regular moves necessary to navigate the spaz-tastic courses." (5.2 out of 10)
Sonic Battle (Game Boy Advance)
#35
"Too many speeding tickets have landed Sonic and his pals in something worse than traffic school -- a second-rate, no-thrills brawler. What a shame, because Battle was potentially a portable, story-driven Super Smash Bros. Melee. Each character has a unique moves set, and equipping your robot with the most effective skills injects a small strategy element. Still, you can achieve most victories through mind-numbing button mashing." (5.5 out of 10)
Sonic Adventure DX (GameCube)
#34
"Time has not been kind to ol' Blue's first 3D adventure; DX can't keep up with the action-platformers of today. This might have looked and played fine four years ago, but trying to pass it off now as a full-price game is a joke. Of all the playable characters, only Sonic is fun, and sadly, none of his stages last for more than 15 minutes. Save your cash for the legitimately new Sonic game coming later this year." (6 out of 10)
Sonic Gems Collection (GameCube)
#33
"I'm all for retro compilations, but Sonic Gems is the third Sonic collection in as many years. At this point, we're mainly down to the dregs; sure, Sonic CD is cool, but most of the '90s era games just aren't fun. And the Tails titles are garbage that I wouldn't even want to play on Game Gear, let alone on GameCube. Even the unlockables are lame; Japan gets Streets of Rage and we have to settle for Vectorman? Hey, Sega, you have dozens of titles that fans would kill to see. How about giving the blue guy a rest and those other classics a little love?" (6.2 out of 10)
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)
#32
"We've waited over 15 years for Sonic and Mario to team up, and we finally get it ... in a Wii Sports-inspired competition based on next year's Olympics? But despite its rather disturbing premise, Mario & Sonic's 20-plus events capture the diverse athleticism of the real Summer Games, from the pure breakout speed of the 100-meter dash to the precision timing of fencing. Bringing in buddies for multiplayer livens things up, but without the option to tweak event lengths or difficulties, this feels like just another souped-up minigame collection." (6.3 out of 10)
Sonic and the Secret Rings (Wii)
#31
"While Secret Rings does a decent job of stopping the bleeding caused by the recent 360/PS3/PSP Sonics, it's not quite there yet. I applaud the decision to focus on Sonic and deliver pure platforming stages, but the control scheme, while innovative, proves too ambitious and unreliable in the overly complex later stages." (6.5 out of 10)
Sonic 3D Blast (Saturn)
#30
"I wasn't very impressed with Sonic 3D Blast for several reasons, starting with the gameplay. Although it claims to be a Sonic game, it doesn't have any of the trademark feel of Sonic's speed and mobility. The control is very awkward for such a fast-moving character and since the perspective is three-dimensional, you must move slowly or face an untimely death. Even the analog controller doesn't help keep Sonic in line." (6.6 out of 10)
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (GameCube)
#29
"Even with minor additions, the 'Cube version of Sonic Adventure 2 is a letdown. Sonic Team, if you're listening, this is what you need to do: Fix the camera! What's the point of letting you move around in 3D when the forced camera angles and relatively small paths would be better served as 2D? After you've done that, trim the cast list. Leave in Sonic, Shadow and maybe Tails, but remove everyone else. Their levels are slow and boring. Maybe then the blue 'hog with a 'tude will return to his former glory." (6.7 out of 10)
Sonic Heroes (PlayStation 2, GameCube & Xbox)
#28
"For a character as recognizable and symbolic as Sonic the Hedgehog, you'd think Sega would spend a little more time polishing each of his adventures before shipping them to stores. Sadly, this is not the case. As with the previous two 3D Sonic outings, Sonic Heroes is a solid platformer that could've been a lot better if the developer had spent more time balancing the levels and tweaking the unbelievably frustrating camera. And one more thing, the whiny preschool voices really have to go." (6.7 out of 10)
Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (Game Gear)
#27
"He's baaaack! Sonic just can't seem to go away. Although the game is nothing new in terms of things to do or enemies to defeat, it does have the ability to keep you entertained, not all games can say that. As always, the control is very precise and the game is colorful, but there is always the feeling of playing the same game over and over." (6.75 out of 10)
Sonic the Hedgehog: Spinball (Genesis)
#26
"Video pinball games aren't the most exciting: but in this case, I can make an exception. This plays as well as any other game in its category. New Sonic animations have been included which were not found in his other adventure games. On the downside, the graphics don't appear sharp and the sound was unimpressive. At times, it's hard to get into other areas of the pinball and you'd end up going in circles." (7 out of 10)
Sonic Drift 2 (Game Gear)
#25
"Sonic Drift 2 is a Mario Kart clone in nearly every way. There are more characters than the original, but there doesn't seem to be enough differences between the characters. This game would have been better suited for the Saturn. As a portable game, Sonic Drift 2 is just okay. The continual flashing as the road passes by gives me a major headache. The fact that you can play as mecha Sonic earned this game an extra point. Sonic Drift is okay. But the best, just okay." (7 out of 10)
Sonic Rush Adventure (Nintendo DS)
#24
"The speedy blue hedgehog's console career may have hit the skids, but at least fans can find comfort in Sonic's continued handheld successes. Adventure doesn't stray too far from Rush, with more of the same hyperfast run 'n jump gameplay across massively vertical levels. I'd still like to see more effort put into the visuals, but the plentiful shortcuts, greater emphasis on trickery, and startingly clever boss fights nicely flesh out the traditionally shallow Sonic gameplay." (7.2 out of 10)
Sonic Mega Collection (GameCube)
#23
"For gamers weaned on the more recent 3D Sonic titles, Collection's worth picking up just to see the blue hog's roots. Forget all the exploration and fetch-quest gameplay of Sonic Adventure 2 -- the games here are all about jamming, as fast as you can, from point A to B. It's too bad Sonic Mega Collection doesn't offer much for the Sonic loyalist in the way of extras; a couple illustrations, comic book covers and lame videos just don't cut it. Good, but could've been so much more." (7.2 out of 10)
Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis)
#22
"I've seen some games on the Genesis that try so hard to be 3D when the Genesis can't do it. Sonic 3D Blast isn't necessarily a 3D game, but it does come as close to 3D as the Genesis can get. The game plays like any other Sonic game -- fast and springy. The graphics look like the other games as well, being bright, cartoony and colorful. The characters almost look rendered. The bosses in the game are kind of easy." (7.25 out of 10)
Knuckles Chaotix (32X)
#21
"Look at all the pretty colors. Yikes! Who's the madman that let the colors run rampant on this game? It's a visual overload! Anyway, Knuckles Chaotix tosses some new themes to the tired Sonic genre. In fact, you won't find Sonic anywhere. If that isn't a shock, I don't' know what is. Having a second character tagging along doing all sorts of scaling and zooming can get tiresome, but it does add some spice. For the 32X owners, this may be one for you to get." (7.4 out of 10)
Sonic Pinball Party (Game Boy Advance)
#20
"Sonic achieves a nice balance: With solid pinball play, it evokes memories of simpler times while still offering up fun little multiplayer gems and surprising unlockable minigames. Also, I truly dug the rockin' music and cool graphics. But I never achieved pinball bliss. The menu interface keeps you from being able to restart new games quickly, and the time limit in some story mode stages just seems pointlessly difficult. Nonwizards will be stuck on that second battle for way too long -- not fun." (7.5 out of 10)
Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast)
#19
"Being a longtime Sonic fan, I was happy to see Sonic Team return to more fast-paced, action-oriented gameplay. On the other hand, it's amazing that some of the first game's most nagging issues weren't fixed. The camera is one of the worst I've ever seen in a 3D action game. You'll get the camera right when you want it, just to have it swing back around when you move. The bad camera is what kills you 90 percent of the time, destroying much of the enjoyment. Sonic and Shadow's levels are excellently crafted, but playing as the rest of the characters drags it down." (7.5 out of 10)
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Genesis)
#18
"Like Pac Attack, once you start playing, good luck trying to put the controller down. The one-player game is a blast and the versus mode for two will keep you at it all night. The cinemas and graphics are also well done." (7.6 out of 10)
Sonic the Hedgehog Advance (Game Boy Advance)
#17
"First the good: Sonic Advance is the best 2D Sonic game since Sonic CD. The redrawn characters are slickly animated, the backgrounds are bright and colorful, and the stages are the most cleverly designed levels in a Sonic game ever. Problem is, though the game supplies four characters to play as, the only one worth bothering with is Sonic. Those small grievances aside, forget Adventure, this is what Sonic should be." (7.7 out of 10)
Sonic R (Saturn)
#16
"When you first play Sonic R, you'll probably be turned off by the awkward control of the racers. Once you get used to it, you'll find a real solid game. The track designs are excellent, and there's plenty to do on each course besides just coming in first. The two-player mode isn't all that exciting, and the music is pretty weak, but otherwise Sonic R is definitely good." (7.75 out of 10)
Tails' Adventure (Game Gear)
#15
"It's about time we saw Tails in his own game. Tails makes good use of the Game Gear hardware, with colorful graphics. The screen blurs out when the screen moves too quickly, but overall it's not too bad. The gameplay is similar to the Mario games, plus Tails has some limited flight, too. The genre may be overdone, but Tails Adventure is just a lot of fun to play. I wish it was on another system, though." (7.75 out of 10)
Sonic Rush (Nintendo DS)
#14
"Finally, someone at Sega remembered that Sonic isn't about fishing or climbing or raising little blue pets or collecting everything but rings, Sonic is about speed, and that's what Rush delivers in spades. He's as fast as ever here -- and when that's not fast enough, you can press the Nitro button to make him go even faster. The result: The first Sonic game worthy of the name in ages. A few too many un-telegraphed pits and dead ends riddle the levels ... but who has time to stop and complain when you're shattering the speed limit?" (8 out of 10)
Sonic Jam (Saturn)
#13
"I love compilations that compile only grade-A games. Sure, the 16-bit Sonic games may be old, but they're still very playable today. Add to that a very fun Sonic World minigame, and you have a very solid CD. Two things that could've made Jam even better: More of the 3D world and upgraded graphics (a la Mario All-Stars, only for 32-bits)." (8.1 out of 10)
Sonic the Hedgehog Chaos (Game Gear)
#12
"Another installment of Sonic. This one is one of my new favorites. The action is typical Sonic -- very fast and furious. The graphics are unbelievably crisp, allowing you even more control over the action. You can play as either Sonic or Tails, too! The levels are nice and long, so you won't get bored with this game for a while. Also of note are the bosses, who are pretty tough. A worthy addition to your Game Gear library.'" (8.25 out of 10)
Sonic Pocket Adventure (Neo Geo Pocket Color)
#11
"At the very least, Sonic Pocket Adventure proves that SNK's portable is more than capable of "blast processing." And the sharp visuals will make Game Boy Color owners a little jealous, too. This game instantly resurrects Sonic's 2D glory days. The classic look, speed and gameplay will hook you immediately. Sonic Pocket Adventure does suffer odd bouts of slowdowns, but these events are rare. If you got a Neo-Geo Pocket Color for Christmas, buy this game first." (8.25 out of 10)
Sonic Advance 2 (Game Boy Advance)
#10
"Simple fact, folks: Sonic belongs in 2D. That's why I enjoyed the original Sonic Advance, and this sequel is just as good. The level designs are classic Sonic, and you'll have to play them multiple times to explore everything. And while I was skeptical of the new character, Cream the Rabbit, she won me over. The on-the-run boss fights get tiresome, but overall, this is a great continuation of the Sonic series." (8.5 out of 10)
Sonic CD (Sega CD)
#9
"Excellent, excellent, EXCELLENT! This CD has got to be the best version of Sonic to date. All the control is here, the glitches that plagued the second one are gone, and having 10+ levels to traverse make this really incredible! Also, the ability to time travel adds wonders to this game -- as with changing the future! The bonus stages are cool, but a little choppy, plus the bosses are a bit weak, but it's still incredible." (8.5 out of 10)
Sonic the Hedgehog (Game Gear)
#8
"Game Gear cartridges don't come any better! Sonic for the 8-bit is every bit as much fun as its older brother. The levels are challenging and if you thought Sonic moved fast on the Genesis, wait until you see him on the Game Gear. One item of special note: Listen to the Sega intro. The voice is better than most Genesis carts." (8.75 out of 10)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis)
#7
"No Genesis would be complete without Sonic 2. The two-player option is the best thing Sega could have done (after all, even Mario shares the spotlight with Luigi and the gang). Highly intense backgrounds, awesome tunes, and wild levels are everything I have come to expect from a worthy sequel for Sonic!" (8.75 out of 10)
Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis)
#6
"The Genesis has been hit by a sonic boom. He's faster than anything you've ever seen. If you thought the Enterprise was quick, wait till you see Sonic at warp speed. This game is absolutely unbelievable! If you don't buy it, it's because you don't have a Genesis ... yet." (9 out of 10)
Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast)
#5
"This is one of those must-buy launch games. Chris Johnston, the Sonic expert 'round here, says it's incredible ... I can't argue with that. What really blows me away is the imaginative level design -- intense is only one of the words that come to mind. The sheer speed of the thing is most impressive as well. Some folks were saying it's make-ya-sick fast, it's not quite that bad. Last thing, seven characters each with multiple routes makes for replay value galore." (9.1 out of 10)
Sonic & Knuckles (Genesis)
#4
"Although Sonic & Knuckles look like every other Sonic game out there, just sit down and play for a while, and let the differences show themselves. Knuckles' new techniques add a whole new dimension to the Sonic genre. The levels are extremely colorful and detailed, especially for a Genesis game. And best of all, you can plug in Sonic 2 and 3 and play these games all over again. Truly a superb effort by Sega." (9.25 out of 10)
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (Nintendo DS)
#3
"The idea of a Sonic role-playing game from BioWare sounds like one of EGM's elaborate April Fools' jokes. But it's real, it's here ... and it's awesome. Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is a lot like Super Mario RPG. Its light action elements provide fun puzzle-solving and exploration opportunities without cramping the fairly traditional RPG style, and even if you're not a big Sonic fan, you'll derive plenty of enjoyment." (A out of A+)
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Genesis)
#2
"Sonic 3 is simply the perfect Sonic game. It beats out all the previous Sonics with outstanding graphics, more hidden items and new items like the many types of shields. While the music is not as good as the CD version, it's still really well done. The bonus rounds give the average player a fair chance this time, unlike those tunnels of part 2. It seems unlikely that Sega will be able to top this one." (9.5 out of 10)
SegaSonic the Hedgehog (Arcade)
#1
"Yes, yes, YES!!! Every now and then a game comes along that shatters your perception of what a good video game should be ... and this, my friends, is one of those games. There is really not enough good things that we can say about this game. The graphics, let's just say you've gotta see 'em to believe 'em. The game play is absolutely the best (the most fun I've had all year). Do yourself a favor and try this one out! Way to go, Sega!" (10 out of 10)
