A 2007 Title Has Been Named the Greatest 'Super Mario' Game of All Time

A panel of experts have put their heads together and come up with a roster of the best Super Mario games ever released, and the list certainly brings back memories for those who have played the game for years.

Mario made his debut back in 1981, and he's still one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in video games. But, his journey actually started even before the '80s. "It all started a century earlier in 1889, when Fusajiro Yamauchi founded a small company named Nintendo Koppai to manufacture hanafuda," History.com notes in a feature about how Mario helped Nintendo rule the video gaming world.

As for Super Mario himself, according to IGN, "Nintendo's flagship character was created by Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto, who joined the company at the age of 24 after graduating from college in Japan." Oh, and while Mario gets all the fun, don't forget that he also has a brother in the games, Luigi.

Now, the game to top this tally of the best "Super Mario" games of all time is 2007's Super Mario Galaxy.

Why Super Mario Galaxy Was Named the Best Super Mario Game Ever Released

This tally of the best Super Mario games was put together by the gaming experts at Nintendo Everything. In the piece, they used their research to count down 10 of the best games in the series and note that Super Mario Galaxy marked a unique time in the franchise. "Super Mario Galaxy is something truly special, and Nintendo knows it," the publication notes in the feature. "Its atmosphere and soundtrack are absolutely unmatched not just within the Mario series, but within the greater gaming sphere in general."

So, this game really encompasses the gaming world in the mid-2000s, with its big, colorful graphics and grand songs. " The game also had a storyline that pushed it on top, with Nintendo Everything noting that the game had "light story elements with Rosalina's backstory as well as the fantastic ending, and while these story elements are light in an objective sense, they're more than any other 3D Mario game has ever had."

As for No. 2 on the tally, that honor goes to 1990's Super Mario World. That game arrived in Japan on Nov. 21, 1990, for the Super Famicom and then got its North America debut on Aug. 23, 1991. Considering that it's such a classic, it's a bit surprising to not see it No. 1 on the roster. Rounding out the top three is 2010's Super Mario Galaxy 2.

So, if you're in the mood for a dose of nostalgia, these titles offer that bit of gaming history with the excitement of playing a classic video game. The video game business has evolved a lot since the 1980s, but Mario is still a beloved character, and that's not changing, even going into the latter part of the 2020s.