By Dean Moses
The Super Mario Bros. Movie hit theaters earlier this month and has topped movie charts with the studio stating that the film’s earnings were $204.6 million in its first five days, let alone $146 million during opening weekend. Even the New York International Auto Show featured Toyota’s Nintendo Switch Mario themed Grand Highlander SUV.
In honor of the film’s success, the Spring Creek Sun has highlighted its top three Mario video games (all playable on the Nintendo Switch).
Game: Super Mario™ 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Rating: E for Everyone
Cost: $59.99
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is a combination of a remastered game that first appeared on the Wii U and is an entirely new experience made especially for the Nintendo Switch. This 3D-platformer allows up to four players to enjoy the colorful and rather wacky world of the Mushroom Kingdom at one time. Allowing players to control either Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, or Toad. Our heroes are sent on a fantastic journey through a variety of diverse stages. Each level is padded with plenty to discover, too—like three stars hidden away just begging to be uncovered. The gameplay is less like Super Mario Odyssey and more like Super Mario Galaxy, albeit without as much creative design. We follow our protagonist from an overhead viewpoint as they jump their way to the finish line before moving on to the next adventure. Powerups such as the Tanooki Suit allows the wearer to climb walls and reach otherwise unreachable locations brimming with coins and other collectibles.
Game: Paper Mario the Origami King
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Rating: E for everyone
Cost: $59.99
Reminiscent of classic role-playing games, Paper Mario lets you explore a rather linear but well-detailed Mushroom Kingdom. Mario can interact with the environment by using his hammer to whack trees and other objects, revealing secrets like Toads. These are not amphibians, but instead are mushroom headed people who inhabit the weird and fantastical world. Toads can be found stuck inside cracks in the floor, they can be folded up and are masquerading as dogs, monkeys, or even bugs. They can be hiding in closets, stuck in photo frames, or may be concealed behind signposts. Saving these guys will grant you bonuses and will sometimes award you access to new abilities and power-ups. You can also find coins by repairing the environment. After the havoc left behind by King Olly, holes and cracks can be seen in walls and floors. Filling these holes up with confetti will give you money to spend on weapons and items, but, moreover, they can sometimes provide access to new areas, too.
Game: Super Mario Party
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Rating: E for Everyone
Cost: $59.99
It’s time to party with friends on Super Mario Party! The fan favorite online board game with loads of minigames is back with a handful of intricate levels and characters. The first Super Mario Party game was released to the Nintendo Switch in 2018—and at the time did not have a multiplayer online mode that allows you and your friends to traverse across a virtual board. Now, in this latest release, players select from a motley cast, albeit limited, of characters from the Mushroom Kingdom and then pick a board (There are only five choices: Peach’s Birthday Cake, Horror Land, Space Land, Yoshi’s Tropical Island, and Woody Woods). Like monopoly players roll the dice—virtually of course—and circle a board rife with traps, bonuses, surprises, and more as they journey in search of stars. After all four participants move, they engage in a minigame (there are over a 100+ minigames). Whoever finishes the game with the greatest number of stars wins.
