When someone thinks of Super Mario, the RPG genre is far from the first thing that pops into the mind. How could Mario possibly work as a role-playing game? Surely this concept would flop harder than an attempt to reboot Devil May Cry. Not only did a Mario RPG work back in the 90s, but is still a thing to this day!
For over twenty years, Mario RPGs have been the surprise gem for Nintendo fans. They balance the cartoonish world of Mario with the thoughtful and well-made JRPG gameplay. What are the best, though? What Mario RPGs stand out more than others?
13 Paper Mario: Sticker Star – 75
This is when the Paper Mario series made the jump onto the Nintendo 3DS to a more mixed reception. It contained many familiar elements (including the stellar writing) that made everybody love the series but it also made the mistake of being too incohesive.
It is not a bad game by any means, but many agree that it was a step backward. Rather than the usual experience gaining system, the player is forced to collect stickers in order to get more powerful. Even the biggest fans of the company are quick to point out that Nintendo’s obsession with stickers is a bit taxing for completionists.
12 Paper Mario: Color Splash – 76
With some of the best visuals in the series, Color Splash takes a reverse Pleasantville approach to the story. All the color of the Paper Mario world is being drained and it’s up to Mario to save the day. As per usual, the writing is top-notch with clever and inventive visuals to keep things fresh.
Paper Mario: Color Splash is a step up from Sticker Star and is overall a great experience. Unfortunately, the combat system was criticized for its drastic change from other games; it was too slow and less fun.
11 Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam – 76
With the Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario series having so many entries, it was a pleasant surprise when a crossover was revealed. With the beautiful art styles merged together along with a unique combat system, it wasn’t hard to hook fans onto this game.
It wasn’t perfect, though. Since it was merging two franchises together, the game holds the player’s hand a little too much. Overall, it was not the best of either series but it was a great crossover event.
10 Paper Mario: Origami King – 79
It had been a few years since the last Paper Mario game, but Nintendo finally brought the series to the Switch in 2020. This time, the visual gimmick is Origami and this leads to the best looking game in the series. Of course, witty writing is back with some hilarious comedy.
Origami King a game that shows that Nintendo is not afraid to experiment with new ideas. However, the new ring-based combat system did leave a slightly sour taste in some players’ mouths while others loved it. It was received positively for the most part and left fans hoping for a new Mario & Luigi game to hit the Switch as well.
9 Mario & Luigi: Dream Team – 81
Inception meets Mario. That is the best way to describe Dream Team except without the mind-bending twists. The game was released during The Year Of Luigi and focused heavily on the underrated younger brother. Players control both brothers as they fight off evil inside Luigi’s dreams and in the real world.
As per usual, the game features some of the best expressions and animations for the plumbers, giving them plenty of character. The writing and humor are on point with a fun RPG battle system.
8 Super Paper Mario – 85
The third Paper Mario game leaped its way onto the Nintendo Wii. As the title of the game may suggest, Super Paper Mario merges the RPG gameplay fans know with the platforming of classic Super Mario games. One would think this might result in a divisive experience but it did rather well.
It was the sixth highest-rated Wii game of 2007 and was praised for its unique style. It also received praise for its writing for being the best in the spin-off series thus far.
7 Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle – 85
Out of nowhere, Nintendo and UbiSoft collaborated to create a crossover between the Mario series… and the Rabbids? Of course, this concept immediately sparked concern among gamers as it seemed random and out of place. Could it even possibly work? Well, yes!
To the shock of everybody, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle proved to be an extremely fun spin-off that merged lite-RPG elements with a tactical strategy game akin to XCOM games. It was unique and showed off beautiful visuals for the Nintendo Switch. Perhaps Nintendo should partner with more companies like this.
6 Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time – 86
Time travel that results in a prequel/sequel… because why not? Again, showing Nintendo’s love for experimenting, Partners In Time has players control both adult and baby versions of Mario via the Nintendo DS. Just to make things even crazier, the Plumbers are fending off evil aliens known as Shroobs.
All of this could have led to a disastrous launch that bit off more than it could chew, but Partners In Time proved to be a great RPG. In this game, the Baby Brothers are not annoying like in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island.
5 Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars – 87
Before the handheld games came along, the first Mario RPG was developed by SquareSoft: the people behind the Final Fantasy series. Alongside the likes of EarthBound, Final Fantasy VI, and Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG is often labeled as one of the best RPGs ever made.
It was a bold move to take a platformer Mario and attempt to give it story & turn-based combat. SquareSoft (now Square Enix) proved that they were up for the challenge.
4 Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – 87
When it comes to the immediate sequel of a hit game, it is either a giant upgrade or a massive letdown. In the case of the second Paper Mario game, it proved to be an equal in quality follow up. Even those that consider it worse than the original can’t call it bad.
The only common complaint it received at launch was the overly long text boxes. Other than that, it was a great new RPG that added more lore, characters, and a new setting to the series. Another gem for the library of GameCube owners around the world.
3 Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga – 90
While the GameCube had a Paper Mario sequel, Game Boy Advance owners were gifted with the beginning of another RPG spin-off series. With clever writing, the most character defined Mario Bros., beautiful visuals, and a deeper combat system, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga was an instant hit. With new villains, new worlds, and some of the funniest writing Nintendo has ever come up with, it’s easy to see why this little spin-off became its own franchise. It even got a remake later on the 3DS.
2 Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story – 90
It seemed that Nintendo had a difficult title reaching the same heights as the original. That changed with Bowser’s Inside Story which is often considered the perfect sequel that is arguably better in some aspects. Similar to Partners In Time, players control two parties at once.
Mario and Luigi venture inside Bowser’s body with two buttons while the other buttons control Bowser himself. The writing was some of the best, the gameplay was fun, and it did everything just right for a sequel. A unique RPG that some argue is even better than the original.
1 Paper Mario – 93
Super Mario 64 nearly became the second-highest rated Mario game on the Nintendo 64. It rightfully deserves that top spot but it had a stiff competitor in the form of a little experimental title known as Paper Mario. That’s right, the very first Paper Mario game was just one point away from beating Super Mario 64.
Sometimes, you just can’t beat the original. The RPG mechanics and writing are sublime; it features everything that all other Paper Mario games attempt to recreate and come very close to doing. However, for many, the original is still the best of the series.
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