Summary
Few video game characters are quite as recognizable as Mario. Since making his debut back in the early eighties, the Italian plumber has gone on to appear in hundreds of video games, as well as a variety of other mediums, including comic books, cartoon series, and a couple of big-budget movies. He has countless spin-off games under his belt as well, helping to ensure the series' place asthe best-selling video game franchise of all time.
Given the overwhelming popularity of Nintendo’s mustache-sporting mascot, it should come as no surprise to learn that there are plenty ofMariogames for Switch. There are 16 of them in total, and that’s not including spin-offs based around otherMariocharacters such asYoshi’s Crafted World,Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, andLuigi’s Mansion 3. They all offer something a little different, but the very bestMariogames for Switch find ways to set themselves apart from the crowd.
Updated June 27, 2025, by Tom Bowen:Every Mario game for the Switch offers something a little different. Most tend to draw their success through their pixel-perfect platforming mechanics, but thanks to the plumber’s various spin-off adventures and the wide range of genres in which he’s now featured, there’s a Switch Mario game for just about everybody. Some are of course better than others, though, making things a bit more complicated for those hoping to find the best Mario game on the Switch.
This list will not include classicMariotitles that are available through Nintendo Switch Online, nor will it coverSuper Mario Bros. 35, which is no longer playable.
20Mario Strikers: Battle League
Metacritic Rating: 73
Like several of theother sports-themedMariogamesthat are available on the Switch,Mario Strikers: Battle Leaguesuffers from a rather severe lack of content. At launch, there were just ten playable characters to choose from, though more were added further down the line. The single-player experience on offer is also an incredibly brief one, with very little incentive for players to replay it after completing it for the first time.
19Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Metacritic Rating: 69
Like the actual event itself, which ended up being delayed by a year due to the Coronavirus pandemic,Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020didn’t quite live up to some of the great installments of yesteryear. To be clear, it can still be a lot of fun when played with friends and loved ones, but the single-player experience lacks depth despite some of the slight improvements found in the game’s Story Mode.
18Mario Golf: Super Rush
Metacritic Rating: 70
Credit where credit is due,the Golf Adventure story mode inMario Golf: Super Rushis actually pretty good and the decision to release free post-launch DLC for the game gave players a compelling reason to dive back in. However, the online experience offered here is pretty atrocious for a game that was released in 2021, with players having to jump through far too many hoops just to play online with their friends.
17Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Metacritic Rating: 76
Mario vs. Donkey Kongis a remake of aclassic Game Boy Advance gamethat combines puzzles and platforming to great effect. Although some will perhaps feel as though the price is a little on the steep side, there’s more than enough content on offer here to justify the game’s price tag, particularly for completionists who enjoy uncovering all of the secrets that a stage has to offer. The game supports co-op too, making it a great option for those looking to work out their brains while also spending time with a friend or loved one.
16Super Mario Party
Nintendo has always been a little behind the curve when it comes to network functionality, and this is once again evident inSuper Mario Party. In addition to its substandard online multiplayer offerings, the game also suffers from a severe lack of content, with only a handful of party boards, several of which are disappointingly small. Some of the mini-games are pretty decent but only one or two deserve a place ona list of the series' best.
15Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
Metacritic Rating: 75
On paper,Mario Kart Live: Home Circuitsounded like an excellent idea, but the execution left a lot to be desired. Sure,putting together elaborate and creative coursescan be a lot of fun, but actually racing through them often feels hollow when compared to playing a realMario Kartgame due to the technical limitations of the hardware. It can be enjoyable in short bursts but loses its magic a little too quickly to really justify the high cost of admission.
14Mario Tennis Aces
Like many of its predecessors,Mario Tennis Acesis a perfectly serviceable tennis game. In fact, when it comes to content, it’s one of the better examples, serving up a wide variety of mini-games and a decent selection of fan-favoriteMariocharacters for players to hit the court with. Granted, the gameplay is fairly basic and the online support is pretty bad, but those looking fora decent tennis game to play with friendscould definitely do a lot worse.
13Super Mario 3D All-Stars
Metacritic Rating: 82
When Nintendo announced that it would be porting three of the best 3DMariogames of all time to the Nintendo Switch, excitement levels were pretty high. Sadly, the actual release ofSuper Mario 3D All-Starswasn’t quite as well celebrated, with many disappointed by the way that some of the games ran and bemused by the time-limited nature of the game’s physical release.The games themselves are understandably pretty dated by modern standards, but can still be enjoyable for those able to cope with the many camera and control issues.
12Paper Mario: The Origami King
Metacritic Rating: 80
ThePaper Marioseries has been around since the turn of the century and has seen installments onevery Nintendo home consolesince the N64.Paper Mario: The Origami Kingis nowhere near as good as the series' first few releases, but can still be a lot of fun thanks to its crisp visuals, tight controls, and well-thought-out levels. As far as single-player experiences go, it’s one of the bestMariogames for Switch and a must-play forPaper Mariofans.
11Mario Party Superstars
Released just a few years on fromSuper Mario Party,Mario Party Superstarsaddresses a lot of its predecessor’s biggest issues. Rather than trying to rework the series' formula, the game instead celebrates the ones that came before it, bringing back five classic boards and many of the most fondly rememberedMario Partymini-games of all time. As a result, it’s arguablythe bestMario Partygame ever madeand one of the bestMarioSwitch games to play with friends or loved ones.
