Top 10 portable games that feature Super Mario
It's a him!
New Super Mario Bros. 2 is just around the corner, and we're getting all giddy for the plumber's turtle-stomping, coin-collecting, Bowser-bopping return.
Mario is no stranger to the world of portable games, of course. He's had the lead role in numerous games, and he's made an appearance in many more.
To celebrate his latest game, we've picked out ten top titles that feature the world's most famous plumber.
Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo 3DS)
Super Mario 64 DS was fine and all, but it wasn't until Super Mario 3D Land that Nintendo finally nailed a 3D Mario game on handheld. Built specifically with the 3D capabilities of the device in mind, it's an ingenious title that keeps you playing long after the “credits” roll.
It makes this list because of its exclusivity: only Club Nintendo members that trade in enough Stars (earned by buying other Nintendo products) have a chance of adding this to their collection. There's not a great deal of content on the cartridge, but the gold packaging it comes in makes it extra special.
New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo DS)
Probably the best Mario platformer in years, the brilliance of this effort is its knack of blending the old with the new. Super fresh ideas and sharp visuals mingle with old skool references and classic 2D Mario action – let's just forget about those throwaway multiplayer modes.
Mario Kart DS (Nintendo DS)
Eight player local and four player online multiplayer makes this a must-own release. The slew of new tracks are superb (with Tick-Tock Clock being the highlight), and the reimagined classic courses work beautifully. It's still worth returning to, even after the excellent Mario Kart 7.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (Game Boy Color)
No one thought that the original Super Mario Bros. could be done on Game Boy, but Nintendo proved them wrong with this updated port on the Game Boy Color. Gameplay was thankfully left unchanged, but in came extra challenges, hidden Easter eggs and bonus content.
Super Mario Land (Game Boy)
Of course the original Super Mario Bros. didn't have to come out for the Game Boy, because it already had Super Mario Land: a stupendously inventive little number. Mario's first proper platforming adventure on portables has bizarre visuals, charming music, even vehicle sections, and consequently deserves its place on this list.
Alleyway (Game Boy)
Okay, it's just Breakout, but it's a damn good version of Breakout. Curiously, the paddle used to bat balls up the screen is piloted by none other than our man in red. We'll give it extra points for all of the bonus sections that featured Mario sprites made out of destructible blocks too.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (Nintendo DS)
What's better than a game featuring Mario? A game featuring two Marios (and two Luigis for that matter). With Partners in Time you come to it for the RPG-lite adventuring, you stay for the often hilarious script and goofy gags at the brother in green's expense.
Mario Golf: Advance Tour (Game Boy Advance)
A golfing game with RPG elements for the Game Boy Advance sounds yawn inducing, but give Advance Tour just an hour of your time and you'll be hooked. Cheery graphics and over-the-top shot effects mask a complex title that will - given half a chance – drain set after set of AA batteries.
Donkey Kong (e-Reader)
Purity, thy name is Donkey Kong. If you want to understand the roots of the platforming genre you need look no further than Mario's first outing. It's undeniably tough, but once you crack its systems of play and punishing mechanics, it can be a rewarding experience.
There are loads of versions out there, but we'll go for the e-Reader one - because we're all alternative like that.
