Must-Have Mario Platformer Switch Games

The 8-year-old Nintendo Switch lies on it's deathbed surrounded by loved ones, and younger-sexier PC handhelds, so as an aspiring Switch collector - 

*throws money into trash can* Am I doing it right?

- celebrating its death, I'm deciding which mascot Mario platformers are actually worth collecting... according to me... doctors say my hubris might not be treatable. And I mean if you actually like the Switch... and physical games... and Mario... and platformers... and the idea of never being able to retire.

It starts with Super Mario Odyssey, an exclusive launch-year title synonymous to the console that's fun and unique for a broad audience, and is pretty common. It's rarely anyone's favorite, but it's always easy to recommend, 10/10.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a later-life 2D Mario that blends nostalgic gameplay, fun new twists, and Mario absolutely tripping, 9.5/10. 

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury is a great port salvaged from the sunken Wii U ship, but with a great new inclusion Bowser's Fury, 9/10.

I consider those three the must-haves for the physical Switch game-owning Mario fan. But what about the dabbling collector, the dating Switch games non-committally person? 

Super Mario Maker 2 can't quite replicate original's one good use of the Wii U game pad (just ahead of frisbee and doorstop) and its best potential is internet dependent, but it's basically infinite 2D Mario for cheap, 8.5/10. 

On the flipside, if you have enough time to play games but not so much to make them yourself, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a solid Wii U port in the traditional 2D New Super Mario lineup that includes Luigi Bros. as well. Wonder scratches a pretty similar itch to me, so if I had to pick between them I'd say Mario Maker 2, but still 8/10.

But what about the hopeless physical Switch romantic? The collector truly dedicated... to setting money on fire? 

I put myself in this bucket and I've thought about Mario vs. Donkey Kong 10x longer than I will ever spend playing it. It's platformey-enough to be here, and I'm not super concerned about categorization anyway, that's not the issue. It's a remake of a 2004 Game Boy Advance game of an already... older feeling gameplay style, but it offers new casual and co-op modes plus some new content, 7/10, but I reserve the right to have no spine. I don't own it yet, but it's on my wishlist.

That's where I draw my personal little worth-having collection line. But what about the desperately in love, repeatedly doodling "Mr. and Mrs. Nintendo Switch" in a notebook caliber collecting?

Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a collection of Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario 64. The packaging and presentation is barebones and the emulation choices are weird, which is more forgivable at MSRP than near-triple-digits today. Still, it gets too much angst and I'm a sucker for compilations so I'm putting it squarely in the "do if you want, don't if you don't" bucket, 6/10.

There you have it, the must-own Mario platformers... and also some other stuff.

*shows same trash can with like 3 games in it* Look, it worked!

And some other day I'll do some more other stuff like Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, etc.

You know personally, a lot of my favorite games are great first-party experiences that are really built to a console's strengths, and Odyssey actually moved the needle on my wife and I getting our first ever current console back in 2017. And several of the other games listed here play to the console's strengths of not being the Wii U, so that's neat. My point is, most of the stuff on this list is among the Switch stuff I consider most important, so thanks for sitting through my diatribe, and I'll see you next time!