Which are the 'mainline' Mario titles?

[k.vlaros]

It's hard to not think of SMW as SMB4.

ahem

Whoa! I hadn't seen that image before. Thank you.

[Breetai]

except that Mario Land is actually called SUPER Mario Land... and Yoshi's Island has SUPER Mario World 2 in the title as well. So...

I think the "land" series has a different enough feel and direction that it isn't really part of the main series (I called it "Super" for lack of a better word).

I definitely do not place Yoshi's Island in the "main" series. It's a side story, or gaiden, in my opinion. That's not to say it isn't on of the best side scrolling games ever (it is among the best!), but the mechanics are different enough that I don't think it should be included in the main series. It is a sub-series set in the past featuring the Yoshi clan and their early interactions with Mario characters. I really do not see how this fits with the main Super Mario series.

Super Mario Land is also a sub-series. The Mario Wiki lists it as a sub-series outside of the main series (http://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Land_(series)). The main series is focused on Mario and his battles against his main adversary; King Koopa. Land takes that away and changes the focus to Wario (SML1 was actually a whole diversion by Wario, so he was involved in that game behind the curtains).

Likewise with Paper Mario. It is a sub-series.

Mario 2 (The Lost Levels) is the second game of the main series. Mario USA (Mario 2 in America) is a gaiden with a misleading name.

Regarding your "it has SUPER MARIO in the title" thing, that just does not work. As has already been said, you would then have to include Super Mario Kart in the main side scrolling series!



Yes, Super Mario World was originally subtitled Super Mario Bros. 4. It is actually SMB4 in my opinion, but subtitles do not always mean anything.

[Flake]

I think I have to disagree with the notion that unless Miyamoto directed it, it does not count. He did not direct or produce either of the New Super Mario Bros titles. No one seems to have a problem including them as 'mainline' though.

I really do not see any justification for excluding Mario Land 1 and 2.

[Breetai]

I really do not see any justification for excluding Mario Land 1 and 2.

How about if I reverse it:

Do you see the claim that they are a sub-series as being incorrect?

[Flake]

I really do not see any justification for excluding Mario Land 1 and 2.

How about if I reverse it:

Do you see the claim that they are a sub-series as being incorrect?

No more so than if someone were to claim that the 3D games were a sub-series. Certainly Mario Land has a hell of a lot more in common with the Mario Bros / World entries than Mario 64 or Sunshine.

[k.vlaros]

I think I have to disagree with the notion that unless Miyamoto directed it, it does not count. He did not direct or produce either of the New Super Mario Bros titles.

I assumed he did, but you are right, he did not! However, it was EAD, the group he (jointly?) heads that did the development.

OK, that settles it for me. The only two mainline Marios are SMB 1 and SMB 2/Japan. [kidding]

[alienjesus]

Im surprised I'm the only one who thinks it's as simple as any 2d or 3d platformer starring mario (or rather super mario). Im sure someone's going to be a pain and point out some edutainment title or something, but as far as I know, that means its:

Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 2: The lost levels
Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA)
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land 2
Super Mario World
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Sunshine
New Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Galaxy
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Super Mario Galaxy 2.

I wouldnt count Yoshi's Island or Wario Land. Perhaps at the time they were simple spin offs, but nowadays it just makes more sense to include them as part of the yoshi and wario series, as both have gone on to become stars in their own right.

I'd be reluctant to include Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong because I think that the mario series is a spin off from them - in the same way as the aforementioned yoshi and wario games are spin offs of mario.

[jmbarnes101]

Im surprised I'm the only one who thinks it's as simple as any 2d or 3d platformer starring mario (or rather super mario). Im sure someone's going to be a pain and point out some edutainment title or something, but as far as I know, that means its:

Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 2: The lost levels
Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA)
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land 2
Super Mario World
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Sunshine
New Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Galaxy
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Super Mario Galaxy 2.

I guess I'll be the pain and point out Mario's Time Machine? It's him vs Bowser in a battle over priceless museum artifacts. I did stop short of including Hotel Mario.

Also, why does everybody neglect poor Luigi?
His series would look something like this, based on the original list...
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario World
Mario is Missing
Luigi's Mansion

Nobody thinks the Mario & Luigi series should be included? Yes, its more like Paper Mario and Mario RPG but where do these 3 series belong? They're as different as Mario 64 is to Super Mario World. I'd include them all as Mario 2 1/2D. Great games all.

[alienjesus]

I guess I'll be the pain and point out Mario's Time Machine? It's him vs Bowser in a battle over priceless museum artifacts. I did stop short of including Hotel Mario.

Fine - in my opinion the mainline Mario series are Super Mario non-edutainment platformers where Mario is the (or a, in the case of mario bros 2 U.S.) main playable character developed or published by Nintendo.

Hopefully that covers it...

And these are the seperate mario series I think exist outside of the 'main' series

Wario Land series
Yoshi series
Mario Kart
Mario Sports
Paper Mario
Mario & Luigi
Mario Party
Mario vs Donkey Kong (which I mainly consider part of the Donkey Kong series)
Dr. Mario

There are other spin offs that don't fit in these categories, but I wouldnt really think of them as seperate series in their own right - e.g luigis mansion, super princess peach, edutainment games, mario pinball, possibly Mario RPG. Perhaps if more games came out for those series they'd develop into full series imo too.

[ZeroAX]

Im surprised I'm the only one who thinks it's as simple as any 2d or 3d platformer starring mario (or rather super mario). Im sure someone's going to be a pain and point out some edutainment title or something, but as far as I know, that means its:

Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 2: The lost levels
Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA)
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land 2
Super Mario World
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Sunshine
New Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Galaxy
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Super Mario Galaxy 2.

I wouldnt count Yoshi's Island or Wario Land. Perhaps at the time they were simple spin offs, but nowadays it just makes more sense to include them as part of the yoshi and wario series, as both have gone on to become stars in their own right.

I totally agree with your definition and your list.