On top of being gaming's favorite platforming icon, the Super Mario franchise's influence has permeated several other genres through spinoffs. That impressive level of influence is still going strong, with the soccer-themed Mario Strikers: Battle League launching early this summer.
Many of the franchise's spinoffs have become fan favorites in their own right, and Ranker included several in its fan-voted list. It's unsurprising to see the Mario Kart subseries dominate the list, but there's a healthy dose of variety outside of those games as well.
Mario Kart DS
The first of many on Ranker's list, Mario Kart DS was the second-ever handheld Kart title. It was released in 2005 for the titular Nintendo DS system, and it received widespread acclaim for its ingenuity in using this handheld format.
The game followed up on the Game Boy Advance Mario Kart: Super Circuit, with praises focusing on its improved gameplay, visuals, and (mostly) making use of the DS' multiplayer advancements. Critics docked points on its limited Nintendo Wi-Fi support, but its seamless local Wi-Fi and side modes more than complemented its traditional single-player experience.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 was originally released for the Nintendo Wii U in 2014, but the remastered Deluxe version was ported to the Switch in 2017. The latter release has quickly become one of the most easily recommendable Mario games in the franchise and Nintendo's current definitive entry in the spin-off series.
The game was initially very well-received as is on the Wii U, but the Switch version achieved critical acclaim for having the most colorfully vivid graphics, art style, presentation, soundtrack, and the most polished gameplay that the series has yet seen. Surprisingly, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is getting an ongoing booster course DLC pass filled with classic tracks for a great price.
Paper Mario
Now primarily known for the tactical-JRPG series Fire Emblem, Intelligent System's Paper Mario was an even more creative take on the character in the RPG genre. The Nintendo 64 game was released to critical acclaim, as Paper Mario was widely considered a significant evolution over Super Mario RPG genre-wise.
While some felt the game didn't make much mechanical use of its paper-themed presentation -- something that was rectified in the sequel -- the game's visual effects were seen favorably. In terms of gameplay, critics applauded Paper Mario's ease of accessibility while still being fun for established RPG fans.
Super Mario Maker
Super Mario Maker both keeps the platforming genre and gives it a refreshing spin-off twist. The game was just as much of a game creation system as it was an actual platforming game, allowing players to create, play, and download user-created Mario levels.
The game was released for the Wii U in 2015 and the 3DS in 2016, but the former version was the ideal way to play. Super Mario Maker earned a strong critical reception for its refreshing gameplay approach, and it was an excellent way to bring back the 8- and 16-bit aesthetic of the franchise's classic days on the NES and Super Nintendo. A sequel, Super Mario Maker 2, was released for the Switch in 2019 to equal praise.
Luigi's Mansion
Hearing that Nintendo would take the Mario franchise and give it a spin of survival-horror sounds baffling on paper, but it proved to be a fairly enduring spin-off series in the end. Luigi's Mansion finally gave Mario's brother a worthy share of the spotlight in a Disney-style haunted house, combining ingenious gameplay mechanics and charming art direction to fit this new premise.
Given that premise, it's certainly not scary, but a ghostly haunted mansion with Luigi using a suped-up vacuum cleaner to capture them is clever. Luigi's Mansion was a launch title for the GameCube, and it went on to spawn a 3DS remake and two sequels (Dark Moon for 3DS and 3 for Switch).
Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars
While the second Paper Mario game is likely the most popular RPG venture for the platforming plumber, Legend of the Seven Stars on the Super Nintendo was not only strongly received in its own right, but it paved the way for the others. The story revolves around Mario and some original characters joining the cast to stop Smithy, a villain who's stolen the seven pieces of the star from Star Road.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was critically acclaimed at the time, as reviews lauded its colorful sense of humor and 3D presentation. Likewise, it was complimented for taking a fun spin on traditional JRPG turn-based combat. As far as the more casual audiences go, it was certainly one of the best JRPGs of the time.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door reigns supreme when it comes to Mario's RPG adventures in most fan circles, and the sentiment is the same with Ranker's voting community. The first sequel to the Nintendo 64 original, this story follows Mario on a treasure hunt and rescue mission for Princess Peach after she was kidnapped for discovering the treasure with Mario.
The Thousand-Year Door was another acclaimed classic from the GameCube days, with reviews praising its whimsical story, likable characters, and clever paper-based combat gameplay. The turn-based JRPG combat uses a timing mechanic and a reward/punishment system with an audience, which was particularly well-received for being creative and complementary to the game's lighthearted aesthetic.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
The GameCube's Mario Kart: Double Dash!! still holds up today thanks to it being one of the most ambitious games in the spin-off series. Aside from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Double Dash!! is arguably the game to take the most advantage of its respective home console on release.
It was praised for its stunning visual and arcade-like presentation, as well as the high-octane gameplay feature of adding two players to a kart. This injected an even more combative element to gameplay than before, giving more inspiration to single-player modes and being exhilarating when playing co-op with friends.
Mario Kart Wii
Alongside its Nintendo 64 counterpart, Mario Kart Wii is the other kart-racing entry to break into Ranker's overall best Mario games list, and the second spinoff as well.
While the Wii edition of this series played things more safe compared to Double Dash!! when it comes to creative gameplay innovations, it received a strong critical reception nonetheless for making use of the console's capabilities. Particular praise went to the game's accessibility, responsive Wii Wheel controls, and especially the more refined online multiplayer gameplay thanks to the console making better strides in Wi-Fi hardware.
Mario Kart 64
On top of the spin-off rankings is the Nintendo 64 entry from 1996. It's one of the best games in the Mario Kart series, and a big part of that is how it popularized the kart-racing subgenre in a way that proved to be timeless.
64 still has its own brand of retro charm thanks to its visuals and impressively fine-tuned controls. At the time of its release, it was praised for its endearing presentation and novel use of the Mode 7 graphics engine to make it all possible, as well as the addictive and inventive gameplay modes on the side.