Since the mid ’80s, Super Mario Bros. has built up a reputation as Nintendo’s best and most successful franchise, while leaving an eternal mark on the platforming genre. From the original 2D Super Mario Bros. games to later additions taking over the 3D platforming world, the franchise has known no bounds over the years, and has been a huge source of inspiration for many up-and-coming games.
Super Mario games were revolutionary for what could be done in a game, particularly within the confines of a platformer. There may not be any franchises out there that can contend with Super Mario‘s legacy, but there are certainly plenty of examples of the games that took elements of this iconic franchise, and put their own spin on them.
10 Braid (2008)
It is safe to assume that most platformers this side of the Millennium have taken inspiration from the Super Mario Bros. series, but Braid (2008) shows them off proudly. The art style may not be for everyone, but in terms of puzzle-platformers, there are few better than Braid.
There is a great deal of satisfaction that comes from progressing and navigating through Braid‘s brain-tickling puzzles and platforming perils that carries clear similarities to the Super Mario games. Braid was one of the best platformers of the 2000s, but is still often overlooked as one of the best to be clearly inspired by Mario and his adventures.
9 Rayman Legends (2013)
Despite only having five main releases since its inception in 1995, Rayman is still considered one of the most iconic platformer franchises in gaming. While the second and third installments delved into 3D gameplay, the original Rayman was a 2D side-scrolling platformer. This style then returned in Origins (2011) and Legends (2013) but the advancements in technology during that time were immediately made clear. Legends especially is an artistic masterpiece, from the sheer vibrancy on show to the game’s general charm and catchy soundtrack.
While the 3D games sought to follow in the footsteps of Super Mario 64, the other 2D platformers were clearly inspired by Super Mario Bros. Rayman Legends is still the last mainline Rayman game that was released, but the spirit of Rayman has lived on, with the most recent example being Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.
8 Limbo (2010)
Super Mario Bros. reshaped the landscape of the platform genre through the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s, but in the 2010s, Limbo and Celeste took 2D puzzle-platformers in a whole new direction. While Celeste mixed difficulty with incredible storytelling, Limbo brought atmosphere and horror, which naturally in-turn inspired games like Little Nightmares.
While simplistic in nature, Limbo‘s black and white aesthetic became iconic. The silhouettes and shadows emphasized and exaggerated everything within this world, adding stakes and a newfound layer of terror. The puzzle-solving and platforming navigation through levels has hints of LittleBigPlanet and Super Mario Bros. among others, but despite its inspirations and similarities, Limbo will always be remembered as its own entity.
7 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)
By the time the original Sonic the Hedgehog dropped in 1991, the Super Mario Bros. franchise was already six titles deep, and was at the top of platformers. Yet Sonic was seen as being Sega’s answer to Nintendo’s Mario, both in mascot and defining a refreshing new gaming franchise. Sonic the Hedgehog had a strong release in 1991, even outselling Super Mario, and just one year later came its sequel.
While the original game was pivotal to the promotional success of the Sega Genesis, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is looked back on as a superior game to its predecessor. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is seen as one of the best platformers of the ’90s, but ultimately couldn’t have reached such heights without the push from Nintendo’s Super Mario, and the original Sonic announcing the franchise’s arrival.
6 Shovel Knight (2014)
Shovel Knight was released in 2014, but has a retro aesthetic. Everything from its 8-bit graphics to classic arcadey soundtrack would feel out of place in the 2010s and beyond, if the game wasn’t so fun. The premise is simple enough, as players run through as the titular Shovel Knight, defeating enemies and bosses, while traversing various locations with the usual platforming mechanics.
Shovel Knight‘s designer Nick Wozniak has stated that the idea drew from various inspirations, ranging from the sword-thrust move of The Adventure of Link to the general feel and mechanics of games like Castlevania III and Super Mario Bros. 3. Shovel Knight‘s love of all things retro will help it to age well for years to come, and it certainly deserves to be remembered as the indie Super Mario alternative.
5 LittleBigPlanet 2 (2011)
LittleBigPlanet was a huge project that caught the industry by surprise. At first glance, it looked like a failed attempt by PlayStation to leave their mark on the platformer genre, but they ultimately drew more people to the PlayStation 3 and delivered a charming masterpiece in the process. The first game took the industry by storm, and the sequel delivered once again three years later in 2011.
LittleBigPlanet 2 improved on near perfection with another incredibly fun and charming platformer. LittleBigPlanet and its sequel were revolutionary for the platforming franchise, as they took the platforming and puzzle-solving basics of Super Mario Bros. and turned the creativity up to another level. Sackboy returned once again in 2020 with Sackboy: A Big Adventure, but nothing could ever beat LittleBigPlanet 2‘s sheer brilliance.
4 Spelunky 2 (2020)
Every Super Mario Bros. game has those levels that bring stress, intensity and frustration as players have to keep trying over again before they get past them. These difficult parts often come towards the end, but not always. To picture what Spelunky 2 is like, one must simply imagine those tough moments, and amplify them considerably. Spelunky 2 is undeniably one of the greatest platformers of all time, and it came as recently as 2020.
Spelunky 2 is split up into levels, just as Super Mario Bros. games always have been, but the platforming of the game is met with roguelike intensity and difficulty. Spelunky 2‘s story of Eva Spelunky journeying to the moon in order to find her missing parents is compelling, adding stakes and emotional attachment to an already stellar game.
3 Celeste (2018)
Celeste is a name that most gamers will have heard of, but if they haven’t yet played it, they should. Celeste released in 2018 and quickly became known not just for being the best indie game of the year, but for being one of the top platformers of the entire decade. Celeste is a tricky game that will frustrate players, yet win them over with a compelling story.
Celeste shows clear signs of being inspired by games like Super Mario Bros. 3 and TowerFall among others, as players have to grind and adapt in order to succeed in the end. Celeste really is a platforming great that shows how Super Mario‘s influence has nurtured unique and exciting alternatives over the years.
2 Super Meat Boy (2010)
While Celeste has a beautiful story that helps players cope through its difficulty, Super Meat Boy is pure difficulty, frustration and chaos. Super Meat Boy is an exceptional platformer that pushes players to their limits, demanding them to develop perfection, precision, and timing in order to survive.
Super Meat Boy arrived at the start of the 2010s, a particularly good decade for platformers. It is best described as Super Mario Bros. with gore and horror, and there isn’t much higher praise to be had than that. Super Meat Boy is simply one of the best games with clear Super Mario influences that took things in its own direction.
1 Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (2020)
It is more than fair to say that Crash Bandicoot has made its own success since its inception in 1996. However, Naughty Dog’s Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin admitted that Crash Bandicoot came about from a dream of creating a 3D action-platformer that took inspiration from Super Mario, Donkey Kong and Sonic. Since then, Crash Bandicoot has forged its own path. While the ’90s releases were the franchises absolute best, the long-awaited fourth main installment It’s About Time finally arrived in 2020.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time brought all the platforming brilliance of the original trio, but with refined graphics befitting the newest generation of consoles, brand-new gameplay mechanics, new controllable characters and a fun story. It’s About Time cemented Crash Bandicoot‘s legacy within the platformer genre right up there near Super Mario, but ultimately could never have achieved such heights without the inspiration and competitive push of its Nintendo counterpart.
