The Super Mario franchise has been an absolute powerhouse in the video gaming world. Gamers and non-gamers alike recognize the iconic characters, the world, and have a grasp of the story. It’s become a series that’s so popular it’s unlikely to lose any momentum any time soon.

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With dozens of games and multiple spin-offs, it’s easy to forget Super Mario’s humble origins as a very simple game with a basic premise. Here’s a look back at the first games in this historic franchise.

Updated February 18th, 2021 by Ben Baker: After some review, it turned out that this list forgot to mention several pivotal titles where Mario was a central character before Super Mario Bros. The focus of the first Mario games should be directed at titles that featured him as the main character instead of a side character. To better appreciate the history of this cultural icon this list has been updated and modified.

14 Mario Bros (Game & Watch)

The first game to ever feature Mario as the primary protagonist is Mario Bros a Game & Watch title released in 1983. It’s a co-op game where players can control Mario and Luigi. They’re two brothers working in a bottling plant moving various packages back and forth across conveyor belts before putting it on the truck for delivery.

The only controls are up and down buttons as players grab packages off the conveyor belts. Bowser also makes an appearance to reverse the conveyor belts and cause mischief. While the title never gained mainstream appeal it was the first to make Mario a primary character.

13 Mario’s Cement Factory

Mario’s Cement Factory was released in 1983 and introduced some platforming mechanics to gameplay. Mario is in charge of funneling cement from a factory into cement trucks. Mario cannot jump and must use two elevators to navigate the environment. Failing to empty the cement into the trucks or falling resulted in a game over.

At the time it was considered a simple, but fun game. By today’s standards it’s considered very primitive which may explain the lack of awareness regarding this title. In the end it was the first to introduce the idea of mobile platforms for Mario to navigate with.

12 Mario Bros.

Considering a mini game today, Mario Bros was released as an arcade game in 1983. It was also the first to feature Mario as a plumber. Mario and Luigi are in the sewers of New York and must deal with various creatures lurking in the pipes.

This game introduced a number of iconic mechanics and enemies. Mario could jump, but had to knock creatures onto their back first by bumping them from below. The POW bar also makes an appearance. This game is credited as the title to really establish the look and feel of the Mario world.

11 Mario’s Bombs Away

Released in 1983 for the Game & Watch, Mario’s Bombs Away was an interesting change of pace from previous Mario titles. The gameplay mechanics are relatively the same, but this time Mario is tasked with delivering bombs from left to right. The key was to avoid burning oil spills and enemy torches that would ignite the bombs.

Mario also dons military camouflage. There was little about this game that shared similarities to other titles or the later Mario universe. There were rumors the game was commissioned as a military recruitment tool by the government of Japan, but this has never been confirmed or proven.

10 Wrecking Crew

The final title before Mario appeared in the more popular Super Mario Bros. is the game Wrecking Crew. Released in 1985 for the NES it featured both Mario and Luigi as they tried to destroy various objects on a level.

Players had to smash structures and ladders with a hammer while avoiding the construction foreman Spike. In this game Mario cannot jump but it does feature bombs that would play a greater role in subsequent games. It’s also the first title to offer a level editor allowing players to create their own maps.

9 Super Mario Bros.

This was the title that started it all for mainstream gamers and is perhaps the most iconic in the series despite having released in 1985. Super Mario Bros. was a simple platformer that charged players to take control of Mario and proceed to the right side of the screen.

Gamers continue to play the original to this day and there have been countless remakes. This was the game that introduced the characters, concepts, and world that’s still being used in more modern games. It’s even sparked discussion to this day about whether Mario was meant to be a genuine hero, a cleverly disguised villain, or something in between.

8 Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

This title was originally meant to serve as a sequel to the first, but, the game was considered too difficult for North American audiences and only released in Japan. Over the years the game has found its way into gamer’s hands and definitely lived up to the notoriety.

The game featured poison mushrooms, a hidden world only accessible by Warp Zone, invisible blocks, and other features that made the game much harder than its predecessor. It was also the game that introduced the idea that Luigi was lighter on his feet and could jump higher.

7 Super Mario Bros. 2

This title was the sequel North American audiences received and was eventually retconned as the official sequel globally. Super Mario Bros. 2 made significant changes from the previous games by creating vertical levels, wrapping levels, and forcing the player to throw items at enemies to defeat them.

Its most unique accomplishment was establishing the character of the world through the main protagonists, Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad. Each iconic character had unique abilities to appeal to different playstyles. It built upon what made Super Mario successful and remains a fan favorite for many.

6 Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario Bros. 3 felt like a game that took the previous games and spliced them together. It had a more traditional side-scrolling feel of the first game while retaining the free exploration of the worlds from the second.

Most players will remember this game for the new power-ups such as the Super Leaf, Tanooki Suit, Frog Suit, and the Hammer Suit. It also introduced Bowser’s adopted kids the Koopalings who would go on to be recurring villains in the series.

5 Super Mario Land

Super Mario Land was the launch title released for the Gameboy. This game deviated from the others by placing the action in a new region called Sarasaland. It also traded out Princess Peach for Princess Daisy and Bowser was swapped for the spaceman Tatanga.

The game also introduced a new game mechanic, allowing players to control submarines and airplane’s to fight bullet-hell style. It also introduced a type of New Game + feature where a subsequent playthrough of the game saw the world become more challenging.

4 Super Mario World

Super Mario World is beloved by many fans for its introduction of the character Yoshi. In this game, Mario could ride Yoshi who allowed him to jump higher, swallow enemies, and could be sacrificed to reach further distances.

Yoshi introduced some interesting gameplay mechanics in that he could harness the abilities of whoever he was holding in his mouth for a short period of time. The game also featured a Secret World that, once completed, would permanently affect the look of the regular world and its enemies.

3 Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins was another Gameboy title responsible for introducing the character Wario. Wario is considered to be Mario’s foil and would become a mainstay in the franchise.

An interesting departure with this game is that the collection of coins didn’t lead to automatic lives, but instead were used as currency in mini-games. Successfully winning mini-games granted the player certain rewards like power-ups or extra lives.

2 Super Mario All-Stars

Super Mario All-Stars is a unique title on the list in that it was a remake of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 2, and Super Mario Bros. 3. Apart from the graphics, music, and the removal of certain glitches the game didn’t change anything from the originals.

Still, the compilation of SNES titles would make it one of the best-selling in the series and made the game’s more accessible to newcomers. It may not have been innovative, but it was considered a must-have collection for fans who missed the chance to play one of the earlier titles.

1 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

The next title to be released in the Super Mario franchise was Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. This game also departed from the normal gameplay by making Yoshi the main character with Mario as a passive baby the player needs to protect.

There were multiple gameplay changes as Yoshi could flutter-jump, launch eggs at enemies, multiple collectibles, and the ability to transform into objects with unique powers. It also introduced Kamek a Magikoopa as a recurring villain in the Super Mario series.

NEXT: Super Mario: 10 Ways The Games Have Changed Over The Years