As the Super Mario Galaxy Movie storms the box office, Nintendo’s iconic plumber continues to dominate pop culture after 45 years. While hits like Super Mario Bros Wonder and Mario Kart World are celebrated, some lesser-known titles have faded into obscurity. Who remembers Hotel Mario on the Philips CD-i or the educational Mario Teaches Typing? Yet hidden among these are genuine treasures worth revisiting.
First up is Wrecking Crew, an early NES puzzle game where Mario and Luigi demolish buildings, avoiding enemies and unlocking bonuses. It includes a map editor for custom levels and is available on Nintendo Classics. Then there is Super Mario Bros Special, a Japanese PC-8800 remake with different levels, odd visuals, and floaty physics, making it feel like a hallucinogenic Mario experience.
Dr Mario 64 updates the classic tile-sorting formula with a story mode and chaotic four-player action, now revived on Nintendo Classics. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for Game Boy Advance is an overlooked RPG with a clever dual-control system, allowing simultaneous play as Mario and Luigi through imaginative landscapes.
Mario Hoops 3-on-3 for Nintendo DS is a basketball game by Square Enix, mixing Mario mechanics like question blocks and blue shells into a tiny sports sim. Mario vs Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem on DSiWare uses the stylus to guide wind-up toys, essentially Mario meets Lemmings. Unfortunately, it is no longer available due to store closures.
Finally, Super Mario 3D World for Wii U packed co-op gameplay and inventive levels, later recognised on Switch with an added Bowser’s Fury mode. These seven titles demonstrate that even Mario’s lesser-known adventures have much to offer.
