Standing at over 200 games, multiple movies, and more merch than you can shake a Koopa at — the Mario franchise has become a staple in the worldwide society, even including non-gamers. Even though most Mario titles like Super Mario Bros. Wonder star the plump plumber, there are actually quite a few Mario games in the series where Mario isn’t the protagonist.
Mario Games Where Mario isn’t the main character
#10 – Mario is Missing! (MS-DOS)
A Nintendo game on the computer? Why, yes, it sure is! There just can’t be a list of Mario games not starring Mario, without including Mario is Missing! While there are certainly better games to pick from, there’s only one where Luigi is forced to learn real-world history while battling King Koopa’s forces. Is it a good game? Certainly not. Is it worth playing? Maybe? If nothing else, play it for the novelty of being the first Mario game to be released on PC. Just remember, Caveat Emptor and all that jazz.
#9 – Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch)
Don’t click away! Yes, Mario is shown wearing that cute construction hat, and yes, he is selectable during the action mode. However, the true stars of Super Mario Maker 2 are the course creators. Mario didn’t create musical levels where the player can walk two steps, put the controller down, and enjoy a symphony of obscene noises as they careen across a perfectly engineered stage. It was those awesome individuals out there who always dreamed of creating their own digital torture devices that Nintendo was more than happy to give them.
#8 – Yoshi’s Cookie (NES)
Yoshi’s Cookie is a puzzle game that features Mario but is largely focused on Yoshi. Especially in the NES version, Mario is toiling away in the kitchen, but the recipient of said cookies is presumably Yoshi. So who really is the protagonist here? Outside of this inferred plot, the game is a matching puzzler where players line up cookies to create rows and clear them. It’s a good amount of fun, especially in versus, and if there weren’t so many great titles to pick from, would have jumped a good bit higher than number eight.
#7 – Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U)
Super Mario 3D World was fun on its own but the inclusion of the Captain Toad levels took it to a whole other level. It was only a matter of time until Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker took the titular explorer on his own adventure. Treasure Tracker is a fun ride through heavy puzzle games with no Mario in sight. If only Nintendo would discount it more than a measly ten percent, more players would get to experience the sheer joy of solving those cute cube dioramas.
#6 – Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (GB)
Even though his name is literally in the title, Super Mario Land 3 doesn’t star Mario. Instead of the red plumber, Nintendo presents the yellow slum-er in a surprisingly fun departure from the series. Wario’s signature greed, which continues all the way through WarioWare: Move It!, is fully present here. Wario’s key motivation isn’t to save a princess, but instead to earn enough moolah to get a castle that’s bigger than Mario’s. So he sets out and robs literally everyone to get it. There aren’t many games out there, let alone Mario games, that encourage players to be greedy enough to purchase their own planet by the end, but Wario Land makes it happen.
#5 – Super Princess Peach (DS)
That’s right. Someone remembers this game exists. Super Princess Peach was the first (technically second if Princess Toadstool’s Castle Run counts), starring the Mushroom Kingdom’s first lady. Unlike other main series Mario Games, Peach returns to her castle after a light stroll to find a note from Bowser explaining that he’s captured Mario and Luigi. This sets Peach off and she goes on a Kill Bill-style revenge mission to save the brothers and thwart the lizard king’s nefarious plans. Okay. Maybe less Kill Bill and more Carebears, but still a really awesome game! Princess Peach’s adventure made this list due to its more laid-back gameplay, shift in narrative focus, and the fact that it took almost two decades years for her to get a follow-up game in Princess Peach: Showtime! She deserves so much more.
#4 – Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island (SNES)
Super Mario World was a tall order to follow. It blew everyone’s minds back in the ’90s, leaving fans to wonder where the sequel would take the brotherly duo. In 1995, Nintendo released Super Mario World 2 starring Yoshi instead, and it was so much better for it. Set in a timeline where Mario and Luigi are wee babes only capable of crying so loudly that Kamek is forced to kidnap them to shut them up, a group of Yoshis take on the starring role and do a masterful job of babysitting while platforming. Yoshi’s Island remains a refreshing departure for the series with its more laid-back approach, targeting-based gameplay, and visual style. The release of Yoshi’s Crafted World and other great Yoshi titles continues this tradition with fans still loving every minute of them. Especially since there’s no longer a crying baby to lasso.
#3 – Luigi’s Mansion (GCN)
For years, Luigi stood quietly in the shadow of his older brother, even enduring the hell of an educational game just to bring him back so the franchise could continue. Such was his fate until Nintendo finally gave him his own game alongside a poltergeist-infested mansion to boot. Surprisingly, this still counts as part of the Mario Game Franchise, and yet another title that doesn’t star Mario Mario. While Luigi’s Mansion 3 has a Pixar-esque charm, it fails to hit the high notes of the GameCube original. With unique mechanics and enemy design, Luigi’s Mansion is a great game to play for those wanting a change.
#2 – Mario Kart (Franchise)
3,2,1, it’s Mario Kart! While there are plenty of platformers not starring Mario, ignoring the spin-off games with the mustachioed one’s moniker is a mistake. From 1992’s Super Mario Kart, all the way to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, an ensemble cast has taken to the road with Mario often being left out. While not every game in the series has stats, when they do, Mario often is middle of the road. He typically has a more balanced acceleration, top speed, and handling, making him a “safe” choice for beginners. Veteran players will typically opt for characters like Bowser or Toad to have a more customized fit to their playstyles. In most play sessions, that leaves the selection of the suspendered hero of our story in dead last. Racing puns.
#1 – Mario Party (Franchise)
Hurt feelings, destroyed friendships, and the acrid smell of ripped flesh from sweaty bruised palms are not often associated with Mario games. Since its release in 1999, Mario Party has become a staple of the series that fans just can’t get enough of. While Mario is certainly in the name, and it can be assumed that every party is somehow his party, selfish, each game features an ensemble cast. With more interesting characters to pick from, Mario is often on the bench as his compatriots skip along the gameboard without him. It takes the number one spot, not due to innovation in each entry, see Mario Party Superstars, but from pure fun factor. Every game in the series is just downright entertaining even without the sanguine-hatted plumber leading the way.
