18. Super Mario Bros. 2

By Nintendo | Released: 1988

Yes, Super Mario Bros. 2 is a repurposing of a non-Mario Japanese Famicom game called Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, but why hold that against it? The North American sequel to everyone's favorite game does not disappoint. SMB2 added the ability to pick up and toss enemies and objects, a move that became part of Mario's permanent repertoire. Other elements of Super Mario Bros. 2 have been assimilated into the greater Mario universe as well – Shy Guys, Birdo, Bob-ombs, POW blocks – making the game seem less like the oddball of the series it's been pegged as. No longer bound by primitive side-scrolling constraints, the levels of SMB2 can be freely explored, with secret areas, warps and more to discover. And this time Mario doesn't steal the spotlight. Toad, the Princess, and Luigi all offer unique qualities that make them viable protagonists. If you can stomach the Princess in all her pinkness, her levitation ability will get you over the game's widest gaps. Alternately, you can put Toad's speed to use in plucking coins for the game of chance at each level's end. SMB2 offers greater diversity in graphics and gameplay than the original, making it a great bridge game between the other NES Mario titles.

Our Fondest Memories

I played Super Mario Bros. 2 for the first time while in the hospital following open-heart surgery, so I have very personal feelings about the game. Setting those aside, though, SMB2 is a wonderful platformer that is wrongfully considered the black sheep of the canon. So what if it wasn't originally a Mario game? Have you played the Lost Levels? This game is infinitely more inventive than that.

- Levi Buchanan, IGN Wireless & Retro Editor