1. Super Mario Run (2016, Mobile)

• Difficulty: Very Easy
• Why It’s Easiest: Built for mobile, Super Mario Run is an auto-runner where Mario moves forward automatically, and players tap to jump. Levels are bite-sized, with frequent checkpoints and forgiving respawns. The game’s design prioritizes accessibility, making it ideal for casual players or kids. Even trickier stages feel manageable thanks to unlimited lives and assist options.
• Learning Curve: Minimal—mastering jump timing is the main hurdle, but the game holds your hand.
• Community Take: X users often call it “baby’s first Mario,” praising its simplicity but noting it lacks the depth of console titles.
• Key Challenge: Later worlds and Toad Rally’s competitive mode demand tighter timing, but nothing feels overwhelming.

2. Super Mario 3D World (2013, Wii U; 2021, Switch with Bowser’s Fury)

• Difficulty: Easy
• Why It’s Easy: This hybrid of 2D and 3D platforming is a joyride with a gentle curve. The Cat Suit boosts mobility, and multiplayer lets friends carry the team. Levels are creative but rarely punishing, with ample power-ups and checkpoints. The game’s polish makes even tougher stages feel fair.
• Learning Curve: Smooth—3D movement is intuitive, and the game scales difficulty gradually.
• Community Take: Fans on X love its accessibility, though some argue post-game levels like Champion’s Road belong higher on difficulty lists.
• Key Challenge: World Star’s later stages test reflexes, but the main campaign is a breeze.

3. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009, Wii)

• Difficulty: Easy
• Why It’s Easy: Reviving 2D Mario for the Wii, this game leans on co-op multiplayer (up to four players) to ease the burden—teammates can bubble to safety or help clear obstacles. Solo play is slightly tougher, but power-ups like the Propeller Mushroom and extra lives galore keep it forgiving.
• Learning Curve: Straightforward—classic Mario mechanics with a modern sheen make it welcoming.
• Community Take: X posts often highlight chaotic multiplayer fun, though solo players find later worlds spicier.
• Key Challenge: World 9’s optional levels add bite, but the core game is approachable.

4. New Super Mario Bros. (2006, DS)

• Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
• Why It’s Easy-Moderate: This DS revival brought 2D Mario to a new generation with polished controls and a gradual difficulty curve. Power-ups like the Mega Mushroom act as cheat codes, and warp zones let players skip tougher bits. World 8 ups the ante, but it’s still forgiving.
• Learning Curve: Gentle—familiar mechanics with enough new tricks to keep it fresh.
• Community Take: X users often call it a “nostalgia hit” that’s “too easy” until the final castle.
• Key Challenge: Bowser’s castle and some tower levels require decent timing, but lives are plentiful.

5. Super Mario Odyssey (2017, Switch)

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Why It’s Moderate: Odyssey’s 3D sandbox platforming prioritizes exploration over precision. Cappy’s capture mechanic simplifies tricky jumps, and Power Moons are so abundant that players can progress without mastering every challenge. Later kingdoms like Bowser’s Castle demand more skill, but the game stays welcoming.
• Learning Curve: Easy to start, with advanced moves (e.g., cap dives) optional for pros.
• Community Take: X fans praise its freedom, though some gripe about the Darker Side’s brutal platforming gauntlet.
• Key Challenge: Post-game content like Darker Side tests endurance, but the main story is chill.

6. Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023, Switch)

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Why It’s Moderate: Wonder reinvents 2D Mario with Wonder Flower effects that twist levels into wild spectacles. Its badge system lets players adjust difficulty (e.g., easier gliding), and online features like revives soften the sting of failure. Special World stages push skills, but the main path is forgiving.
• Learning Curve: Moderate—new mechanics like elephant Mario take adjusting, but tutorials are clear.
• Community Take: X buzz calls it “fresh but fair,” with some players stumped by rhythm-based challenges.
• Key Challenge: Levels like “Pole Block Passage” demand precision, but assists keep frustration low.

7. Super Mario 3D Land (2011, 3DS)

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Why It’s Moderate: Designed as a 3D Mario gateway, 3D Land uses linear levels to ease players into depth-based platforming. Early worlds are simple, but Special Worlds crank up hazards like shadow clones. Power-ups like the Tanooki Leaf help, and lives are generous.
• Learning Curve: Gradual—3D navigation clicks quickly, though later stages test spatial awareness.
• Community Take: X users see it as “training wheels for 3D Mario,” with Special World 8 as a rude awakening.
• Key Challenge: Special World 8-Crown is a beast, but the main game scales nicely.

8. New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012, 3DS)

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Why It’s Moderate: This coin-focused 2D sequel feels familiar but sneaks in trickier platforming than its DS predecessor. Levels balance hazards with power-ups like the Gold Flower, and coin rush mode adds pressure. It’s not punishing, but it demands more focus.
• Learning Curve: Easy—recycled mechanics mean veterans dive right in, though new traps surprise.
• Community Take: X posts often call it “underrated” but “not too tough,” save for DLC like the Gold Rush Pack.
• Key Challenge: World Star and some castles require tighter jumps, but it’s rarely brutal.

9. Super Mario Galaxy (2007, Wii)

• Difficulty: Moderate-Hard
• Why It’s Moderate-Hard: Galaxy’s planet-hopping 3D platforming dazzles, but its spherical levels and motion controls challenge spatial reasoning. Some galaxies, like Melty Molten, demand precise jumps, though checkpoints and a three-hit health bar soften the blow.
• Learning Curve: Moderate—motion controls take getting used to, but Mario’s moveset is intuitive.
• Community Take: X fans adore its creativity but wince at Daredevil Comet’s one-hit runs.
• Key Challenge: Optional comets, like Speedy Comet’s time trials, push reflexes to the limit.

10. New Super Mario Bros. U (2012, Wii U; 2019, Switch as Deluxe)

• Difficulty: Moderate-Hard
• Why It’s Moderate-Hard: This 2D platformer refines the New series with crisp controls and inventive levels. Solo play feels tougher than NSMB Wii, with later worlds like Soda Jungle throwing complex traps. Luigi U’s time limits add extra spice, but power-ups help.
• Learning Curve: Moderate—familiar but sharper than earlier New entries.
• Community Take: X users call it a “sleeper hit” with “deceptively tough” late stages.
• Key Challenge: Superstar Road’s Star Coins test patience, but the main campaign is fair.

11. Super Mario World (1990, SNES)

• Difficulty: Hard
• Why It’s Hard: A 2D classic, World introduces Yoshi and a sprawling map with secret exits. Early levels are forgiving, but the Special Zone (e.g., Outrageous) demands pixel-perfect platforming. No save system in the original ups the stakes, though SNES All-Stars added saves.
• Learning Curve: Moderate—smooth controls help, but spin jumps and Yoshi tricks take practice.
• Community Take: X debates its difficulty, with some calling Special Zone “soul-crushing” and others finding it “just right.”
• Key Challenge: Tubular’s balloon power-up juggling is a notorious skill check.

12. Super Mario Bros. (1985, NES)

• Difficulty: Hard
• Why It’s Hard: The game that started it all is iconic but unforgiving. Mario’s stiff physics, limited power-ups (just Mushroom and Fire Flower), and no saves make every death sting. World 8’s castle maze and Bowser’s fireballs are brutal without warps.
• Learning Curve: Steep—slippery momentum and precise jumps trip up even modern players.
• Community Take: X players respect its legacy but groan at World 8’s “cheap” traps.
• Key Challenge: World 8-4’s wrong paths and hammer spam test endurance.

13. Super Mario 64 (1996, N64)

• Difficulty: Hard
• Why It’s Hard: The first 3D Mario is a pioneer with a steep price—clunky controls and a temperamental camera make platforming dicey. Collecting 70 Stars to reach Bowser involves navigating hazards like Tiny-Huge Island’s cannons or Rainbow Ride’s narrow paths.
• Learning Curve: Steep—3D movement was alien in ’96, and the camera still frustrates.
• Community Take: X users argue it’s “harder now” due to dated controls, though nostalgia softens the pain.
• Key Challenge: Wing Cap stages and 100-coin Stars expose the game’s quirks.

14. Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, NES)

• Difficulty: Hard
• Why It’s Hard: SMB3 is a masterpiece with varied worlds and power-ups like the Hammer Suit, but its difficulty spikes in World 6 onward. Airships auto-scroll, tanks barrage, and World 8’s castle is a gauntlet. No saves in the original (pre-All-Stars) means restarts hurt.
• Learning Curve: Moderate—tight controls shine, but new suits and hazards demand adaptation.
• Community Take: X fans call it “tough but fair,” with World 8’s “dark pool” stage haunting dreams.
• Key Challenge: World 8’s auto-scrollers and Bowser’s ground-pound arena require nerves of steel.

15. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010, Wii)

• Difficulty: Hard
• Why It’s Hard: Galaxy 2 dials up the challenge from its predecessor with faster pacing and sadistic level design. Green Star hunts and Prankster Comets (e.g., no checkpoints) push precision to extremes. Even main galaxies, like Rolling Coaster, test reflexes relentlessly.
• Learning Curve: Moderate—familiar controls, but new mechanics like Yoshi’s targeting feel finicky.
• Community Take: X players crown it “peak Mario difficulty,” with The Perfect Run as a badge of honor.
• Key Challenge: Grandmaster Galaxy’s no-damage run is a masterclass in pain.

16. Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988, NES; USA Version)

• Difficulty: Hard
• Why It’s Hard: A re-skinned Doki Doki Panic, SMB2 USA swaps traditional Mario for character-based gameplay (e.g., Luigi’s floaty jump). Later worlds introduce mazes, Phanto chases, and Wart’s veggie gauntlet. Limited continues and no saves make mistakes costly.
• Learning Curve: Steep—unique mechanics like veggie-throwing and character switching feel alien.
• Community Take: X debates its place, with some finding it “weirdly tough” and others breezing through with Peach.
• Key Challenge: World 7-2’s long trek and Wart’s bubble spam demand endurance.

17. Super Mario Sunshine (2002, GameCube)

• Difficulty: Very Hard
• Why It’s Very Hard: Sunshine’s 3D platforming with FLUDD is ambitious but flawed. Floaty controls, a dodgy camera, and punishing levels like Corona Mountain frustrate. Secret stages (e.g., Poison River) strip FLUDD, exposing raw platforming woes. Shine Sprites are hard-won.
• Learning Curve: Steep—FLUDD’s hover takes practice, and the camera fights you.
• Community Take: X users lament its “janky” controls, with secret levels like the Sand Bird sparking rage.
• Key Challenge: FLUDD-less stages like the Pachinko Machine are precision nightmares.

18. Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986, Famicom; 1993, SNES as All-Stars)

• Difficulty: Brutal
• Why It’s Hardest: Originally Japan’s SMB2, Lost Levels is a sadistic remix of SMB1. Poison Mushrooms, wind gusts, and impossible jumps (e.g., World 8-1’s gaps) mock players. No saves, limited lives, and trollish design (hidden blocks, backward warps) make it relentless.
• Learning Curve: Near-vertical—every level feels like a final exam in Mario physics.
• Community Take: X players call it “Nintendo’s cruel joke,” with only masochists chasing World D.
• Key Challenge: World 9’s loop and A-D’s gauntlets are designed to break spirits.

Wrapping Up