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POLL: What 3D Mario game is the best in the series?

What 3D Mario game is the best in the series?

  • Super Mario 64

    Votes: 329 20.0%

  • Super Mario Sunshine

    Votes: 61 3.7%

  • Super Mario Galaxy

    Votes: 391 23.7%

  • Super Mario Galaxy 2

    Votes: 340 20.6%

  • Super Mario 3D Land

    Votes: 45 2.7%

  • Super Mario 3D World

    Votes: 228 13.8%

  • Super Mario Odyssey

    Votes: 253 15.4%
  • Total voters
    1,647
ScOULaris

ScOULaris

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,584
efBrdsE.jpg


Over so many decades I've seen countless arguments among Mario fans as to what they value most in a 3D Mario game and which game(s) reflect those qualities most strongly. Some people prefer sandboxes while others like a more direct, linear design. Some want hub worlds between missions while others like a simple level-select screen or world map. The 3D Mario games have a lot in common, but they are also different to the point where I've never been able to really connect the dots and figure out what most people's favorite is on big enthusiast forums like this one. They're all critical and commercial darlings, for the most part, but individual opinions on any one of them vary wildly.

So, I thought I'd make a poll to answer this very question. What 3D Mario game is your personal favorite, and why?

I honestly don't know which game will come out on top for this poll, and I hope that people take the time to explain their vote as well.
 
Mr.Deadshot

Mr.Deadshot

Member
Oct 27, 2017
20,285
Galaxy. Galaxy 2 is equally good but lacked the "new" feeling. It felt more like a (big) addon. Both stellar games and I usually don't like 3D Mario games that much.
 
Rassilon

Rassilon

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,584
UK
I really enjoyed SMG and SMG2 but I can only really remember SWG...
So that gets the vote
 
WestEgg

WestEgg

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,047
I mentally categorize the Galaxy games as 1 game, which is my favorite 3D Mario game.
 

NuclearCake

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
9,867
1. Mario Odyssey (Best)
2. Mario 64
3. Sunshine
4. Galaxy 2
5. 3D Land
6. Galaxy
7. 3D World (Worst)
8. Mario 64 DS (The actual worst)
 
dred

dred

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,532
3D World is the true king, the ultimate culmination of the best elements of 2D and 3D Mario. The larger, more exploration driven 3D Mario games are great, but they just can't touch the pure platforming bliss of 3D World.
 

Sixfortyfive

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
4,615
Atlanta
3D Land and 3D World are 3D Mario games built for people who prefer 2D Mario games. Or "people with taste," rather. :P

The Galaxy games are fine runner-ups.

Odyssey is way too bloated for its own good.
 

SuperL

Banned
Nov 27, 2017
891
Odyssey feels the most polished all around; the best controls, the best camera, the most expansive environments.

Plus ambition has to count for something; Taking a 3DS game and making it HD with multiplayer is fine and all, but there's something to be said for a game that truly moves its franchise forward.
 
Ryszard

Ryszard

Member
Apr 7, 2018
395
Quite surprised 3D World is winning. It's my favorite and clearly the most polish and round. I love it.
 
DeliciousSunnyD!

DeliciousSunnyD!

Member
Oct 31, 2017
9,621
For me, 3D Land and 3D World are my favorites. I prefer Mario to have a more simplified moveset with the game design deriving its primary challenge from obstacle/hazard/enemy navigation rather than interpreting how to move efficiently through a more expansive 3D space.

If the more adventure-like games in the series had a more focused escalation of challenge that more fully leveraged Mario's comprehensive moveset, then I'd probably enjoy them more. As they are, I feel like they are a bit too adventure oriented rather than platforming oriented, and while I enjoy both, I like Mario to be more driven towards precision platforming over exploring spaces.

The inclusion of the traditional 2D Mario health/power-up system, block play, and enemy design also strengthens the "3D ___" games for me too.

I also love the Galaxies, and they are almost a fusion between the two 3D Mario styles.
 
MayorTortimer

MayorTortimer

Member
May 27, 2018
765
I think Galaxy is the most well-rounded Mario game, but I really have a soft spot for all of them. Would gladly jump in and play any of these all over again, tbh.
 
Odeko

Odeko

One Winged Slayer
The Fallen
Mar 22, 2018
15,180
West Blue
Galaxy 1 with 3D World as a runner-up.

I'm glad 3D World is getting more respect these days — best co-op game of all time.
 
RoadDogg

RoadDogg

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,061
1. Mario 64
2. Mario Odyssey
3. Galaxy
4. 3D World
5. 3D Land
6. Galaxy 2
7. Sunshine
 

Sixfortyfive

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
4,615
Atlanta
I find myself sometimes thinking back to a post I saw in the Odyssey OT that declared that if the New Donk City Festival doesn't move you, then you must "hate gaming."

That post has stuck with me for a long time because I find it so utterly bizarre. The NDCF is a barely interactive cutscene that plays off your feelings of Mario and Donkey Kong nostalgia, but without any of the gameplay substance that made either of those games interesting in the first place.

And it's kind of a microcosm of my feelings toward Super Mario Odyssey in general. I'm not averse to nostalgia pandering (I love all the musical and costume references in that game), but Mario is usually above the use of such nostalgia without the platforming chops to actually back it up.
 
MarcelRguez

MarcelRguez

Member
Nov 7, 2018
2,418
64 was revolutionary, and it still has the best hub of the series to this day. It's hard to beat, especially if you don't mind its early 3D-era quirks.
 
ClickyCal'

ClickyCal'

Member
Oct 25, 2017
59,498
I think galaxy 2 is just the overall best. It's a mix right in between the 3d world style and 64/sunshine/odyssey style. Galaxy 1 is better in terms of freshness and the story and soul to it. 3d world is really great, but I never played co-op so I didn't get one of the big aspecrs of it. Odyssey needed to be trimmed down a little bit.
 

srtrestre

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
18,967
For me, nothing will ever beat the experience of moving Mario in a full 3D space for the first time ever that Super Mario 64 provided. It was just WOW.

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My first VR game experience was piss poor by comparison.
 
Unknownlight

Unknownlight

One Winged Slayer
Member
Nov 2, 2017
10,559
Super Mario 64 is the game I have the most positive feelings toward, even if I'm not sure I'd consider it the "best" one.
 
The Unsent

The Unsent

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,424
It doesn't have the best balance of challenge, but I love Odyssey the most, it just off its rockers, and just love running around New Donk City and the wedding theme is just fantastic, the moon level, oh my god, such a fairy tale, I don't know how else to describe it. :D

For me as a kid my favourite memories of games were getting lost in Peach's castle or seeing what I can find in the first 3D Liberty City, with no particular goal, Odyssey rewards your curiosity at every step.
 
joffocakes

joffocakes

Member
Nov 15, 2017
1,376
Was tempted to vote 3D Land as I love it dearly but 64 left the biggest impression by far and still has incredibly satisfying and versatile controls by today's standards.

I love all of those games.
 
ClickyCal'

ClickyCal'

Member
Oct 25, 2017
59,498
Sixfortyfive said:
I find myself sometimes thinking back to a post I saw in the Odyssey OT that declared that if the New Donk City Festival doesn't move you, then you must "hate gaming."

That post has stuck with me for a long time because I find it so utterly bizarre. The NDCF is a barely interactive cutscene that plays off your feelings of Mario and Donkey Kong nostalgia, but without any of the gameplay substance that made either of those games interesting in the first place.

And it's kind of a microcosm of my feelings toward Super Mario Odyssey in general. I'm not averse to nostalgia pandering (I love all the musical and costume references in that game), but Mario is usually above the use of such nostalgia without the platforming chops to actually back it up.
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The best aspects of odyssey are the stuff that isn't nostalgia pandering....no different to pokemon. The new types of characters, having a world of real people, all the creative stuff in general.
 
Molten_

Molten_

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,540
Linear obstacle-based Mario: 3D World

Exploration-based mario: Super Mario 64

Edit: It's actually kind of mindblowing to think about how nintendo absolutely nailed 3D game design on their first attempt. outside of a few camera quirks and the primitive graphics, super mario 64 is still an incredible experience.
 
OP
OP
ScOULaris

ScOULaris

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,584
Ryszard said:
Quite surprised 3D World is winning. It's my favorite and clearly the most polish and round. I love it.
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I've come around to 3D World more in recent years, but I really didn't love it when it first released.

That said, the moveset and physics/momentum in 3D World are just far too stunted and limited for it to be among my favorite 3D Mario's. In that regard Odyssey is king, but since it doesn't give the player any real platforming tests that require the use of that awesome moveset my vote goes pretty easily to Galaxy 1.

Galaxy 2 is a VERY close runner-up, of course.
 

Deleted member 17207

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,208
VDenter said:
I will admit that it might have the best music.
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The music was definitely a strong point. That main theme weirdly hit me in a super nostalgic way, despite being completely new to me when the game came out.

Otherwise, it just does everything I want a Mario game to do. It was super pretty and fun to look at, the level design and power-ups were super creative, the challenge ramp was great, etc. I can understand that it's not everyone's jam, but I just love it.

And the multiplayer was just perfect.
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,653
SMG has the spectacle, but 3D World has the best platforming. So 3D World.
 

Deleted member 59109

User requested account closure
Banned
Aug 8, 2019
7,877
It's basically a tie between Galaxy 2 and 3D World. But I had to pick one, so I went with 3D World. It could easily be Galaxy 2 on another day
 
DeliciousSunnyD!

DeliciousSunnyD!

Member
Oct 31, 2017
9,621
XandBosch said:
Fuck "best 3D Mario game", 3D World is the best Mario game PERIOD.
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I can get behind this sentiment, though my problem is that I flip-flop between preferring 3D Land/3D World. As a single player of Mario, I tend to prefer Land's tighter focused level design. But I've probably played world more, and I really love that game's level diversity + its escalation of challenge (even if it could probably start off a bit more challenging for my tastes).
 
Phil32

Phil32

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,568
My favorite is Super Mario Galaxy. I remember my hype, playing the demo or whatnot at my local GameStop for an hour, weeks before release. When I finally played through the game at launch, I was hooked. It had the great platforming, the tight level design, the bombastic score and stellar budget, and I just adored it.

I also really liked 3D World, 3D Land, and Odyssey, and love Super Mario Galaxy 2, but every time I try to play the latter to finish it more than the one time I have, other games get in the way and I lose interest.
 
maximumzero

maximumzero

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,906
New Orleans, LA
Super Mario 3D World is platforming perfection and the best 3D game in the franchise. Only NSMBU is ahead of it in the race for best Mario game.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a close second, but its gimmicks can weigh it down at points and it feels a bit "bloated" overall.
 

Deleted member 17207

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,208
DeliciousSunnyD! said:
I can get behind this sentiment, though my problem is that I flip-flop between preferring 3D Land/3D World. As a single player of Mario, I tend to prefer Land's tighter focused level design. But I've probably played world more, and I really love that game's level diversity + its escalation of challenge (even if it could probably start off a bit more challenging for my tastes).
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Completely fair, both were really great in their own ways. I'd also say that the multiplayer and visuals in 3D World brought it to another level, but the 3D effect in Land was fucking awesome too (and obviously was single player by design).
dred said:
Delete your post. Era isn't ready for this level of truth.
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Perhaps it's too soon...
 
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