Welcome to the new column, where every week I’ll name the “Top 5” stuff in gaming. For the first week, I’ll start off with a classic: Top Mario Games. (Note: I have not gotten the chance to play Super Mario Galaxy, so it will be omitted…so don’t yell at me). So without further ado…

Here are the Top 5 Mario games:

The Pinkie (Number 5): New Super Mario Bros. – One of the best DS games out there, it perfectly captures the old essence of the NES Mario’s with a twist of 3D craziness.

The Ring (Number 4): Super Mario World – SNES’ greatest asset was this game, no questions. With the addition of Yoshi (not to mention the bad-ass, flying, flame-throwing Yoshi) that made the game all the more fun.

The Middle (Number 3): Super Mario 64 – 3D Mario! Even without Luigi or Yoshi (who is somehow on the roof of the castle), the game proved to be amazing. Mario, finally in 3D, could now be more than his previous 2D incarnations and had a variety of move sets. Not to mention, 64 provided us with new power-ups, such as Invisible and Metal Mario!

The Index (Number 2): Super Mario Bros. – The one that started it all: 8 worlds of craziness, 7 fake princesses, and the great but hidden warp pipes. The first time you found out that Mushrooms here made you huge or give you life (too bad real life mushrooms either give you indigestion, tripped out, or kill you).

The Thumbs Up (Number 1): Super Mario Bros. 3 – Why Super Mario Bros. 3 you ask? Is it because of the interesting game play? The great warp whistle? Bowser’s unrelenting attempts to get Princess Peach to pay child support? No. It is for one reason, and one reason only:

The Tanookie Suit. Yes, the leetest power-up in all of gaming. Super Mario Bros. 3 had a variety of suits that pleased us all, and help make our long and arduous journey all the more fun. He became a frog:

Hammer Mario:
And the Goomba Shoe (or as I called it, DAS BOOT):

Super Mario Bros. 3 provided us with great adventure and great difficulty that made the top list of Mario games. Until next time!