Highlights

  • Mario games have had multiplayer since the beginning, but true co-op didn't come until the Wii.
  • Many Mario titles on Nintendo systems now support co-op gameplay, from main games to spinoffs.
  • Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the latest addition to the series, offering four-player co-op and new gameplay elements.

Technically, Mario has been a series with multiplayer games since the beginning: Mario Bros. in arcades! In terms of console titles, Super Mario Bros. also has multiplayer, but it sees you switch off between turns with Mario and Luigi. Multiplayer in games like that can be fun in competitions, but what about actual co-op?

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It wouldn't be until the Wii where the first mainline Mario title included what could really be considered a true co-op experience. Now, it’s fairly commonplace, or at least there are more Mario titles out there on Nintendo systems that support co-op from main games to spinoffs. So, what are they?

The games below are ordered by release date.

Updated on October 31, 2023, by Jack Pierik: These days, it's a common, baseline expectation for modern Mario titles to have multiplayer functionality; it really makes you appreciate how far video games have come in just a few decades. After all, if new content and childhood nostalgia wasn't enjoyable enough already, the experience is almost always made better when both you and your friends get to play together. With this update, we're adding yet another game for you to look at: Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Just... try not to clown on the goombas with your friends too much; they have families too, you know.

15 Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Throwing Fireballs At Bowser Super Mario Bros.

The original game set the tone for the series. This was the sequel to the arcade game, but it was meant to be enjoyed in your own home. These early titles were incredibly hard to complete, and you could get set back significantly for small mistakes, but they kept kids busy for a summer, and that's all parents really care about.

Player one controlled the protagonist, Mario, and if a second player joined, they'd control his brother Luigi. We do have to admit that it's not pure multiplayer, because you alternate turns instead of playing together.

14 Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)

The opening level of Super Mario Bros. 3, featuring a Tanooki suit and a goomba.

The next multiplayer Mario Bros. game was the third entry in the series. It originally came out for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) but has been ported to tons of other platforms (officially and unofficially) for you to enjoy in the modern day. Like the previous game, you and your co-op partner will take turns.

These games started off as pure platformers, and the experience didn't change much between the first and third games. However, new elements have also brought some shine to the game, like sliding, climbing vines, and the Tanooki Suit.

13 Super Mario World (1990)

The cast of Super Mario World celebrating at the end of the game

Super Mario World is a beloved entry in the Super Mario series. The gameplay mimics the previous games — free Princess Peach from Bowser as quickly as possible.

You'll be familiar with the basics if you've played other Mario games, but there are a few updates and improvements, as with each new installment. Again, the multiplayer involves taking turns instead of playing together, exactly. Still, it makes for a great little competition between siblings or friends.

12 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995)

Baby Mario surrounded by Yoshis in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Yoshi's Island is so memorable because it shook up the Super Mario Bros. formula. Instead of controlling a stout Italian man, you're controlling a dinosaur. The Italian man just happens to be a) a baby, and b) riding on your back.

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While there's no multiplayer in the main game, there is a secret multiplayer mode that you can activate from the main menu. It'll allow you to play little minigames and earn power-ups so that the single player doesn't get all the luck, or all the misfortune.

11 New Super Mario Bros (2006)

Mario using the Mega Mushroom in New Super Mario Bros

The original New Super Mario Bros game came out on the Nintendo DS in 2006. It was the start of a whole new generation of Mario games for the company.

The multiplayer mode is competitive in this game; one person plays as Mario and the other is Luigi, and the two are trying to earn as many stars as possible. As an added bonus, minigames from Super Mario 64 DS were added and revamped for two players.

10 Super Mario Galaxy (2007)

Super Mario Galaxy promo images

Super Mario Galaxy launched on the Wii in 2007 before later being ported to the Switch. The co-op mode had the second player use a second Wii Remote to collect Star Bits, which was quite useful. They could also stun enemies but not kill them.

The game wasn’t that hard to begin with, so overall the co-op was not that necessary, but it is a great feature for younger players.

9 New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009)

A chaotic scene showing Mario and Luigi running through a level in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, with several characters and enemies on screen.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii launched on the Wii in 2009. It was the first true co-op experience the main series had ever seen, as was hinted at in the intro. Not only did it include two players, but up to four could play in total. You could choose to play as Mario, Luigi, a blue Toad, or a yellow Toad.

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The variety wasn’t as good as Super Mario Bros. 2’s collection of characters, especially since each character didn’t have their own unique abilities in this game. However, it was still a solid Mario platformer alone or with the chaos of three friends along.

8 Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010)

Mario and Yoshi in Super Mario Galaxy 2 for the Wii.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 upped the ante from the original Super Mario Galaxy; it launched for the Wii in 2010, and it included an actual co-op character.

The second player could now take the form of an Orange Luma. They could do everything from the first game with the inclusion of being able to kill enemies. It was a big upgrade (although not as good as putting in, say, Luigi into other 3D platformers).

7 New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012)

New Super Mario Bros. 2

New Super Mario Bros. 2 launched on the 3DS in 2012. It subtracted two players from the co-op gameplay of the first game and instead focused on Mario and Luigi. The interesting thing about this was that each player had their own screen since the multiplayer was based on communication between two 3DS devices.

This toned down gameplay actually made the co-op more enjoyable. The game itself was focused around collecting as many coins as possible so it was a perfect fit for two player action. No coin was left behind when this game launched.

6 New Super Mario Bros. Wii U (2012)

New Super Mario Bros. U

New Super Mario Bros. Wii U launched alongside the Wii U in 2012. It was very much the same game setup as its Wii predecessor. Mario, Luigi, a blue Toad, and a yellow Toad were all playable again. It was fun but more of the same.

In 2018, the game got ported to the Switch as New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. It added Toadette and Nabbit into the character roster. The game remained as four players though. The most relevant thing to come out of this port was Toadette’s transformation. If Toadette got a Super Crown, she would turn into Peachette. This sent the fandom into an uproar, giving birth to other transformations like Boosette and Bowsette.

5 Super Mario 3D World (2013)

Cat Toad, Cat Luigi, Cat Peach, and Cat Mario jump after clearing a level

Super Mario 3D World launched in 2013 on the Wii U. At long last the character roster and powers returned from Super Mario Bros. 2. Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Peach were all playable. Peach could glide and Luigi could jump higher as just two examples. This was the first true co-op experience in a faux 3D environment.

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In 2021, the game was ported to Switch under the name of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. In that extra mode, two players can play co-op in a real 3D game this time. One controls Mario while the other controls Bowser Jr. in his little clown car. It is a short mode but still a blast to play alone or with a friend.

4 Super Mario Odyssey (2017)

Mario throws Cappy in New Donk City

Super Mario Odyssey features Mario flying around in a little spaceship to various themed worlds and solving problems with the help of his sentient hat — as always, it ends with saving Princess Peach.

The multiplayer is pretty simplistic, like it was for the first Super Mario Galaxy game. The second player in Mario Odyssey controls Cappy (Mario's hat) and can make it go wherever they like. This is a fun power for a while, but it's not bound to keep two people interested for a prolonged period unless you're switching up who plays Cappy and who plays Mario.

3 Super Mario Maker 2 (2019)

Mario and Yoshi stand on pipes in the sky In Super Mario Maker 2

Super Mario Maker 2 launched on the Switch in 2019. Like the first game, this allowed you to build and share your own levels. It wasn’t as big of a hit as its Wii U predecessor as its time in the sun was shorter.

The biggest inclusion with this title was co-op. It was broken at the time of launch in that it wasn’t easy to setup. Connections also seem to be lost easily, but Nintendo stabilized it to a usable degree. Four players could compete and test out levels together or two players could play co-op and create levels together. The latter of the two was the most interesting setup.

2 Bowser's Fury (2021)

Super Mario 3D Land split image Fury Bowser Bowser's Fury Bowser Jr. and Mario Cat Shine

Super Mario 3D World was rereleased in 2021 with a special new addition: Bowser's Fury. That content was multiplayer, just like Super Mario 3D World was: with up to four players.

The plot of this game was to clean up some black sludge that's infecting the area and free Bowser from its control, because he's wreaking havoc. If that reminds you of Super Mario Sunshine, you're not alone. Lots of people have compared the gameplay mechanics and praised the inspiration it takes from that old, beloved game.

1 Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)

Super Mario Wonder Peach with Elephant power watering a villager

In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, you'll have access to eight different playable characters, and up to four-player co-op with your friends on Switch. If you want a more detailed look at how multiplayer functionality works in the game, you can check out our article on the topic.

You can obviously expect the classic Mario formula in terms of gameplay, but there are plenty of new elements, enemies, and other content that build upon and enhance that solid foundation. If you're still on the fence, check out what TheGamer staff and the community have to say about the game.

NEXT: Super Mario Bros. Wonder: The Best New Enemies