The Best Mario Co-Op Games

With the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the Nintendo franchise has been propelled even further into the mainstream. Whether fans are looking for games to play with their kids, siblings, friends, or rivals, Mario games have long been accessible for all ages.

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By  Jake Fillery

Nintendo's games have always been great sources of cooperative fun, with the Mario franchise in particular featuring a variety of co-op games. While the Super Mario games' early attempts at co-op included taking turns (and therefore won't be included), Nintendo soon evolved the franchise into something that players could enjoy together, simultaneously.

Updated January 8, 2025, by Chris Harkin: The Mario franchise is the sort of everlasting piece of the gaming industry that will likely never slow down. The huge number of spin-offs that have become their own franchises means that Mario and his friends will be part of gaming history forever. From new Mario party games and sports games to Mario Kart, the endless Super Mario games that will continue to live on in infamy give gamers plenty to consistently play and revisit, mostly alongside friends. Whatever sort of gaming players love, they are likely to find something to play together with Mario.

13 Mario Strikers: Battle League

Nintendo's Take On Soccer Encourages Friendly Competition

• Multiplayer: Online, Local
• Maximum Players: 8

Mario Strikers: Battle League does little to innovate on its predecessors, but its eventual release brought the iconic Mario Strikers gameplay to the next generation. Mario Strikers has two teams of four battling it out on a small pitch, playing Nintendo's wild adaptation of classic soccer.

In Mario Strikers, players will pass, dodge, and even use a variety of items to score goals against the enemy team. While Mario Strikers is a competitive versus game, its team-based gameplay, and the ability to play with up to eight players at any one time, make it a great game to play with friends.

12 Super Mario Party

A Casual Blend Of Co-Op And Competitive Play

• Multiplayer: Online, Local
• Maximum Players: 4

As one of the latest games in the Mario Party series, Super Mario Party is known for bringing back elements from older Mario Party games and improving upon them, primarily the turn-based, board game style of the originals. Although Mario Party can be a competitive experience, the multitude of team-based modes and mini-games allow more team-orientated players to enjoy the game.

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When it comes to cooperative play, Mario Party has almost always included some form of tag-team mode, and Super Mario Party is no different; players can team up in the 2v2 "Partner Party" mode, which plays similarly to the main game, or team up in the fully cooperative "River Survival" mode.

Read more about TheBestWarGames's thoughts on Super Mario Party here.

11 Super Mario Bros. 3

The Quintessential Old-School Co-Op Experience

• Multiplayer: Local
• Maximum Players: 2

One of the earliest examples of a cooperative Mario game, Super Mario Bros. 3, remains a beloved piece of the franchise's history today, and many players still love revisiting the games from this era, which helped define what the games would later become.

Super Mario Bros. 3 added some important elements to the Mario mythos, including the Koopalings, and an overworld map between levels. It felt like a game where the pieces for the Super Mario Bros franchise specifically started to come together and create something that would live long past the shelf life of the console it arrived on.

10 Super Mario World

One Of The Greatest Games Ever Made

• Multiplayer: Local
• Maximum Players: 2

The great lengths that the Super Mario franchise was able to leap between the NES and SNES were responsible for a great deal of the franchise's popularity, as well as the inclusion of Yoshi, who had previously been conceptualized but wasn't added to the games until this first SNES release.

There were many elements that were added to the series as a result of the new software, from being able to fly and spin jump to holding extra power-ups and eating enemies using Yoshi. All of this helped to improve the already beloved franchise, create a defining game for Mario, and produce a delightful cooperative experience that feels like it barely ages to this day.

9 New Super Mario Bros. U

An Accessible Adventure With A Lot Of Variety

• Multiplayer: Local
• Maximum Players: 4

As one of the latter entries in the New Super Mario Bros series, this game provided more of what fans had come to expect: classic Mario action with up to four players. New Super Mario Bros. U features several worlds with varying degrees of difficulty, and the introduction of the Super Guide helps players who find themselves stuck.

Although New Super Mario Bros. U is fairly similar to other entries in the New Super Mario Bros. Series, it does come with a couple of innovations. Players can enjoy two different game modes: "Challenge Mode", in which players must attempt to complete levels in a short span of time, and the chaotic "Boost Rush" mode, in which the level automatically scrolls faster and faster, forcing players to keep up with the screen and complete the level quickly. These modes add a lot of replay value to the game, allowing for more extended sessions and more gameplay variety than most other New Super Mario Bros. Games.

Read more about TheBestWarGames's thoughts on New Super Mario Bros. U here.

8 New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Paved The Way For Multiplayer Mario Games

• Multiplayer: Local
• Maximum Players: 4

New Super Mario Bros. Wii was released all the way back in 2009 and praised for its inclusion of simultaneous multiplayer modes, both cooperative and competitive. The addition of simultaneous multiplayer alone would have been enough to make New Super Mario Bros. Wii stand out, but this title also addressed several criticisms of the original New Super Mario Bros.

Despite its name, New Super Mario Bros. Wii isn't just a port of the 2006 DS game; the game brought with it an abundance of quality-of-life changes and accessibility options, managing to be both fun and accessible for all kinds of players. New Super Mario Bros. Wii still holds up for many today, providing a great trip down memory lane for nostalgic fans.

7 Super Mario Maker 2

Lets Players Enjoy Their Custom Levels Together

• Multiplayer: Online, Local
• Maximum Players: 4

Although the original Super Mario Maker game allowed players to build and create levels, this was a solitary experience until the release of Super Mario Maker 2, which added local and online multiplayer with both versus and cooperative modes.

What makes Super Mario Maker 2 so great is its near-endless replay value, limited only by the imagination of its players. However, several fans were disappointed with the game's co-op mode due to strange camera restrictions, among other complaints. It's also worth noting that, although many of the community-made levels are perfect for those looking for a challenge, Super Mario Maker 2 is not necessarily aimed at players looking for the cooperative adventures most associated with the Mario franchise.

Read more about TheBestWarGames's thoughts on Super Mario Maker 2 here.

6 Super Mario Galaxy

Inexperienced Players Can Join In

• Multiplayer: Local
• Maximum Players: 2

This 3D Mario game was released on the Wii back in 2007, and although it isn't necessarily known for its cooperative play, Super Mario Galaxy does allow a second player to join in and help grab collectibles, and even stun enemies.

Since the second player is unable to defeat enemies and doesn't have much freedom outside their limited controls, their role becomes a lot simpler, more geared towards younger players, and more suitable for those inexperienced with games. This makes Super Mario Galaxy a great experience for young or beginner players who want to get involved without getting frustrated.

5 Super Mario Odyssey

Takes Galaxy's Formula Into New Territory

• Multiplayer: Local
• Maximum Players: 2

Super Mario Odyssey took Nintendo fans by storm, releasing to critical and commercial acclaim and propelling Nintendo's iconic franchise back into the mainstream, paving the way for the Nintendo Switch's console dominance. Although more experienced fans of the Super Mario games might be disappointed that Super Mario Odyssey's cooperative mode works similarly to how it did in Super Mario Galaxy, it allows those with younger siblings or children to enjoy the game together without them needing to learn a bunch of controls, or how to play at all.

In Super Mario Odyssey, a second player can take control of Mario's sentient hat, Cappy, one of the primary mechanics of the game. While controlling Cappy, the second player can attack enemies. However, this mode doesn't offer much freedom to the second player, or opportunities for teamwork, an element that is at the core of most solid cooperative experiences. Despite this, Mario and Cappy can work together to make some of Super Mario Odyssey's platforming challenges easier.

Read more about TheBestWarGames's thoughts on Super Mario Odyssey here.

4 Super Mario Galaxy 2

Improves On The Original

• Multiplayer: Local
• Maximum Players: 2

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is widely considered to be one of the Nintendo Wii's greatest games, equaling if not surpassing the original Super Mario Galaxy. What makes this sequel even better is the fact that, on top of fleshing out the mechanics and gameplay, it offers more challenge to players and expands on the original's cooperative mode.

The cooperative mode in Super Mario Galaxy 2 works similarly to how it did in the original game but allows the second player to have a larger impact on the gameplay by letting them damage enemies, rather than simply stunning them. This makes the second player a lot more useful than in the original, which comes in handy during some of the game's more challenging segments.

Read more about TheBestWarGames's thoughts on Super Mario Galaxy 2 here.