Summary

  • Mario Sports Superstars offers comfort through a variety of familiar sports modes on Nintendo 3DS.
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe provides relaxation by offering mindless driving, tournaments, and time to create memories with family and friends on the Nintendo Switch.
  • Super Mario Party allows players to relax and enjoy mini-games and boards with friends, providing comfort and light-hearted fun on the Nintendo Switch.

Mario is a pretty massive franchise for Nintendo; in fact, Mario is the company's main mascot, meaning he is the face of the entire brand. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that there are so many different Mario games out there for players to find and enjoy in their free time.

Some of these games are extremely comforting in the fact that they are either nostalgic or offer players a chance to escape the real world and focus on something simple for a little bit. Here are some of the most comforting Mario games out there.

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7 Mario Sports Superstars

Some Of The Best Sports In One

Mario Sports Superstars
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Five full-on sports—Soccer, Tennis, Golf, Baseball, and Horse Racing—bring the challenge and depth you demand to Nintendo 3DS™ systems. Take on friends and rivals in local or online multiplayer*, hone skills in training, or tackle single-player tournaments. Whether you pick Mario, Waluigi, or one of sixteen others, you're on the road to superstardom!

Before long, you'll have mastered the ins and outs of each sport: learn when to use an infield shift in Baseball, change your team’s formation in Soccer, and more. Even Horse Racing is surprisingly deep! Build a stable of horses and train them well to win the day in the first-ever horse races in series history. But remember: these aren't normal sports—they're Mario Sports. Expect unexpected thrills and power up to stomp the competition.

Choose from Tennis, Soccer, Golf, Baseball, and Horse Racing as you play as your favorite characters like Peach and Yoshi! You can even challenge friends in local or online multiplayer!

Platform(s)

Mario Sports Superstars is one of the many Mario-themed sports games out there. This specific one, published for the Nintendo 3DS, offered players a unique mixture of games such as soccer, baseball, golf, tennis, and horse racing. Each of these sports had its own mode, meaning that they had a lot of time and effort going into the modes. Players could pick from various Mario characters to compete in the sports.

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One reason this game is so comforting is because it brings together some of the best sports in the Mario-themed sports franchises. Bandai Namco and Camelot Software Planning both worked on Mario Tennis and Mario Golf, meaning that they made them as close to the games as possible. Players could mindlessly play these sports, not worrying about the outside world. They could take comfort in the fact that the game was a simple Mario game.

6 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The Best Mario Kart There Is

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
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Released
April 28, 2017
Developer(s)
Nintendo EAD, Nintendo EPD
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Platform(s)
Switch

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an enhanced version of the game of the same name that was created for the Nintendo Switch. This game features 48 playable characters (which can create some amazing builds), five Battle Modes, and various tournaments that make players keep coming back for more. Mario and different beloved Nintendo characters battle it out to see who is the fastest driver and who is the best of the best when it comes to kart racing.

This is one of those games where players don't have to think about anything; they can simply be while driving around the tracks. This fact brings comfort to players and allows them to relax without worrying too much about their next move. Additionally, the ability to play with family and friends also makes this a comfortable game, and it can bring back amazing memories from childhood and help players create new ones.

5 Super Mario Party

A Family Game For Everyone To Enjoy

Super Mario Party
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Released
October 5, 2018
Developer(s)
NDcube
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Platform(s)
Switch

Super Mario Party is one of the best party games for families and friends to test their abilities against each other. The game starts with various characters from the Mushroom Kingdom as they argue over who is the Super Star of the kingdom. Suddenly, several more characters appear, all of whom are evil characters from the kingdom. They demand that they have a say in the contest, so everyone faces off to see who is the best of the best.

This game is such a comfort because players can play by themselves or with their friends and family. The game features a ton of mini-games (some of which are better than others) and boards that players can play on and compete to see who is the best. It is just one of those games where players don't need to worry too much about everything happening in the game. Instead, they can sit back and just enjoy the ride, focusing on one small little game at a time.

Super Mario Party Jamboree may overtake this game as the best game in the Super Mario Party series.

4 Super Mario 3D World

An Instant Classic In The Franchise

Super Mario 3D World
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Released
November 22, 2013
Developer(s)
Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Platform(s)
Switch, Nintendo Wii U

This game is one of the games within the 3D World line of Super Mario games. In it, Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Peach all work together to stop Bowser, who has gone to the Sprixie Kingdom and is trying to kidnap all the princesses there. The characters work together to solve puzzles, make it through various levels, and reach the World Castle, where they face off against Bowser to save the Sprixie Kingdom once and for all.

This game has a comforting art style and atmosphere that attracts a lot of players. The gameplay can be fast-paced or slow, depending on how players want to make it, which can allow players to sit back and take everything in. Additionally, having a game where all the characters are working together to defeat Bowser rather than one of the main characters being kidnapped by him allows for there to be less anxiety in the air as players roam the many worlds.

3 Super Mario Galaxy 2

Mario Taking On Outer Space Again

Super Mario Galaxy 2
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Released
May 23, 2010
Developer(s)
Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Platform(s)
Wii

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the second game in the Super Mario Galaxy line of games. It follows Mario as he, once again, tries to save Princess Peach. This time, Bowser attacks the castle during the Star Festival and, due to the festival, Bowser has Power Stars at his disposal, which easily capture Princess Peach for him and send Mario to space. Mario must then travel around various planets in search of Power Stars to finally find Bowser and save Princess Peach once and for all.

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This game is such a comfort because it is one of the most popular games in the franchise. The ability to explore outer space, visit the various planets, and just see all that the universe has to offer makes this game so relaxing. While players will need to obtain everything in order to save Princess Peach, the game doesn't make it feel rushed. Instead, players can take their time and truly check out all the different planets.

2 Super Mario Odyssey

A Spin On Mario's Classic Formula

Super Mario Odyssey
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Released
October 27, 2017
Developer(s)
Nintendo
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Platform(s)
Switch

Super Mario Odyssey was the first new 3D Super Mario game released for the Nintendo Switch, and it has been extremely popular. The game follows Mario and his new pal, Cappy, as they work together to get The Odyssey, a spaceship-like craft, up and running so that they can find Princess Peach and save her before she is forced to marry Bowser. Like always, Mario will need to travel through different worlds and levels, collecting Stars and saving his princess from evil.

What makes this game so comforting is that it is a game that a lot of first-time players were introduced to the game franchise with. Additionally, the game features some beautiful and relaxing levels that players can spend time exploring and looking for secrets within. Finally, the game offers a new mechanic where Cappy can be thrown at enemies, allowing Mario to transform into them. There is something uniquely comforting about traveling around a Mario game as one of the enemies.

1 Super Mario 3D All-Stars

Three Of The Best Games In One

Super Mario 3D All-Stars
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Released
September 18, 2020
Developer(s)
Nintendo
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Platform(s)
Switch

Super Mario 3D All-Stars is technically cheating to have the number one spot. This game features three of the most popular and well-loved Mario games to date: Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64), Super Mario Sunshine (GameCube), and Super Mario Galaxy (Wii). These three games are some of the most popular in the entire franchise due to the fact that they each were the best of the best Mario games that were released for the respective consoles. The game was released with these three in mind to celebrate Mario's 30th anniversary.

It doesn't take much to realize why this specific game is sitting at number one. Chances are, if players were kids during the N64, GameCube, or Wii eras, the Mario game from that console is the one that they first played, and more often than not, a player's first introduction to one of their favorite franchises can be the best one in that franchise (just like with the most comforting Pokemon games). Therefore, this one sits at the number one spot because it holds a lot of players' childhood memories all on one cartridge.

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