Genre
- See also:List of games by genre
Video games classified by gameplay have differentgenres. With over 300 entries, theSuper Mario franchise has included a variety of different genres. The firstSuper Mario games were platformers, but the series has since spun off into various other genres.
Platform games[edit]
Platform games (often calledplatformers) require players to control a character who traverseslevels consisting of a multitude ofplatforms of varying elevations to reach or attain a particular goal. A staple mechanic of platformers is the ability tojump or otherwise perform acrobatic techniques to cross environments, both of which are concepts that have become the foundation of theSuper Mario franchise.
Many games of theSuper Mario franchise fall within the platformer genre, which itself can be divided into two sub-genres: two-dimensional and three-dimensional.
Two-dimensional (or2D)platformers (also known asside-scrollers) typically allow travel in only two directions, parallel to the player's view of the game. These infrequently feature some third-dimensional gameplay features (such as plane-hopping inVirtual Boy Wario Land), and modern side-scrollers tend to be rendered with three-dimensional graphics, as in theNew Super Mario Bros. subseries. These are still considered side-scrollers, as their movement is still generally restricted to the lateral plane. Two-dimensional entries in theSuper Mario series tend to feature linear, left-to-right gameplay objectives.
Three-dimensional (or3D)platformers allow travel across multiple horizontal axes, either with the use of three-dimensional graphics rendering (as inSuper Mario 64) or with parallel visual projection techniques applied to two-dimensional images (as inSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars). Three-dimensional entries in theSuper Mario series tend to explore more non-linear gameplay progression, although some entries such asSuper Mario 3D Land are structured much like their side-scrolling counterparts.
As theSuper Mario franchise is rooted in platforming gameplay, most entries and genre spinoffs still include platforming elements, including those that do not typically feature platforming elements, such as puzzle games and RPGs. As a result, the series frequently blurs the lines between genre definitions.
For the list of platform games, seeCategory:Platforming games.
Role-playing games[edit]
Role-playing games (often abbreviated asRPGs) are games where players act as Mario in a longform story. Traditionally, an RPG consists of two types of gameplay: an "overworld" portion where Mario moves around the game world and interacts with other game characters, and a "battle" portion where Mario fights enemies encountered in the overworld gameplay. RPGs commonly include detailed storylines and a large cast of characters. Battles usually assign all involved characters numerical stats, which are used in the battle to determine the results of attacks.Leveling up is a common conceit, allowing the player to increase their stats to make the characters stronger. RPGs often have playable characters aside from Mario, who have different abilities and stats compared to him.
Another common feature in RPGs is the ability to equip weapons, armor,clothing,badges, and accessories. These items can be bought atshops or be found inblocks andtreasure chests, and often have the effect of further increasing stats. Many games have special moves, which are stronger than the normal attacks that characters use. They are learned by the characters as the player progresses through the game and cost points (e.g.,Bros. Points in theMario & Luigi series) in order to use them.
Mario's first appearance in an RPG was inSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Later, thePaper Mario series andMario & Luigi series were introduced. Role-playing games of theSuper Mario franchise often contain platforming elements. For instance, Mario still jumps as his primary action in the "overworld" gameplay, and moving through areas sometimes requires jumping across platforms. NormalSuper Mario–franchise enemies, such asGoombas andKoopa Troopas, make appearances.
The battle system usually involves Mario, hispartner(s), and enemies taking turns to attack. Attacks usually haveAction Commands, meaning that the attacks are more effective if the player makes an input at the correct time during the animation. Similarly, Action Commands can be used against enemy attacks, causing them to inflict reduced damage to the player characters.
ThePaper Mario series differs slightly from the other RPGs because the damage andHP ratio is lower and Mario and his partner always attack first. The characters' attack power is increased by collectinghammers, boots, orHP-Up Hearts rather than leveling up.Paper Mario is also split into chapters for which stars Mario must get, and it has chapter bosses, with minibosses along the way, while neither really exists in the other RPGs; only bosses exist, identifiable by different battle theme and higher HP (and often they are characters).
In theMario & Luigi series, instead of using Action Commands to block attacks, gameplay revolves around avoiding enemy attacks. Many attacks can also becountered, fully negating the attack and inflicting damage onto the opponent.
Various other games incorporate RPG elements, stats, and levels, but they are not traditional RPGs in the sense the aforementioned series are.Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition combines the puzzle genre with the RPG genre. Enemy characters can damage the player's characters with Skills after a certain number of turns have passed. By matchingOrbs in the puzzle gameplay, the player's characters can damage the enemies. Other examples of games using RPG mechanics are some of the handheld games of theMario Tennis series andMario Golf series, namelyMario Tennis andMario Golf for theGame Boy Color,Mario Tennis: Power Tour andMario Golf: Advance Tour for theGame Boy Advance, andMario Golf: World Tour for theNintendo 3DS. Players can purchase equipment and level up to increase their stats as they do in an RPG, which makes the characters stronger in the sport gameplay.
For the list of role-playing games, seeCategory:Role-playing games.
Party games[edit]
Party games are games usually involving shortminigames. This genre is dominated by theMario Party series, but theWarioWare series,Itadaki Street DS,Fortune Street, and theMario & Sonic series are also part of it. While most party games involve multiple players, some party games are single player, such as certainWarioWare games. Luck is a large factor in party games, but players must also have a certain degree of skill. Party games are usually designed for casual gameplay rather than serious competitive gameplay, although many also have story modes that can be completed.
Racing games[edit]
Racing games involve speedy competitions with other characters. The main objective in racing games is to reach thefinish line before the other racers and attain first place. Nearly allSuper Mario racing games are part of theMario Kart series, except forDiddy Kong Racing,Diddy Kong Racing DS, andDonkey Kong: Barrel Blast. All racing games in theSuper Mario franchise involve items or power-ups that can do various things such as slow down the other racers and speed up the player. Racing games also build on this by providing battle modes in which items are used as weapons. Online racing was introduced with the release ofMario Kart DS and is integrated in everySuper Mario racing game since.
For the list of racing games, seeCategory:Racing games.
Sports games[edit]
TheSuper Mario franchise contains a large number of games based on sports. Most conventional sports games favor simulation, butSuper Mario sports games are usually more arcadey. They often feature items and obstacles, adding fantasy elements to the base gameplay. Racing and fighting games are sub-genres of sports games. The genre started withGolf for theNintendo Entertainment System. This genre ofSuper Mario games did not become well-known until the release of theNintendo 64 with games such asMario Golf andMario Tennis for the Nintendo 64. Currently,Super Mario sports games includegolf,racing,tennis,soccer,basketball,fighting, andbaseball. Certain games simulate multiple sports, with each sport being a mode. The gamesMario Sports Mix andMario Sports Superstars have four and five sports, respectively. Sports without a dedicatedSuper Mario game have been part of these games, such as volleyball and horse racing. Lastly, theMario & Sonic series is a party/sports game series where every minigame is an Olympic event, resulting in games with over fifteen sports available. That means each game has more sports available than any otherSuper Mario game, and most of them have not appeared in otherSuper Mario games. Standard gameplay in this series has limited fantasy elements compared to otherSuper Mario sports games.
For the list of sports games, seeCategory:Sports games.
Puzzle games[edit]
Puzzle games test the player's knowledge and reflexes. The objective in mostSuper Mario puzzle games is to clear the screen of various objects, similar to that inTetris. However, a fewSuper Mario puzzle games incorporate different types of gameplay, such asMario's Picross. Games belonging to this genre include theDr. Mario series,Wario's Woods,Yoshi's Cookie, andPuzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. Puzzle games tend to feature no items and a relatively large cast of characters.
For the list of puzzle games, seeCategory:Puzzle games.
Fighting games[edit]
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Fighting games pit characters against each other in combat. The objective of most fighting games is to knock out the other characters. Fighting games are a sub-genre of sports games. This genre has exclusively been a part of the crossoverSuper Smash Bros. series.
Mario's first appearance in a fighting game was as a referee inPunch-Out!!; additionally, theWii game of the same name featuresDonkey Kong as a bonus opponent. Mario's first playable role in a fighting game was inSuper Smash Bros., along withLuigi,Yoshi, and Donkey Kong.Bowser,Princess Peach, andDr. Mario were later playable inSuper Smash Bros. Melee, and the former two returned inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, along withWario andDiddy Kong appearing as newcomers. Dr. Mario was readded as a fighter along with all aforementioned characters inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS andSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U, which also introducedRosalina andBowser Jr. as fighters, andPrincess Daisy,King K. Rool, andPiranha Plant made their appearances as newcomers inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. Instead of depleting the enemy's health, the player must knock the enemy off the screen. Items and obstacles are also available, whereas most fighting games do not have them.
Educational games[edit]
Educational games (specificallyedutainment games) are aimed at younger players and are intended to educate as well as entertain them. The premise of educational games is generally to solve mysteries or simply learn how to do something, such as typing or math. A relatively small number of games in theSuper Mario franchise are educational games (including theMario Discovery Series), most of which were developed by third-party companies.
For the list of educational games, seeCategory:Educational games.
Rhythm games[edit]
Rhythm games are games where the player must time button presses on a game controller ordance pad in order to match the beat of music played during the game and the timing of symbols that appear onscreen. There are a fewSuper Mario rhythm games:Mario Undōkai andDance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix are based on theDance Dance Revolution series, while theDonkey Konga series (Donkey Konga,Donkey Konga 2, andDonkey Konga 3) is based on theTaiko no Tatsujin series by the same developers and utilizes theDK Bongos as a controller. All of these games feature minigames in addition to the rhythm-based gameplay, and with the exception ofMario Undōkai, they can be played with a standardNintendo GameCube controller.
In addition to these games, characters from theWarioWare series make appearances in the gameRhythm Heaven Megamix.
Rail shooters[edit]
Rail shooters are games played from a first-person perspective, where the player must shoot all the enemies on the screen while following a specific route. The only rail shooters in theSuper Mario franchise areYoshi's Safari, which requires the use of theSuper Scope in single-player mode, andLuigi's Mansion Arcade, which uses the arcade machine itself as a controller.
Turn-based tactics games[edit]
Turn-based tactics games involve turn-based combat gameplay characteristic of an RPG, usually in a warfare-like scenario. The combat involves the player tactfully positioning their characters to attack and defend against enemies. The only games in theSuper Mario franchise with this genre are those in theMario + Rabbids series.
TheMario Party series does also include game modes that merge aspects of both the turn-based tactics and party genres, specificallyToad Scramble inMario Party: Star Rush andPartner Party inSuper Mario Party.
Shoot 'em up games[edit]
Shoot 'em up games involve fast-paced action, where the player must shoot down waves of enemies while dodging enemy fire. The only games in theSuper Mario franchise in this genre areDonkey Kong 3 and its semi-sequel,Donkey Kong 3: Dai Gyakushū. Specifically, they are fixed shooter games, where the player and enemies are confined to a single screen, although the original also features platforming elements.
OtherSuper Mario games have shoot 'em up segments, such as theMarine Pop andSky Pop stages inSuper Mario Land, and various microgames throughout theWarioWare series, such asNose Dive.
