Board 8 > IGN's Top 10 Super Mario Levels

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXJQ4z6AouQ

The list only includes the main platforming series (Yoshi's Island is considered a Yoshi game by them, not a Mario game).

It's a decent list, all things considered (although it feels kinda inconsistent with sometimes naming singular levels and sometimes naming entire worlds). I don't think any of their choices are bad, at least (except maybe Bianco Hills. There are probably 3, maybe 4, Sunshine worlds better than that one). I'd have included a full blown 64 world (although Bowser in the Sky is probably the best final level in a Mario game) and Grandmaster Galaxy from Galaxy 2 (a better version of Darker Side of the Moon).

I figured it's a decent time for a Mario level discussion in the wake of the movie, and this video felt like a good launching point for it.

Yeah it's weird that they didn't include a major course from 64. And Blanco Hills is pretty good but I probably would have made Ricco Harbor my Sunshine pick.

LeonhartFour posted...

I figured it's a decent time for a Mario level discussion in the wake of the movie, and this video felt like a good launching point for it.

Very well, I'll put in my two cents with my probably pretty controversial 64 level ranking.

Top Tier:
Big Boo's Haunt
Wet-Dry World
Whomp's Fortress

High Tier:
Cool Cool Mountain
Lethal Lava Land
Hazy Maze Cave
Tick Tock Clock

Mid Tier:
Bob-Omb Battlefield
Tall Tall Mountain
Rainbow Ride
Tiny Huge Island

Low Tier:
Jolly Roger Bay
Snowman's Land
Dire Dire Docks

Bottom Tier:
Shifting Sand Land

Odyssey, SMB3 and Galaxy 1 all have the right choices there. 64 maybe.

Grandmaster Galaxy is the real choice.

Sunken Ghost Ship is weird. Why not Donut Hills instead of specifically the first level? It's a bit inconsistent with that yeah. Not sure what SMW stage is best though. Pretty consistent quality.

Bianco Hills is not contender for best Sunshine level.

I assume 1-1 is just there for legacy reasons.

did they count all of bowser's fury as a single level

Most of these are pretty good picks, even if they're not the choices I would have gone for. In particular I'd probably have a different pick for Galaxy and its sequel, maybe more than one even.

Honestly I don't think 1-1 belongs here. Like it's clearly iconic but putting that aside I'm not sure what it does to earn it such a high placement.

Hbthebattle posted...

did they count all of bowser's fury as a single level

Yep

this list is so weird and inconsistent

1-1 is a really shitty choice from SMB1 too, even 1-2 would be a really good choice imo but 1-1 isn't

the best Mario level is probably one of the ones in Galaxy where you get an ice flower and can ice skate around

I love the spinny ice skating jump

edit: oh, thats totally the Galaxy stage they went with. Good for them.

What a bizarre list. It's almost as if it was specifically designed to be controversial!

yeah I guess it is just a dumb list, huh

Two selections from Super Mario World is a strange choice. And I dont think either of them are even the best choices from that game.

andylt posted...

What a bizarre list. It's almost as if it was specifically designed to be controversial!

I'd say the exact opposite. This list was designed to be super safe.

Only way it could've been safer would be to include Bob-omb's Battlefield...!

Aw jeez I guess my favorite one is the one that's a full video game and not a specific level.

You can't spell "ignorant" without IGN.

Something from 2

They included all the basic safe choices, except the 1 basic safe choice I would have voted (BobOmb Battlefield).

Best Mario stage is 6-3 from Mario 35. I know it's the same as Mario 1, but specifying Mario 35 because it was the greatest field leveler and game ender for multiplayer.

top 10 Mario levels:

1 any Galaxy level where you can ice skate

2 boosters tower

3 that first smw stage with the cape

4 the last desert level of super Mario land

5 the kuribos shoe level

6 probably the train from Paper Mario 2 but its been a long time since I played it

7 new donk

8 that Galaxy 2 level thats just Whomps Fortress

9 all the obvious iconic first levels of the games that everyone loves by default because theyre first

10 probably something from 3D world but I dont remember specific levels well enough to say which.. maybe one of the ones that is a train? Is that 3D world? I like train levels in games.

honorable mention: theres probably a NSMB Wii or U level that legitimately belongs in the top 10 design wise but is unfairly discriminated against for being from a NSMB game

7-7 from SMB3.