Nintendo’s Super Mario is one of the biggest video game icons (if not the biggest) out there, and it definitely has survived the test of time. After all, the platformer has been around since the ’80s and continues to thrive as Nintendo continues to be innovative with its gameplay while preserving certain elements that everyone loved about the franchise.
If you’ve played most of the classic Super Mario games out there and are looking for some alternatives before a new game from the franchise arrives, then this list is for you! We’ve listed down eight video games to play if you love Super Mario!
Shovel Knight
Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch
Released in 2014, Shovel Knight is an action-adventure indie game with an 8-bit retro aesthetic. In this game, you play the eponymous Shovel Knight who wields the Shovel Blade– a weapon he can use for digging and battles. Your quest as the Shovel Knight is to defeat the evil Enchantress and find his lost beloved.
Hollow Knight
Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch
Here’s another platformer knight to check out. Hollow Knight takes you to Hallownest, a ruined kingdom full of twisting caverns, ancient cities, and bizarre insects. As you progress, you get to develop more power, speed, and spells as the story unfolds. Befriend bugs, battle dangerous monsters, and face over 30 bosses in this charming, haunting, and ultimately fun-to-play indie game.
Cuphead
Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch
Now a Netflix show, Cuphead is a run-and-gun platform game that gained great popularity because of its eye-popping visuals that are based on classic cartoons from the 1930s. In this game, you play as Cuphead or Mugman as they traverse strange and whimsical worlds in their quest to pay their debt back to the Devil. Aside from the visuals, Cuphead also delivers a fun and challenging gameplay that would engage many players for hours.
Rayman Series
Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and other platforms
From Ubisoft, Rayman is another popular character when it comes to platform games. The common denominator of every Rayman game is its vibrant world filled with interesting foes and allies, and of course, the hero who has floating body parts and can literally throw a punch to defeat enemies and save the world!
Braid
Available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox
Braid is a platformer with a time-twisting spin. In this puzzle platformer, you play a character clad in a suit who has the ability to manipulate time in unusual ways, allowing the player to undo their death, dodge enemies in slow motion, and see alternate realities in-game! Much like Super Mario, you need to journey across different worlds to rescue an abducted princess and save the day.
Little Big Planet 3
Available on PlayStation
The Little Big Planet franchise is like the Super Mario of PlayStation. Embark on a quest with Sackboy and his friends across the creativity-powered planet Bunkum. Use the special abilities of OddSock, Swoop, and Toggle to solve puzzles and discover the many surprises hidden in their unexplored world.
Celeste
Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch
Celeste is a pixel platformer that delivers fun gameplay with beautiful environments and a compelling story to boot. Play as Madeline and embark on a journey to the top of Celeste Mountain, facing its perils and her inner demons and uncovering the mountain’s secrets along the way.
Super Meat Boy
Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch
Super Meat Boy is the platformer for hardcore gamers, given its ruthless difficulty. Play as the titular piece of meat as he tries to rescue his girlfriend from an evil fetus in a jar. Control Meat Boy across dangerous platforms filled with buzz saws, needles, and other deadly contraptions in over 300 levels sprinkled with epic boss fights.
ALSO READ
10 Best Indie Video Games on PC & Consoles That Are Worth Checking Out
10 Best Nintendo Switch Games to Make The Most of Those Joycons
Looking for more video games to play? Check out our latest video game lists. Stay in the loop and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
