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[maxcriden]

With Mario Odyssey fast approaching (in just four months!), I thought it would be a nice time to reminisce about our favorite levels in Mario games.

Here are some of my faves.

SMB3 - W8-2

This is the second of the Angry Sun levels and I enjoyed these quite a bit. There's no enemy quite like this in the other 2D Mario games so it's fun and challenging to have a couple levels in (the amazing) SMB3 dedicated to evading this fiery foe.

Super Mario 64 - Big Penguin Race

For some reason I always thought it was the Mother Penguin you race in this level but I guess my Mario lore knowledge is not what I thought it was as this is evidently a different penguin per Mario Wiki. Anyway, I think this level is memorably special between the music, the fairly early example of a platformer race in 3D space, and just the general frenzy of excitement that comes with playing this particular level. One of my faves in SM64 for sure. I've got the music stuck in my head now.

SMG - Various

I can't pick just one level from this game.

Bee Mario is the first transformation you're introduced to in the game and it is a significant departure from any other 3D Mario power-up -- IIRC, it is the first anthropomorphic power-up in a 3D Mario game. In the vein of the SMB3 Tanooki and Frog power-ups, this transformation allows you a set of bee-like abilities, including adherence to all things honey and limited flight. (It's also adorable.) Taking flight for the first time as Bee Mario is very memorable to me in this game.

I also like the Boo Mario power-up a lot. (I know there was a level where you outrun some Boos in a Crash Bandicoot-style level but maybe that is in SMG2. I don't recall if you even use the Boo power-up in that one, though.) I remember the Luigi and the Haunted Mansion level being very fun and them highlight being Boo Mario's introduction.

I previously featured Gearmo in my thread Great video game composters that went missing in action. This minigame was very difficult and all too satisfying to complete. There is a hint in the level design but I think I missed it when we originally played the game.

If you are naturally adept at upside-down 2D platforming this level may have been a cakewalk for you, but for myself (and some others from what I've read online) Dreadnought Galaxy's Battlestation's Purple Coins level is obscenely difficult, the most difficult in the game in fact. I have fond memories of playing this level into the late hours of the night with my wife (then girlfriend) in our college dorm room, bleary eyed and practically delirious from dozens and dozens (and more dozens) of retries. It was super satisfying to complete, though.

Some of the more gimmick-heavy levels in SMG are oft-maligned, and while I am absolutely awful at the Manta Ray levels I really like the rolling ball levels a lot, and Rolling Gizmo was the second and more difficult of these in the first game.

Luigi's Purple Coins in Toy Time Galaxy is one of the last stars, if not the last star, that we obtained in SMG. The platforming I just found to be especially tricky and put pure platforming skills to the test as much as anything else in the game. Very fun level.

NSMB Wii 8-7

We recently revisited NSMBW to get the Star Coins and in doing so unlocked W9, and on our way through this replay got any secret exits we missed. We had to look some up. It was a treat coming upon this Spine Coaster level, though. This is one of my favorite level gimmicks from the NSMB games and it was neat to see its origins here as I hadn't realized it was created in this entry. Its implementation in this level was exciting and fun, providing the adrenaline-filled feeling of riding a coaster through a platformer with plenty of tricky jumps, especially for Star Coins. The Spine Coaster levels in later games are also great.

SMG2 - Hot-Stepping Dash Pepper and Cosmic Clone Wall Jumpers

I remember this level just being fun insanity as you loop de loop with Yoshi at top speed.

The utter frenzy of cosmic clones chasing you as you wall jump on alternatingly disappearing walls is just delicious chaos

NSMBU - Run For It

This level, part of Superstar Road, provides fast-paced platforming designed around use of P Switches. It almost feels like a precursor to the concise and difficult levels in NSLU. I remember it taking me a whole lot of tries.

SM3DW - Blast Block Skyway

EBF's favorite Mario level gimmick, in one of its harder forms. Delightfully tricky level. I still can't beat Champion's Road as of the last time I tried so I don't feel like I can call it a fave yet.

 

[Thatanas]

1-1

The perfect tutorial.

 

[LewieP]

Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy.

Because you touch fuzzy and you get dizzy.

 

[TheRedSnifit]

Champion's Road is the GOAT.

 

[Magnus]

Gusty Garden Galaxy. It's this perfect 'let's TAKE OFF' moment in SMG1 where you're really getting into the game in earnest, combined with soaring gravity play and the greatest piece on the entire soundtrack. It's amazing.

I can't wait to finally try Champion's Road in SM3DW, but it's so frustrating that it's locked behind 100% the game. Killed my interest when I found out. It's a bit of a slog to revisit every single level and get every single item in order to access this final level.

 

[maxcriden]

There's a level in 3D World with a lot of blue fire and blue lava, I liked that one a lot.

There are four, I think.

https://www.mariowiki.com/Fort_Fire_Bros.

https://www.mariowiki.com/Boiling_Blue_Bully_Belt

https://www.mariowiki.com/Faster_Fort_Fire_Bros.

https://www.mariowiki.com/Broken_Blue_Bully_Belt

Gusty Garden Galaxy. It's this perfect 'let's TAKE OFF' moment in SMG1 where you're really getting into the game in earnest, combined with soaring gravity play and the greatest piece on the entire soundtrack. It's amazing.

I can't wait to finally try Champion's Road in SM3DW, but it's so frustrating that it's locked behind 100% the game. Killed my interest when I found out. It's a bit of a slog to revisit every single level and get every single item in order to access this final level.

In doing so you get access to a bunch of other levels though, right? Unless I am misremembering.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Of recent vintage:

World Bowser-1 Spiky Spike Bridge
Super Mario 3D World

As Max mentioned in the OT, I really enjoy Mario levels where you constantly have to be mindful of where you're standing. Combined that with music and gorgeous raindrops cascading down the screen, I adore this level.

 

[Puruzi]

Champion's Road

It's challenging but fair, an extremely fun to play stage, and a good way to cap the perfect Mario game

 

[maxcriden]

Of recent vintage:

World Bowser-1 Spiky Spike Bridge
Super Mario 3D World

As Max mentioned in the OT, I really enjoy Mario levels where you constantly have to be mindful of where you're standing. Combined that with music and gorgeous raindrops cascading down the screen, I adore this level.

Oh, yeah, this is an excellent one. The rain effects are absolutely out of this world and the spikes have an extra perilous feel to them.

Fake edit: I forgot there is also Spiky Spike Bridge Sneak, which is devilishly difficult.

 

[theechrisfox]

Cheese Bridge in Super Mario World has to be my favorite. The secret exit is immensely well-hidden (how would anyone find it without a guide!?), leading to the terrific Soda Lake. You can also upgrade your Yoshi to Blue using a question block. If you bypass that, it is super fun flying through the level on Yoshi while bouncing off the saws. Great level design.

 

[Mexen]

World 2-2
The music.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

World 2-2
The music.

Um...which game?

 

[Ogodei]

Super Mario World: Pretty much everything in the Forest Of Illusion.

Mario 64: Tiny Huge Island, Rainbow Ride, Wet-Dry World, Tall Tall Mountain

Mario Sunshine, specific Shines: The Manta Storm, King Boo Down Below, Uncork the Waterfall.

Mario Galaxy: Buoy Base, Freezeflame Galaxy.

 

[Mexen]

Um...which game?

Super Mario Bros

 

[maxcriden]

World 2-2
The music.

I know what you mean. In replying the game on NES Classic I was amazed as I'd forgotten how that iconic tune debuted so far back. I always think of the classic Mario theme but not the underwater theme.

 

[13ruce]

Tuddududuudduudududu dudududu dudududdu dududududud duduudu dududududdu duduududu duud dudubdudud dududu.

Yes it's thst bomb omb level in Mario 64.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

I think my favorite Galaxy level is actually Clockwork Ruins from SMG 2.

Just a nice little platforming gauntlet with incredible music. All of the platforming gimmicks in this level had been done before in other Mario games, but never better. This level had the best and most novel rotating platform segment I've ever seen in a Mario game. The best 'walls that slide out and become platforms' segment. The best 'oh shit you're being chased downhill' segment. And so on. Just the best platforming in the Galaxy series, all-aroudn, if you ask me.

 

[QuixoticNeutral]

I can't wait to finally try Champion's Road in SM3DW, but it's so frustrating that it's locked behind 100% the game. Killed my interest when I found out. It's a bit of a slog to revisit every single level and get every single item in order to access this final level.

If you think hitting every star/stamp/flagpole is too much work to get to Champion's Road, you're not ready for Champion's Road.

 

[Zocano]

Noki Bay from Sunshine. Pretty handily, too.

Though Sunshine had a lot of really fun levels.

edit: Oh right, the why:

Partly due to scale, and partly due to fun verticality. In tandem with the backpack, you can have some really fun ways to explore the level. There aren't a lot of levels like this in the Mario games which is why it always stood out to me.

 

[maxcriden]

If you think hitting every star/stamp/flagpole is too much work to get to Champion's Road, you're not ready for Champion's Road.

I forgot about the flagpole. But if you make it a point to get that when getting the stars or stamp you missed it's not so bad, and at least you don't need to do it with every character, unless you want every stamp.

 

[mrmickfran]

Every level from Galaxy except those FUCKING TRASH STARS

 

[Steve McQueen]

Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy.

Because you touch fuzzy and you get dizzy.

Came to post this. Fantastic stuff.

 

[Courage]

Wet Dry World for a perfect balance between platforming challenge and exploration. I also love how weird it looks; they even managed to fit in a secret town for the red coin star.

 

[bennywhatever]

I LOVED the water level in Mario Land.

Also, Muda Kingdom was pretty cool because of the amazing music and the random space ship.

 

[maxcriden]

Every level from Galaxy except those FUCKING TRASH STARS

The Gearmo ones in the OP? those are delightful.

I LOVED the water level in Mario Land.

Also, Muda Kingdom was pretty cool because of the amazing music and the random space ship.

Really under-appreciated and bizarre Mario game. I loved discovering the 1-3 shortcut as a kid. It was a surreal teleporter-type device.

Are there any other shmup-style levels in Mario games? I suppose there's the top-down level in 3DW.

Now I have the SML music stuck in my head, which happens all the time.

 

[dickroach]

Super Mario Bros 3 - World 4

just the aesthetic of "holy shit everything's gigantic" is so cool

Super Mario World - Cheese Bridge

A really well designed level. It's a fun little moving platform level that can be kind of tricky, but not too hard if you try to play it regularly, or you can cheese it by either hopping off a few of the buzzsaws with a Yoshi and then grabbing the wings, or doing this

New Super Mario Bros Wii - 7-6

A pleasant change of pace. Another floor-less moving platform level. the mechanic that the little beetles rise and the fat beetles fall after you land on them makes this level pretty damn tricky.

Super Mario 3D World - Sprawling Savanna

The most open level in the game. Mario stops being a dumb cat and turns into a vicious predator

 

[Ninja Dom]

Any Super Mario Run levels?

 

[Dantrist]

Super Mario 3D World
Super Mario 3D World is the one I remember best since it's the most recent one. I remember there being lots of really creative level ideas, both in style and gameplay, which is why I really enjoyed it. The ones that stood out to me most are:

Captain Toad levels
Extremely charming puzzle levels in which perspective plays a big role. I am not surprised they made a full game out of these levels, though I sadly sold my Wii U before I bought Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Hopefully it makes its way to the Switch eventually.

Mount Must Dash
I just enjoyed how it looked like Super Mario Kart. Nothing more, nothing less. There's speed boosts all over the course and the finish line at the end was a nice touch.

Hands-on Hall
This level is filled with beautiful traditional Japanese design. You start inside, where you can open the Shōji doors (thanks Wikipedia) by using the touch screen on your Wii U Gamepad. You also get the opportunity to disguise yourself as a goomba, thus being able to walk past enemies. When you're done inside you go on top of the pretty roof that you see in the picture.

The Great Goal Pole
Because it's one of, if not the biggest curveball a Mario game has thrown at me. Just look:

Champions Road
Because it's just insanely difficult, but never unfair. After I finished this level I truly felt like I had completed the game, which was rewarding.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

Wet Dry World for a perfect balance between platforming challenge and exploration. I also love how weird it looks; they even managed to fit in a secret town for the red coin star.

The most over-hated Mario map. A true classic, with one of the best and most fleshed out 'hidden areas' in the entire game - a large underwater Block Fort to explore and manipulate.

 

[maxcriden]

Any Super Mario Run levels?

I'm Android phone and older iPad iiOS only so barely got to play. You have any faves from SMR?

 

[jnWake]

Nice picks on the OP.

Some that come to mind quickly:

Double Cherry Pass (3D World). The Double Cherry is an insane mechanic and the music is lovely.

Sweet Mystery Galaxy (Galaxy 2). The graphics and music are so pretty. Don't really remember if the level is fun but the setting's enough to make it one of the best to me.

 

[Nocturnowl]

Great varied OP max, I have to bring this thread back up with that effort.
Gonna go chronologically here...

Super Mario Bros 3: World 3-3 and 3-8 (The Big Bertha stages)
The bitesize nature of SMB3 stages makes picking out one stage in particular pretty tricky, a quick honourable mention to the world 4 stage with the doors flipping you between giant and normal sizes and World 5 as a whole.

But I'll always remember the Big Bertha stages, the giant cheep cheep monstrosity that will gobble you up instantly puts the fear of death straight into you, couple that with the shifting water levels make this an always engaging and frantic pair of stages.
A gimmick that returns in other titles albeit with the less deadly porcu puffer, the gulping insta-death legacy lives on in the yoshi series mind you. As an aside, you better believe I pumped my fist when playing the Spectre Knight campaign in Shovel Knight and seeing a Big Bertha homage in its water stage.

Super Mario World: Vanilla Fortress
Hey look, more water! no don't run away!
For a game with rather basic visuals there's a level of atmosphere in the damp dungeon here that's nearly unmatched in SMW, on top of that encountering castle hazards with an underwater twist puts a cool spin on the usual tropes. A lot of SMW's water stages are pretty middling, this however is not one of them.

Super Mario 64: Bowser in the Fire Sea
Tall Tall Mountain's mysterious mountainside almost had this, then I remembered the more direct Bowser stages and noticeably the fiery obstacle course that is the second Bowser stage which has a whole host of small gimmicks crammed into one multi layered stage. Red coins are probably at their best here and as for Bowser, that tilt effect was dope as heck at the time!

Super Mario Sunshine: The Shell's Secret
After partaking in some very wide open bouncy tightrope scaling in Noki Bay you get one of Sunshine's numerous FLUDD-less stages and this is by far my favourite. It's basically straight up platforming goodness that can actually require the use of triple jump, it's not just for theatrics anymore!

Super Mario Galaxy: Matter Splatter Galaxy
I will defend Spring Mario to my grave, though while this isn't the best example of that power up, the overall stage concept is just too damn cool to pass up.
The area is a void of nothingness but splashes and movement of a strange substance reveals that there's more than what it seems. Thus ensues a race to keep up with said matter splatter.

New Super Mario Bros Wii: 9-7
We're back to the SMB3 bitesize issue, I'm rather fond of a few World 7 stages, a number of the castles (Wendy's in particular) and anything involving the Penguin Suit (4-1 is a great open water playground).
But you know there's that one stage, the stage that has the game's ultimate challenge. Welcome to 9-7, a rare case of aesthetic variety as the jungle theme gets iced over and filled with fire spewing baddies that will melt the floor into either munchers or bottomless pits. The infamous part of this stage is a star coin below an ice block bridge that contains a fire bro just wrecking the level design, that shit is dastardly and I love the stage for it.

Super Mario Galaxy 2: Melty Monster Galaxy's magnificent magma sea
THAT FINAL SECTION IS THE COOLEST USE OF PLANETOIDS IN THE GAME! AHHHHH!

credit to peachifruit for this wonderful pic that I always recall for this stage

See also a billion other stages like wicked wall jumps, cloudy court and more because SMG2 is fabulous.

New Super Mario Bros 2: Boohemoth stages (world 2 and world flower ghost houses)
There's not a lot new about NSMB2 but this goofy arse looking ghost is in fact a NSMB2 exclusive. Now personally I think Ghost Houses kinda smell so the NSMB games tending to lean them more in the direction of action stages works fine for me.
Boohemoth is notable for bringing one of my favourite gimmicks into play that Mario often ignores and that is being chased by something deadly. Interestingly though it's a slow chase, this is effectively an autoscroller. You can halt Boohemoth by looking at him but see this guy is bolder than most boos, after a few secs he'll peek out and start pushing through Mario's glare regardless which is adorable....oh and he's a ONE HIT KO!
GODDAMN, BOOHEMOTH THE BIGGEST BADASS SINCE BIG BERTHA!

New Super Luigi U: Under Construction
Between both U and Luigi U it's admittedly tough to remember all the stages, especially when a number of Wii's ideas are remixed to boot (the water bubbles in the sky being a favourite). When it comes down to it though there's an embarrassment of riches from a level design standpoint across this pair, and the co-op classic "Run For It" was already covered...
So here's a good ol' stage that builds itself outing with the bonus of having that Starry Night inspired backdrop everyone likes to fawn over, except me funnily enough, I like it enough but it clashes with Mario and the enemies.

Super Mario 3D World: Beep Block Skyway
Yeah I skipped Land because between the extra worlds I can't recall which stuff actually stood out, World's stages a more memorable as a whole so there's tougher competition.
Searchlight Sneak for instance is pretty hilarious in multiplayer (spoilers: there is not much sneaking). But I wanted a stage with the double cherry for obvious reasons like "it's so cool!", fortunately here's one where manoeuvring your clone brigade comes with a fun gimmick that also goes with the rather funky music, slick.

 

[Barry Burton]

Deepwater Dungeon (8-5) from Super Mario 3D World stands out to me. So much variety to it, between the Plessie section and the 2D floating water platforming.

And also, Champions Road is incredible.

 

[maxcriden]

Awesome picks, all, especially dickroach and Nocturnowl with your myriad selections. Matter Splatter almost made my list, too, I have some fond memories of playing it. Honestly there are so many incredibly memorable levels in SMG/2/3DW alone that it is an absolute embarrassment of platforming riches.

P.S. it sounds like I need to get back to my NSMB2 replay where I was going for 100%... The secret exits were making me feel so dumb tho ;__;

 

[barneystuta83]

1-1

The perfect tutorial.

This.

 

[Bakercat]

Does the paper mario games count? I really love the fighting arena in the sky from TTYD. It reminded me of professional wrestling so much and I think that's what drew me to it. I tend to have many more memories of paper mario levels than the platforming games to be honest. I love super mario world and sunshine to death, but I can't necessarily pick which part I liked the most, I just see them as a whole.

 

[SuperDowns]

All of a sudden I want them to port Super Mario 3D World Deluxe.

 

[JinjoUnchained]

Some random ones that come to mind:

Super Mario 3D Land: World 5-2. In case you haven't played it, I loved the twist that it's a

Spoiler

Zelda dungeon in a Mario game.

Super Mario Bros: World 1-2. The debut of the iconic underground theme plus the mind blowing secret that Mario can break the fourth wall and go over the level.

Super Mario Bros 2: World 4-2. This level is intense! Dodging flying shy guys, riding massive whales, and jacking a shy guys cannon ride to navigate a spike floor before a fun Birdo fight. There's a sense of spectacle and challenge here that's very impressive for the time.

Super Mario Galaxy: Space Junk Galaxy. Of all the galaxy levels, this one feels the most ethereal and remote to me. Floating through the pitch black endless night to a brilliant theme, that's what the galaxy series is all about to me.

 

[maxcriden]

Some random ones that come to mind:

Super Mario 3D Land: World 5-2. In case you haven't played it, I loved the twist that it's a

Spoiler

Zelda dungeon in a Mario game.

Super Mario Bros: World 1-2. The debut of the iconic underground theme plus the mind blowing secret that Mario can break the fourth wall and go over the level.

Super Mario Bros 2: World 4-2. This level is intense! Dodging flying shy guys, riding massive whales, and jacking a shy guys cannon ride to navigate a spike floor before a fun Birdo fight. There's a sense of spectacle and challenge here that's very impressive for the time.

Super Mario Galaxy: Space Junk Galaxy. Of all the galaxy levels, this one feels the most ethereal and remote to me. Floating through the pitch black endless night to a brilliant theme, that's what the galaxy series is all about to me.

Oh, I really like these choices. I forgot all about the 3DL 5-2 level gimmick. I was so stoked to play that. I think I know the SMB2 level you mea, also. Some of the SMB2 levels are crazy stressful to play, especially when slowdown is a factor also.

 

[purseowner]

This is a lovely idea for a thread.

Enjoying reading through everyone's picks and need to go away and have a long thing about my own. Too much to choose from.

 

[maxcriden]

This is a lovely idea for a thread.

Enjoying reading through everyone's picks and need to go away and have a long thing about my own. Too much to choose from.

Looking forward to reading your faves, purse!

 

[KJRS_1993]

I love Big Boo's Haunted House in Mario 64, with the hidden doors, scary piano and creepy Merry-Go-Round in the basement.

 

[Little Mons†er]

Max slay @ your flawless tasTe!

Another fave of mine is the Cherry level in 3D world where you first get the double cherry power up!

Sunshines had some memorable levels too

Like that Stingray boss fight

 

[maxcriden]

Max slay @ your flawless tasTe!

Another fave of mine is the Cherry level in 3D world where you first get the double cherry power up!

Sunshines had some memorable levels too

Like that Stingray boss fight

*bows* thank you LM!!

Cherry level you mentioned is awesome - as is the top down shooter cherry level!

(There's also a trickier version of this level but I'm unsure as to whether it features a double cherry.)

 

[JinjoUnchained]

Oh, I really like these choices. I forgot all about the 3DL 5-2 level gimmick. I was so stoked to play that. I think I know the SMB2 level you mea, also. Some of the SMB2 levels are crazy stressful to play, especially when slowdown is a factor also.

Saw this thread today and thought "didn't Max do this thread a few weeks ago?" I'd be fine if this got bumped every few weeks for new people to post; it's fun to see everyone's different choices. Favorite Zelda dungeon would be fun too

Spoiler

Sky Keep FTW

 

[maxcriden]

Saw this thread today and thought "didn't Max do this thread a few weeks ago?" I'd be fine if this got bumped every few weeks for new people to post; it's fun to see everyone's different choices. Favorite Zelda dungeon would be fun too

Spoiler

Sky Keep FTW

Grazie, I figured we were still within the recency window so a bump would be alright. I really hoped to see more faves...my hardest Mario level thread a few years back was much more popular.

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=742783

(My OP was sorely lacking in that one, though.)

Spoiler

Sky Keep is great. As are many of Skyward's dungeons!

 

[Wood Man]

Mount Must Dash
I just enjoyed how it looked like Super Mario Kart. Nothing more, nothing less. There's speed boosts all over the course and the finish line at the end was a nice touch.

I loved this level. Such a nice touch to the game.

 

[valkillmore]

Noki Bay from Sunshine. Pretty handily, too.

Though Sunshine had a lot of really fun levels.

edit: Oh right, the why:

Partly due to scale, and partly due to fun verticality. In tandem with the backpack, you can have some really fun ways to explore the level. There aren't a lot of levels like this in the Mario games which is why it always stood out to me.

Yes!

 

[Ryouji Gunblade]

Vanilla Secret 3 of Super Mario World

It has a classic big-fish-is-out-to-kill-you motif, but with dolphins!

I also love the Muda Kingdom's levels in Super Mario Land for the music and the submarine section.

 

[OrangeGrayBlue]

*bows* thank you LM!!

Cherry level you mentioned is awesome - as is the top down shooter cherry level!

(There's also a trickier version of this level but I'm unsure as to whether it features a double cherry.)

This level was great. Really inventive. One that comes to mind for me:

Sweet Sweet Galaxy:

I love how the entire level is made of desserts, as well as how colorful the level is. On top of that, I remember the sounds in this level being incredibly satisfying. Every block and surface made these soft thuds and crunches. Just a beautiful level with some solid platforming challenges.