Super Mario Chart
by JC Fletcher 
{ May 17th 2007 at 11:00AM }
NeoGAFfer Stumpokapow compiled this chart of Japanese Mario sales throughout the series, and two things are immediately obvious from looking at it:
In other good news (in one blogger's opinion and pretty much no one else's), Super Mario 64 is near the bottom of the list, providing evidence that 3D Mario was a failed experiment. This in no way means that Super Mario RPG's position on the list is indicative of the quality of that game. That's, uh, completely different. Check after the break to see the full chart and to register your disgust about our treatment of Mario 64.
- Mario sprites still look great! Seriously, yay Mario.
- New Super Mario Bros. is huge.
In other good news (in one blogger's opinion and pretty much no one else's), Super Mario 64 is near the bottom of the list, providing evidence that 3D Mario was a failed experiment. This in no way means that Super Mario RPG's position on the list is indicative of the quality of that game. That's, uh, completely different. Check after the break to see the full chart and to register your disgust about our treatment of Mario 64.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Fox @ May 17th 2007 12:07PM
I have to agree with you a bit JC--I like Super Mario 64 as much as the next guy, and sure it was amazing, innovative, and all that jazz, but I'll take a 2D side-scrolling Mario over a 3D one any day of the week. They're just so brilliant, and expertly designed.
I personally loved NSMB, it was on the easy side, but it was extremely enjoyable. All the detail was there from the good old days, and the new stuff like the enemies dancing to the rhythm of the music, the new wall jumps, and snazzy 2.5D was just the icing on the cake along with a lot of other neat things and top notch level design. I loved every moment.
With all due respect,
Fox
Blue Sam @ May 17th 2007 11:54AM
Super Mario Sunshine is one that should be the most bottom behind SM64.
Jonathan Harford @ May 17th 2007 12:09PM
Mario Is Missing Is Missing!
DSmeet @ May 17th 2007 12:37PM
Didn't Super Mario 64 do a lot better in the west? It might have bombed in Japan but that doesn't mean it's a failure. :o
I mean... Twilight Princess bombed in Japan as well.
Abscissa @ May 17th 2007 1:29PM
You're not alone. As much as I like the 3D Marios, I consider them nothing more than an offshoot series, just like Paper Mario and Wario Land. They're all very good, but they're just not Mario canon.
And I'm still pissed that NSMB isn't available on a TV-based system like all the other REAL Mario games.
Rubang B @ May 17th 2007 3:13PM
Hey hey, Super Mario Land 1 and 2 were real Mario games.
ambient @ May 17th 2007 3:32PM
Supter Mario RPG shouldn't be on there at all. The Paper Mario games aren't, after all (nor should they be). The chart should be restricted to a single genre, platforming games.
Nima @ May 17th 2007 7:26PM
God, the lot of you are so wrong it's simply inconcievable. The 2D Marios are utterly fantastic, but it looks like I'm going to be the only one to fly the flag for the utter 3D goodness that was Mario 64. The game was irreverent, beautiful, and more than anything set the benchmark for what was expected of platforming when a third dimension was added, and critically should rank up there with the best that 2D Mario has to offer.
And please, as much as it may sound like a fanboyish sentiment, this comes from a guy that's clinging on to his obscure 2D games (Melty Blood and the ilk ahoy) for dear life.
SM64 deserves more respect than this. Rant over.
Robert Baldwin @ May 17th 2007 11:43PM
It threw me for a loop when I saw the sprite for Super Mario 2, but then I remembered that they had a different game for #2. I still have fond memories of Super Mario 2 (even if it was another game originally). Princess Peach could get some good airtime, and Luigi was different from Mario.
I still have yet to beat any of them.
Thomas @ May 18th 2007 12:45AM
The sales numbers for SM64 don't necessarily reflect on the quality of the game. The N64 was an absolute flop in Japan. Nintendo sold about 5 million N64's in Japan. They've already sold more than 16 million DS's. Hence more games.
Besides, if you include the sales of SM64DS, it falls in right after Super Mario World. Which brings the focus back to the real point: Mario games have sold fewer and fewer copies over the years... until NSMB. But I think that has more to do with Nintendo's expanding audience, people who were turned off from gaming in the mid- to late-90's. So hooray Nintendo for capturing people's interest again. They're clearly doing something right.
I wonder how a similar chart would look for the other territories.
Mario Panighetti @ May 18th 2007 7:02PM
Super Mario Bros. 3 smokes all the competition when you compare world-wide sales ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games#Top_20_console_games_of_all_time ). And if you, uh, don't include bundled games.
Why didn't a chart of Japanese Mario games include The Lost Levels ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Mario_Bros.:_The_Lost_Levels )?
http://www.dotmatrixwithstereosound.com
JC Fletcher @ May 18th 2007 7:48PM
It does include "The Lost Levels." Look at "SMB2." What's missing is "Super Mario USA."
Damian G. @ May 18th 2007 11:06PM
"Mario Is Missing Is Missing!"
That was not a Nintendo game, and it did not star Mario, thus it was not included.