Each Super Mario game was ranked from easiest to hardest

13. Super Mario Bros.

After all these years, the original Super Mario Bros. remains a surprisingly challenging game. It may have practically written the book when it comes to so many of the concepts we talk about when we talk about others Super Mario Games (and other platform games), but don’t take that to mean the game doesn’t pack a real punch. Some of those world 8 levels are still a nightmare.

If Super Mario Bros. anything is holding back in terms of its ranking, it’s the simple fact that Nintendo soon became much more confident in both its abilities and the player’s ability to handle this type of gaming experience. As we’ll soon see, this quickly led to much more challenging adventures. Still, this is an early example of NES Hard.

12. New Super Mario Bros. 2

Mostly the base New Super Mario Bros. 2 is actually a bit simpler than its predecessor. However, Nintendo decided to end the run of this DS title by releasing a series of downloadable levels appropriately known as the “Impossible Pack”.

The Impossible Pack feels like an answer to some of these fan-made ones Super Mario levels in which you see Super Mario Maker and other less official sources. It’s designed to push platform veterans to the limit. While the rest of the game is shockingly simple, I think the Impossible Pack’s boldness deserves at least a little love.

11. Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA)

I’ve found that quite a few people remember this game as being quite difficult, but I think it’s more accurate to describe it as “different”. Because Super Mario Bros. 2 actually based on a non-Super Mario Game (Doki Doki Panic), it’s just different than what came before or after. It’s actually more of an adventure game that asks you to navigate through some slightly more involved levels than we usually see in a 2D Super Mario Game.

Outside those ice plains and those haunting stone walls that probably gave you nightmares, Super Mario Bros. 2 is really not that difficult compared to other platformers of its generation. Hey, there’s a reason we got this game out west rather than that other Continuation, which we will talk about later.