[Host]: Nintendo's famed plumber has been tied to some of gaming's finest works,
but not every Mario game has been a winner.
[Mario]: I don't think you can go there.
[Host]: Welcome to WatchMojo.com,
and today we'll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 worst Mario spin-offs.
For this list, we're taking a look at the Mario-centric side games, that have proven less than endearing,
from underwhelming platformers to poorly designed educational titles.
[Luigi]: That works for me!
[Host]: To be clear, some of the games on this list may not necessarily be bad in the broadest sense,
but are definitely some of the most low quality entries in the Mario franchise.
[Mario]: We might need to check.
[Host]: Number 10, Wrecking Crew
Simplicity has its merits, but sometimes it leaves players feeling underserved.
Such is the case for Wrecking Crew, an action game for the Nintendo Entertainment System,
in which players destroy objects on a construction site.
Barring some variation on what can be destroyed with the game's hammers
and the appearance of the rival character Spike, Wrecking Crew is surprisingly slight in terms of content and engagement.
Its limited relation to the lightly atmosphere of the core Super Mario titles
only reinforces how little is on display here.
Number 9, Mario Party 8
Randomness, repetition and lack of innovation,
that sure sounds like a party to us.
Mario Party 8 acted as the first of two Mario Party games for the Wii,
implementing the motion-based Wii Mote in minigames and allowing players to play as their Mii characters.
Unfortunately the game's slim merits were drowned out by criticism of its dull single player content,
overreliance on motion controls and the minigames,
and overall lack of creative design.
Sadly, the series just kept going downhill after this title,
with the *cough* party car in Mario Party 9 and 10 being the most boring joyride ever.
Number 8, Mario and Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics
While the Mario and Sonic-series has been far from perfect, it reached a definitive low point in 2013
M&SATS14WO opted not to stray far from convention with regards to its sports inspired minigames.
Which didn't do it many favors.
Additionally, the game's pleasant and vibrant locals
couldn't distract gamers from the hidden missed controls
and somewhat shallow potrayals of the various sports.
It's such a shame, given how the idea of a Mario and Sonic crossover was once considered fresh and innovative.
Hey, at least the dream events are alright.
Number 7, Mario's Game Gallery
[Mario]: It's my turn now.
[Host]: Ever wanted to play backgammon and checkers with your favourite fictional plumber?
No?
[Mario]: Mamma mia...
[Host]: Well, for those who can endure drawn out, tortuously overlong virtual card and board games,
this is the experience for you!
Whoever you are...
[Mario]: I got it.
[Host]: Mario's Game Gallery was bound from developer Interplay Entertainment, whose offered to create
a game based around beating Mario at a handful of traditional games.
[Mario]: Hey, hey. You won.
[Host]: While it's inoffensive in concept, the project's bizarre focus was matched only by the sheer lack of fun
or engagement to be had.
The most interesting thing about Game Gallery is that it marked the debut of Charles Martinet as Mario's voice actor.
No, really, we're serious.
Number 6, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash
Some may claim that Mario Tennis for the Virtual Boy warrants attention,
but the bailings of Ultra Smash feels slightly more depressing.
[Announcer]: 1-0
[Host]: Mario Tennis creator Camelot Software Planning
set out to translate the series' core gameplay on to the Wii U,
with some streamlining and the inclusion of new mechanics to booth.
Sadly this backfired to a certain extent.
The new mega mushrooms were felt to negatively impact the balance in the matches.
And most bizarrely of all the game also lacks any sort of tournament or career mode.
Seriously, that's like sports games basics 101.
[Announcer]: Game, set and match server.
[Host]: Number 5, Mario Teaches Typing
Mario Teaches Typing is at least theoretically intriguing.
It ties on-screen typing lessons to the control of
Mario, Luigi or Princess Peaches reversal through a side scrolling environment.
However, the actual process of typing to give Mario and company commands
is overly strenuous and repetitive to the point of being dull.
Worse though, is that the game has actually been found to be subpar as a tool for educating people on how to type.
Something is very, very wrong, when a game fails at what should be its primary goal.
You had one job, Mario!
Number 4, Mario Clash
When history looks back on the Virtual Boy and its library, it finds only unrealized potential and good intentions.
For instance, the 1995 game, Mario Clash, was meant to show off the device's 3D visuals with a recreation of the Mario Bros. Arcade game.
In practice, the repetitive gameplay focused on clearing out approaching Koopa Troopas,
meshed poorly with the Virtual Boy's monochromatic color palette and control issues.
This wasn't helped by the lack of reward for progressing through the game,
which made completion pretty much pointless.
Number 3, Mario's Time Machine
In similar style to Mario is missing,
this helps reinforce the worst feelings and ideas about educational gaming.
There were actually three versions of this game, and though each play so much differently,
their premise is still basically the same.
Mario's Time Machine has the eponymous plumber chasing Bowser through time itself,
stopping to return precious artifacts their proper time periods.
With a pretty good premise like that, one would think that the game in proper would compare nicely, and yet it was not to be.
Gameplay focused primarily on parsing through historical-based dialog
and solving word puzzles.
Far from being enthralling, the game was found to be both lackluster
and likely very confusing for the young audience at which it was aimed.
Number 2, Mario's Early Years! Fun With Numbers
[Luigi]: You did well.
[A girl]: You found the nine.
[Host]: Once more, a little bit does not always go along way.
I've been to the various Mario games of the 99s: There was Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers,
an educational title, designed around the use of SNES mouse.
[A girl]: Dan's fun with numbers is so cute.
[Luigi]: You did well!
[Host]: Focusing on Mario and friends traveling to an island to learn about numbers,
the game is as routed and simplistic as the premise suggests.
[A girl]: Find the ten.
[Host]: Aside from featuring hints and music from Super Mario World,
this is an experience where reinforcing knowledge of numbers comes before any other concerns.
Including any sense of fun.
[Luigi]: You found it!
[A Girl]: You found all the sand.
[Host]: Before we unveil our top pick, here are few honorable mentions.
Number 1, Hotel Mario
Nothing comes so close in terms of sheer potential for boredom or the ability to be fuddle-a-player.
[Mario]: We gotta find the princess.
[Luigi]: And you gotta help us!
[Host]: Hotel Mario may occasionally draw upon its core game -graphy, but it does so while also underserving the franchise as a whole.
[Mario]: All toasters, toast toast.
[Host]: It has Mario attempting to shut down Bowser's minions by way of reversing a series of hotel floors,
closing doors, doors, and more doors.
If the prospect of one note puzzle gameplay wasn't enough,
Hotel Mario hammers home with its extremely awkward cheaply animated cutscenes.
[Luigi]: My voice acting is so horrible that subtitler understood one word of this horrible line.
[Mario]: Luigi, look!
[Host]: This was the horrible bastard child of a Nintendo and Phillips deal gone horribly, horribly sour.
Do you agree with our list?
What's your least favourite Mario spin-off?
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[Mario]: You're the champ! Nice game.
I really enjoy playing with you!