One of the most iconic locations in all games, players were first introduced to the Mushroom Kingdom in 1985 with the release of the original Super Mario Bros. Since then, gamers around the world have enjoyed exploring the surreal fungus-themed wonderland in countless titles. There have been many different ways in which the Mushroom Kingdom has been depicted and reinterpreted over the years in countless titles, some of which are better than others.
These games best represented the Mushroom Kingdom and immersed players in the beloved environment. Note that this is not an assessment of the quality of each game, but how well they represent the iconic locale.
10 New Super Mario Bros. YOU
Building on what was shown in previous 2D Mario games of the Mushroom Kingdom, New Super Mario Bros. YOU does an excellent job of showcasing the empire’s many different biomes. These include the tropical rainforests of the Soda Jungle, the mountainous candy mines, the grassy Acorn Plains, and much more.
Admittedly, this version of the Mushroom Kingdom is a bit basic by Mario game standards, strictly adhering to the 2D Mario level tropes. But what’s on display is nonetheless lively and well-detailed, with enough interesting quirks to keep curious players interested.
9 Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars
The Mario RPGs often offer one of the most cohesive and complete looks at the Mushroom Kingdom, and this first entry is no exception. Super Mario RPG, for the first time, players were given a rare opportunity to view the daily lives and homes of the country’s many different inhabitants, while not being locked up in castles or turned into blocks by Bowser.
Players will even gain a basic understanding of the Kingdom’s government, economic systems, and theology over the course of the adventure. super marioRPG did an excellent job of working out what until then existed as just a set of concepts at an abstract level and turning it into a fully developed world.
8 Super Mario Odyssey
Players travel across Mario’s world and even travel to the moon in Super Mario Odyssey. As such, it came as a pleasant surprise that as part of the post-game, players could now explore one new location: the Mushroom Kingdom.
Essentially an expanded version of Princess Peach’s Castle from Super Mario 64, this version of the kingdom was a nostalgic blast from the past with plenty of Easter eggs and references to previous Mario games waiting to be discovered. Most notably, the game’s main collectible moons have been replaced with power stars, and players can use Cappy to possess Yoshi taking a nap on the castle roof.
7 Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
The second title in the Mario & Luigi series, Partners in time gave players the unique opportunity to explore different locations in the Mushroom Kingdom decades in the past and witness the devastation wrought by the invading Shroob aliens.
Some of these can even be a little disturbing, such as Toadwood Forest, where toads were trapped in trees and their life energy was slowly drained. Overall though, it’s a lot of fun and offers a unique take on the iconic kingdom.
6 Paper Mario
The sequel to Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario introduced players to a version of the Mushroom Kingdom, rendered in paper, making the world look like it existed in a children’s pop-up book. Stylistic flourishes aside, this is easily one of the most complex depictions of the Empire ever in a cartridge, with plenty of memorable locations and likeable characters.
The excellent world building of this game goes a long way towards making Paper Mario feel like an epic journey as players travel across the kingdom in search of the seven star spirits to stop Bowser.
5 Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
What is probably one of the most bizarre crossovers in history, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle sees the world of Mario combined with Ubisoft’s Rabbid franchise. The result is one of the crazier versions of the Mushroom Kingdom in a game.
What’s great is how this game fully embraces how absurd this crossover is. Rabbids are causing all sorts of crazy havoc all over the world. It is truly a joy to explore this version of the realm and witness sights such as a bullet bill with Rabbid-themed underpants taped to his head.
4 Mario Kart 8
The Mario Kart series has always been famous for giving players the opportunity to race through the varied locations of the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond. This latest entry is no exception, featuring an eclectic selection from across Peach’s Domain. These include man-made (or Toad-made, technical) settings like Toad Harbor and the Electrodrome, as well as more natural environments like Shy Guy Falls and Dry Bone Dunes.
How any of these places are connected is never explained, nor is it ever explained how or why racetracks can be built through them. Nevertheless, Mario Kart 8 shows aspects of the Mushroom Kingdom that are almost never seen in the main series.
3 Paper Mario: The Origami King
The latest submission of the Paper Mario series was divisive to say the least, but still managed to deliver a solid new take on the Mushroom Kingdom. This iteration included some memorable new locations, some of which are actually references to places in other games and the real world.
These include Shogun Studios, which is heavily based on the real-life Edo Wonderland in Nikko, Japan; the many islands of the Great Sea; a sly reference to the institution of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; and the hot spring resort of Shangri-Spa, which is a reference to the mythical Tibetan Valley.
2 Super Mario 3D Land
Super Mario 3D Land takes a fairly utilitarian approach to its version of the Mushroom Kingdom with a very abstract geography designed primarily to support the title’s level design.
Nevertheless, there is something lively and striking about the varied locations in this game. The somewhat blocky look of the world creates a sort of back-to-basics feel that suits this version of the realm and makes it a joy to jump around in.
1 Super Mario Bros.
This list wouldn’t be complete without the game introducing players to everyone’s favorite fungus monarchy. While it may seem a bit mundane after more than 35 years, it’s easy to forget how bizarre and amazing the Mushroom Kingdom was when players first explored it in 1985.
This place was a surreal fever dream of a place made up of giant mushrooms, green pipes and brick structures. It was also filled with strange creatures, including evil-eyed wandering mushrooms, giant tortoises, and man-eating plants. The Mushroom Kingdom has been redesigned and recreated countless times over the years, but there’s still a certain timeless appeal to this first iteration.
0 Comments