Today marks the 25th anniversary of one of the greatest video games ever: Super Mario Bros. Released in Japan on September 13, 1985, the title would go on to become an undisputed classic, popularizing the platformer as a genre, and making Mario into a brand-defining superstar. Though Super Mario Bros. lacked co-op, it's predecessor, plain old Mario Bros., did have a primitive form of co-op, and is one of the earliest co-op games in our database.
Through the years, a whole host of sequels to Super Mario Bros. have been released. Here are a few highlights among those that we consider to include cooperative gameplay.
Mario Kart Double Dash!! - in this Gamecube gem, a second player rode along with the driver, using weapons and items while racing.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii - I may have been a bit harsh in my review; the game is hectic fun and worth a play, regardless of your feelings on the strength of the cooperative elements.
Super Mario Galaxy - a spectacular adventure, marred only by the tacked on co-op mode. Still, a worthy title for kicking off our regular Co-Op Casual Fridays column.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Easily better than its predecessor, and likely the best game available on the Wii so far. Still not the best co-op experience, however.
What are your favorite co-op Mario games?