You can skip 4 of the 7 titles in the Super Mario franchise and still follow the main story: Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World. The essentials (3 titles) take about 5 hours instead of 39 hours.
- Skippable
- 4
- Essentials
- 3
- Time saved
- 34 hours
Safe to skip
- Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!1986 · Film · 1h 1m · optionalA 1986 Japanese anime film; never released in the West. Optional.
- The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!1989 · Series · 25h 3m · optionalLive-action Mario and Luigi in Brooklyn, plus cartoons; optional.
- The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 31990 · Series · 5h 11m · optionalThe Koopalings cartoon; optional.
- Super Mario World1991 · Series · 2h 23m · optionalYoshi and Dinosaur Land; optional.
Why each one is optional
What each skippable title is, what it adds if you do watch it, and who is in it.
No. 01 · 1986 · Film · 1h 1m · optional
Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!
When Princess Peach is kidnapped by the monster King Koopa, Mario and his brother Luigi journey to the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue her.
Why it matters: A 1986 Japanese anime film; never released in the West. Optional.
- Starring
- Toru Furuya, Yu Mizushima, and Mami Yamase
- Director
- Masami Hata
- Scores
- IMDb 5.7
No. 02 · 1989 · Series · 25h 3m · optional
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
In 1989 the two most famous plumbers from Brooklyn burst out of the Nintendo game world and onto television screens across America. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! aired weekday afternoons and brought Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool and King Koopa more thrilling adventures as cartoon characters. And if that weren't enough, each episode also contained live-action segments featuring Mario and Luigi running their Brooklyn plumbing shop - all before they were flushed down a drainpipe into the Mushroom World.
Why it matters: Live-action Mario and Luigi in Brooklyn, plus cartoons; optional.
- Starring
- Louis Albano, Danny Wells, and Harvey Atkin
- Creator
- Bob Forward, Reed Shelly, Phil Harnage, and Bruce Shelly
- Scores
- IMDb 6.3
- Episodes
- 65
No. 03 · 1990 · Series · 5h 11m · optional
The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
The Mario Bros., Princess Toadstool, and Toad protect the Mushroom Kingdom against the evil forces of Bowser and his seven Koopa Kids.
Why it matters: The Koopalings cartoon; optional.
- Starring
- Walker Boone, Tony Rosato, and Tracey Moore
- Creator
- Reed Shelly and Bruce Shelly
- Scores
- IMDb 7
- Episodes
- 26
No. 04 · 1991 · Series · 2h 23m · optional
Super Mario World
Mario, Luigi, Yoshi and Princess Toadstool are on Dinosaur Island foiling the plans of King Koopa and his Koopa kids.
Why it matters: Yoshi and Dinosaur Land; optional.
- Starring
- Walker Boone, Tony Rosato, and Tracey Moore
- Scores
- IMDb 6.5
- Episodes
- 13
The essentials, in release order
- Super Mario Bros.1993 · Film · 1h 45mThe live-action film with Bob Hoskins and Dennis Hopper, set in a dinosaur city.
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie2023 · Film · 1h 33mIllumination's film: two Brooklyn plumbers, Peach, Donkey Kong and Bowser.
- The Super Mario Galaxy Movie2026 · Film · 1h 38mThe sequel heads to space with Rosalina and Yoshi.
Common questions
Do I need to watch every Super Mario title?
No. You can skip 4 of the 7 titles in the Super Mario franchise and still follow the main story: Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World. The essentials (3 titles) take about 5 hours instead of 39 hours.
How long are the Super Mario essentials?
About 5 hours for 3 titles, in release order starting with Super Mario Bros..
Keep reading
Watch order guideHow to watch the Super Mario movies in order7 titles · 39 hours- RecapSuper Mario recap: the story so far7 titles recapped
Skip guideWhat can you skip in Game of Thrones?2 titles you can skip
RecapChainsaw Man recap: the story so far2 titles recapped
Watch order guideHow to watch the One Piece movies in order8 titles · 498 hours
Skip guideWhich Star Wars movies can you skip?5 titles you can skip