8. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey (3DS)

This spruce-up of the DS original did more than enough to impress us and, along with Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn, gave the 3DS a truly great swansong, even if most Nintendo fans had moved on to Switch by January 2019. With updated visuals, a brand-new side story involving Bowser Jr., and the ability to speed up gameplay, it’s the best version of arguably the best of the Mario & Luigi RPG series. Plus, you get to root around in the intestines of a giant fire-breathing lizard. What’s not to like?

7. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions (3DS)

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is a classic, and this version is arguably the definitive one. Bowser's Minions is a harmless but shallow add-on, but the Superstars are the real attraction. This is a series that has a distinct and special place within Nintendo gaming, and after experimentation and not-always-popular approaches in the 3DS era of games, this took us back to the IP's roots. What a treat it is, too - funny, smartly designed, and pure unpretentious joy. This is a great starting point for those that missed the original in the Game Boy Advance era, and should also be tempting to those with fond memories of that adventure.

6. Super Mario RPG (Switch)

Super Mario RPG is here in all of its weird, wonderful glory for a new generation to experience, and sets a new standard for how to do a faithful remake right. Delivering a beautifully preserved, pure experience for fans of the original and an accessible entry-point for genre newcomers, the game's infectious charm, writing, and polished gameplay do so much to elevate this beyond what might have been merely a simple RPG starring Mario.

5. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (DS)

Alpha Dream created a fantastic take on the Super Mario RPG idea years ago on Game Boy Advance, but they took the concept to new heights with Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. The third title in the Mario & Luigi series, it would be easy to rave on and on about the game, but the best way to sum everything up would be to say Bowser's Inside Story is the kind of game that will remind you why you love playing video games in the first place. It's easily one of the best DS releases and although it received a 3DS update that we'd probably take in a straight contest, you really can't go wrong with either version. If this one passed you by, we recommend you get intimately acquainted with the King of the Koopas pronto.

4. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA)

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga's lengthy main adventure felt pretty unique back in 2003. It was only the third RPG-style Mario adventure, but developer AlphaDream's Mario debut hit the jackpot right away with its addictive battle systems and dual brother gameplay. With plenty of side quests to seek out and minigames to replay for high-score chasers, Mario and Luigi's amusing animations and "voice acting" played into the game's great sense of humour and it hasn't lost its ability to raise an ear-to-ear smile.

3. Paper Mario (N64)

Two decades on and Paper Mario might not look as sharp as it once did, but it holds up very well where it matters and jostles with The Thousand-Year Door for the title of Best Paper Mario Game.

The N64 original does very well to ease Mario fans into a new style of adventure while providing a depth for RPG gamers that you might not expect from the paper-thin premise. With a great supporting cast and buckets of trademark Nintendo charm, the original is up there with the best. The ability to play it on Switch is great news to anyone who missed out but still enjoys the more recent, less vital entries in the Paper Mario series.

2. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is not only a brilliant game in its own right, it's a history lesson in how the Mario role-playing series began. Anyone who has played the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series should play Square's original title that started it all. Super Mario RPG paved the way and inspired both of these series, and we should be eternally thankful to Squaresoft for this gem.

1. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GCN)

The power of GameCube enabled greater fidelity of its paper-based art style than the original, but otherwise Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door stuck closely to the original's blueprint. It's a wonderfully colourful adventure packed with clever callbacks to the portly plumber's history and the same irreverent spirit which makes so many Mario RPGs refreshingly different from the mascot's platformers. Where other entries have dropped the ball in an area or two, Thousand-Year Door gets everything right; plot, writing, battles, presentation - the lot.

Prices for a GameCube disc — still the only official way to play (though not for long thanks to a recently announced Switch remaster) — have skyrocketed in recent years and given the quality, it's not hard to see why. Treasure your copy if you've got one, and perhaps lend it to a trusted friend who never visited the town of Rogueport.

And if you don't have a copy or a GameCube? Well, have we got some good news for you!...

Lots of ways to level up, but which Mario starring RPG do you think is the best?

If you want to see your favourite move up a few spots,, don't forget this list is subject to change according to each game's User Ratings on the site. So go on, have your say and give the games you want to see higher up a personal score out of ten and watch the rankings (potentially) change before your very eyes.

Feel free to let us know your thoughts and share a comment about your personal favourites below.