The RetroBeat: Yoshi’s Island is not a ‘core’ Mario game

Two of my co-workers, PC editor Jeff Grubb and head of social media Anthony Agnello, are going to take part in a panel at PAX East in Boston next month to debate which games count as “core” to the Mario series. This debate has been raging on for some time now, and Jeff and I have discussed it ourselves on the GamesBeat Decides podcast.

I will not be at PAX East this year, so you won’t hear me scream my opinions during the panel. Honestly, I think that most of the selections should be obvious. I can’t get mad if you say Super Mario Sunshine isn’t a core Mario game, because the idea is preposterous. Other titles, like Mario vs. Donkey Kong, are so far removed from the traditional series tropes and mechanics that there’s no real danger of anyone considering them.