Games in the Mario series are not exactly known for their length. Both the main series of platforms and all the various spin-offs rarely take too long to beat. Most casual players can finish a Mario game within a day fairly easily. However, since there are so many different spin-offs in different genres, the length of a Mario game does tend to vary. A mainline Mario title might not take a week, but a Paper Mario game will.
RELATED: Every Game With A 97+ Metascore, Ranked By How Long They Take To Beat
Of course, length is hardly the only factor of quality in games. Mario games tend to be perfectly portioned to not overstay their welcome. Even the spinoff titles will only offer as much content as necessary. So, based on the average playtime across all playstyles, which Mario games come out as the longest ones?
10 Super Mario Maker (30h 02m)
Technically, both Super Mario Maker and its sequel offer an endless stream of content. As long as there are people making levels, there's something to play. Perfect completion isn't really possible. Despite that, both are still documented, and the first game offers an experience that averages in at 30 hours and 2 minutes across all playstyles.
Presumably, once the community for the original Mario Maker died down, there was a better grasp on exactly how many levels there were available. Mario Maker contains a collection of template levels and levels from Nintendo's development team. This would make up the "main story." A completionist would have to cover every single level that the game provides. Considering the sequel is trending upwards to 26 million levels, that's an unreasonable amount of content to expect one person to complete.
9 Super Mario Odyssey (30h 59m)
Super Mario Odyssey, the definitive Mario title for the Nintendo Switch platform (unless you count Bowser's Fury), offers an experience that feels truly open. The various worlds in Odyssey are all expertly themed and designed, with hundreds of collectible moons to find in each one. The game averages at 30 hours and 59 minutes.
The open-world, but friendly nature of the levels lend themselves to exploration. There's a lot to do in each world to fully complete them. It's a dream for completionists, since the game is as smooth as butter to play. However, casual players will still find plenty to keep themselves entertained with, even if they aren't determined to get every single Moon.
8 Mario & Luigi Paper Jam (31h 58m)
In what may be the last new title from developer AlphaDream, Mario and Luigi Paper Jam merged two spin-offs into one RPG. This game packs the charm of both franchises, but doesn't entirely deliver on fresh gameplay. It's a shame that a true Mario RPG only exists in dreams these days. Still, Paper Jam manages to average 31 hours and 58 minutes.
RELATED: 10 Longest Action Games Of 2020 (According To How Long To Beat)
The game is certainly more Mario and Luigi than Paper Mario. For one, it's still an RPG. However, the world and its characters, for the most part, stick within AlphaDream's established canon. The battles are fun and snappy, and it's pleasant to complete. However, it's still far from the quality of the first three Mario and Luigi games, and honestly most people probably aren't going to play Paper Jam.
7 Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey (32h 49m)
It's entirely possible that fans of the Mario & Luigi series are unaware that this game even exists. The 3DS remake to the third entry in the series, this game was released at an awful time. The 3DS was already taken out to pasture, and no one at Nintendo informed AlphaDream. Despite that, Bowser's Inside Story is still an absolute classic and the remake loses none of the charm.
As an RPG, there are many titles that have more meat than Bowser's Inside Story. A 32 hour average is laughable at best. However, it's a perfectly paced RPG that keeps things fresh at every turn. There are still sidequests and collectibles, and the side game in the 3DS remake also offers a bit of extra meat to the complete package. The artstyle might not be as clean, but everything else the game offers is spot-on. It's also likely the last time the beloved bros will be together in an RPG.
6 Paper Mario: The Origami King (32h 23m)
Fans of the older Paper Mario titles are likely still huffing and puffing about the series abandoning its roots. However, as the series embraces a style more akin to adventure games, the team gets better at delivering on their new vision. The latest title, The Origami King, provides the story of an RPG without all of the fluff and waiting. It also clocks in at 32 hours and 23 minutes.
As an adventure game, The Origami King is loaded with collectibles to uncover. There are dozens of hidden Toads to rescue, along with secret items to make the battles go more smoothly. The main story itself isn't too shabby either, with multiple chapters to complete and bosses to bash. It still isn't classic Paper Mario, but it doesn't really need to be.
5 Paper Mario: Color Splash (34h 23m)
One of the most aesthetically pleasing WiiU games (and one of the few still locked to that system), Color Splash is rather divisive. It didn't think to ditch the horrendous gameplay of Sticker Star, so fans immediately wrote it off as another failure. Despite that, it's a surprisingly solid adventure game that people only wish was an RPG. It clocks in at 34 hours and 23 minutes.
Color Splash, like its follow-up, contains a fair number of collectibles to find and secrets to uncover. The world is fairly large and highly detailed, and the chapters will take some time for the players to complete. A completionist will have less to uncover, but on average players get more time out of Color Splash. The few that had the patience to finish the game, at least.
4 Mario's Super Picross (34h 44m)
It's a surprise to see Mario's Super Picross near the top of this list. One wouldn't think a puzzle game would be on par in terms of length with actual RPG's and adventure games, but Super Picross makes it happen. With over 300 nonogram puzzles to solve, Super Picross still provides a lot for both interested parties and seasoned veterans.
RELATED: 10 Longest Original Game Boy Games (& How Long They Take To Beat)
Super Picross is divided into two kinds of puzzles. The Mario puzzles have the player compete against a timer with the option to get hints for harder puzzles. The Wario puzzles are more traditional, with the player given no assistance. Both offer a similar experience, but that's not a bad thing. An average of 34 hours with a puzzle game is hardly something to be upset about, especially for those who have access to the game with Nintendo Switch Online.
3 Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (39h 02m)
The second Paper Mario entry, The Thousand-Year Door, is regarded by fans and critics to be either the best or second-best entry in the series. After playing the game, it's understandable why that's the case. The game is loaded with unique characters, fun personalities, some genuinely touching moments, and an addictive combat system. The game averages at 39 hours and 2 minutes.
The Thousand-Year Door is a lengthy game. Its chapters span multiple areas, although some cheat by being heavily reliant on backtracking or repetitive tasks (looking at you, Glitzville). The badge system allows for plenty of experimentation, as the player can try different combos and styles. Plus, the top-notch writing will keep a player engaged with reading even the flavor-text. It's a game that oozes charm, and taking time to see it all is worth it.
2 Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (44h 58m)
AlphaDream's first foray onto the 3DS, Dream Team kept up the typical tropes of the Mario & Luigi series. It was arguably too reliant on gimmicks, as regular battles become less emphasized compared to the more "interesting" ways to play. Fans of the earlier entries may have been turned off by this shift, but those that stuck though had a lot of game to work with.
Across nearly every category on HowLongToBeat, Dream Team sits at or near the top in terms of length. The average across all playstyles is 44 hours and 58 minutes. To be honest, the reason for this extra documented length is a mystery. It's not surprising to see it at the top, but apparently it has enough to keep players engaged far past the expectation for the series.
1 Mario's Picross 2 (54h 31m)
This is a shock for likely every single fan of the series. It also may not be perfectly representative, as the game has a low number of documented clears on HowLongToBeat. However, considering that its predecessor is also quite long, it deserves to stay. The Japan-exclusive sequel to Mario's Picross clocks in at 54 hours and 31 minutes.
Mario's Picross 2 (or just Picross 2) is another Picross game. The player uses logic and numbers to uncover various pictures, except Mario is there watching you. It's portable and loaded with puzzles to play. This game would make any long car ride melt away, and it's a shame the game never officially made it to the West. It's just a fun puzzle game.