IGN makes a list of the 13 best 2D Mario games.

[ThunderBoy]

Spoiler: IGN List:

13: SMB: The Lost Levels
12: New Super Mario Bros 2
11: Super Mario Land
10: New Super Luigi U
09: Super Mario Bros 2
08: New Super Mario Bros Wii
07: Super Mario Land 2
06: Super Mario Bros
05: New Super Mario Bros (3DS)
04: New Super Mario Bros U
03: Super Mario Bros 3
02: Super Mario Bros Wonder
01: Super Mario World

 

[Segadude113]

Donkey Kong (arcade)
Donkey Kong Jr. (Mario is the badguy here but still)
Mario Bros. (arcade)
Mario Bros. (GBA via the Super Mario Advance series and Mario & Luigi)
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 2/The Lost Levels/For Super Players (via Super Mario Bros. Deluxe)
Super Mario Bros. 2/Super Mario Bros. USA/Doki Doki Panic
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario All Stars
Super Mario All Stars + Super Mario World (yes there is a slight variation with Luigi's gameplay)
Super Mario World/Super Mario Bros. 4 (Japan)
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (if that counts)
Donkey Kong '94
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land (again this probably doesn't count)

Those are the best ones to me.

 

[Vexicrypt]

Every time IGN makes a list little goombas cry.

 

[fake-kun]

Who gives a shit what IGN thinks?

 

[bjork]

I can't get on board with any list that ranks Super Mario Land 2 higher than the first one. "But SML is so short and the sprites are so tiny." Yeah, and it doesn't have weird ass floaty jumps and jittery enemy animations and anywhere near as much slowdown and it's trying to do its own thing rather than replicate a SNES game badly. :nose up:

 

[TruxtonTatsujin]

It's always either World or 3 at number one whenever someone makes a list like this. Where's the Drama! Gimme someone who really loves Mario's Time Machine for some ungodly reason.
Also Wonder getting the recency bias I see.