The Super Mario franchise has long been celebrated for its accessibility. From its earliest days on the NES to its modern open-world adventures, Mario games are designed so that almost anyone can pick up a controller and reach the end credits with enough determination. The colorful environments, intuitive controls, and forgiving learning curves make the series welcoming to players of all skill levels. But finishing the main story is only the beginning. Beneath the cheerful music and vibrant worlds lies a much steeper challenge: true completion. Fully completing a Mario game often means collecting every hidden item, uncovering secret exits, mastering advanced movement mechanics, and conquering brutally difficult post-game levels.

1. Super Mario Sunshine

At first glance, Super Mario Sunshine looks bright and relaxing, set on the tropical Isle Delfino. But beneath its sunny atmosphere lies one of the most frustrating 100% completion grinds in the franchise. To fully complete the game, players must collect 120 Shine Sprites, including a staggering 240 Blue Coins scattered throughout the world. The Blue Coins are the main source of frustration. Many only appear after performing specific, obscure actions such as spraying invisible objects, defeating certain enemies in particular ways, or revisiting levels under specific episode conditions. On top of that, the game includes secret platforming stages where Mario loses FLUDD, his water-powered jetpack. 

2. Super Mario Galaxy 2

Super Mario Galaxy 2 refines nearly everything from its predecessor: tighter controls, creative level design, and memorable music. But its completion requirements are absolutely relentless. To achieve a true 100%, players must collect 242 stars. After finishing the main 120 stars, the game introduces Green Stars, which are cleverly hidden in already challenging levels. Many require precise timing, hidden pathways, or risky jumps that weren’t necessary during the first playthrough. The ultimate test is “The Perfect Run,” one of the most infamous challenges in Mario history. This level gives Mario only one health point. One mistake, even a tiny one, sends you back to the beginning. The level is long, unforgiving, and filled with hazards.

3. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

While this enhanced version improves movement speed and adds new content, full completion is anything but easy. In Super Mario 3D World, players must collect every Green Star, every Stamp, and reach the top of every flagpole. But the real challenge lies in beating every level with all five playable characters, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and Rosalina, to unlock the final content. Then there’s Champion’s Road, widely considered one of the hardest levels in 3D Mario history. It’s a long gauntlet with no checkpoints, demanding perfect movement and near-flawless execution. Bowser’s Fury adds its own challenge by requiring the collection of dozens of Cat Shines across an open-world environment, some of which require revisiting areas during specific Bowser attack phases.

4. New Super Mario Bros. 2

New Super Mario Bros. 2 revolves around one central gimmick: coins and lots of them. While finishing the game is straightforward, true completion requires collecting 1,000,000 coins. That’s not a typo. Players must grind levels repeatedly, master Coin Rush mode, and optimize their runs to build their total. In addition, each level contains three hidden Star Coins and alternate exits, many of which are tucked away in hard-to-reach or secret areas. Missing one can require replaying entire worlds. The difficulty here isn’t always about brutal platforming; it’s about endurance and repetition. The million-coin requirement transforms the game into a long-term commitment.

5. Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey is massive in scope. With hundreds upon hundreds of Power Moons, it’s one of the largest Mario adventures ever created. To fully complete the game, players must collect 880 unique Power Moons, though the counter can reach 999. While many Moons are simple, others are hidden behind difficult platforming sequences, cryptic riddles, or obscure mechanics. After finishing the main story, two brutal post-game areas unlock: the Dark Side and the Darker Side of the Moon. The latter is a lengthy endurance challenge that tests nearly every mechanic in the game without many checkpoints. O dyssey’s difficulty comes not just from skill, but from sheer scale.

6. Super Mario 3D World

The original Wii U version of Super Mario 3D World is deceptively difficult when it comes to 100% completion. Players must collect 380 Green Stars, all Stamps, and clear every stage with every character to unlock the final bonus worlds. Each character has slightly different movement physics, which means some levels become significantly harder depending on who you’re using. The final world, World Crown, contains some of the toughest platforming sequences in the game. Champion’s Road appears here as well, and it is widely regarded as one of the hardest non-kaizo Mario levels ever officially released.

7. Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

Originally released in Japan as Super Mario Bros. 2, The Lost Levels is infamous for its punishing difficulty. To truly complete it, players must conquer hidden Worlds A through D, which unlock only after beating the main game multiple times without using warp zones. These worlds are brutally designed, featuring poison mushrooms, strong wind physics, extremely narrow jumps, and enemy placements meant to surprise and punish. Unlike modern Mario games, there is little room for error. Extra lives are limited, and level design often feels intentionally cruel.

8. Super Mario Maker 2

Super Mario Maker 2 is unique on this list because its difficulty ceiling is nearly infinite. While the story mode can be completed without too much trouble, full mastery involves tackling player-created levels, especially in Super Expert Endless Mode. Many community-made stages are inspired by “Kaizo” design philosophy, requiring frame-perfect inputs and deep mechanical knowledge. Unlike traditional Mario games, new, brutally difficult levels are constantly being uploaded. There is no true limit to how hard things can get. To dominate Super Mario Maker 2 at the highest level isn’t just about finishing content.