I was just wondering what everyone's favorite Mario games were for each Mario "series".  Was interested for sake of amusement as well as hoping to find a new Mario game to play.  I was focusing on games made in 1988 and after.  Mine are

Super Mario game: Super Mario Bros. 3
Star Collecting Game: Super Mario 64
Yoshi Game: Yoshi's Story
Mario Kart: Double Dash
Mario Party: Mario Party 2
Wario Land: Wario Land 3
Misc: Dr. Mario

I know there are many other series these are just my favorites.  Thanks in advance to anyone who responds. 

Mostly into the extremely older installments, and kind of enjoyed the 64 and Sunshine. Did like Yoshi's Story even though it was extremely short story line.

Following a simillar setup to the one you used:

-Super Mario game: Either Super Mario World or Super Mario Bros. 2 (U.S.)

-Star Collecting Game: Super Mario 64

-Yoshi Game: Yoshi's Story

-Mario Kart: Maio Kart 64

-Mario Party: Mario Party 2 or 3

-RPG: Paper Mario (N64)

-Sports: Mario Golf (N64) with Mario Tennis (N64) a somewhat close second.

It should also be noted that I haven't played many Mario games of any kind since the N64, so I have no experience with GameCube Mario Titles and up. Also on a side note since it isn't a Mario game, I loved Luigi's Mansion.

Eirinn : I've never played Paper Mario and I've heard many mixed reviews.  Does it have a good plot?  What did you like about it?

I'm rather limited since I switched for Super Nintendo to PSX, but...

Super Mario Game: I truly hesitate between Super Mario World and Super Mario 3... I would go with the former because it was easier and more colorful.

Kart: Super Mario Kart is the only one I played through. I tried Mario Kart 64 and other similar racing games but they didn't have the same addictiveness.

Misc: Super Mario RPG. Not the best of its kind (RPG) but for a Mario game it was awesome. It was funny to see old enemies join forces.

barberiant - I'm actually kind of surprised you heard mixed reviews on it. In my opinion it's nothing short of a masterpiece as gameplay goes. I love the badge system and attack/defense bonus timing mechanisms, and the ability to choose which teammate followed you around (they each have a special ability to use in and out of battle) was cool too.

As for the story, I really can't say for sure since I only rented it as a kid so I never got to finish it, plus when trying to emulate it a while back the game glitched out on me so that it was unplayable shortly after the first boss fight. That was an offline emulator though, it may work on Vizzed.

Eirinn : Thanks I'll look into it.  I like games where you have a "group" such as fire emblem and FF

Well, here is my list of my most favorite Mario games.

Super Mario Game.. Super Mario Bros. 3 (easily)
Star Collecting Game.. Super Mario 64
Yoshi Game.. Yoshi's Island (SMW2)
Mario Kart.. Mario Kart Wii (haven't played 7 and 8 yet)
Mario Party.. Mario Party DS
Wario Land.. Wario Land (SML 3)

So, this is my list of Mario games right here, although I don't play a whole lot, mostly because there is too many to play.

I heard Mario Kart Wii is amazing but I dont have a Wii

I will now tell you my personal favorite in each Mario series and why..

Favorite Super Mario Game: My favorite by far is Super Mario 64 because to me it's not only the greatest Mario platformer, but it's also the greatest platforming game I've ever played period. Mario's transition to 3D couldn't have possibly been any better.

Favorite Yoshi game: I'm going to have to say Yoshi's Island for the SNES because all of the other Yoshi games that have come after it have either been really bad (like Yoshi's New Island for 3ds) or just mediocre like Yoshi's Story). Yoshi's Island (SMW2) is a timeless classic.

Favorite Mario Kart game: This one's tough. I've played every game in the series and I can say that all of them except for Super Circuit are fantastic. If I had to pick just one though, I'd probably say Mario Kart 8 for the WIi U because I feel like that game has the smoothest controls, there's a ton of tracks to choose from, including 2 DLC packs with extra cups and characters from other Nintendo franchises, a 1st for the series, and it's introducing 200cc, which from what I've seen is insanely fast. While there have been plenty of other fantastic games in the series such as Mario Kart 64, Wii, and 7, I feel like Mario Kart 8 is the best in the Mario Kart series.

Favorite Mario Party game: A lot of the newer Mario Party games have been absolutely terrible (aside from Mario Party DS, that one's great), so the only ones I really like were the earlier titles. For me the best Mario Party game is easily Mario Party 2 because it has the best selection of minigames to me and it has some great boards as well, and it's the last game where we got to hear Wario say "Doh I mIssed!".

Favorite Mario Golf game: My all time favorite Mario Golf game would have to be Mario Golf: Advance Tour because that game offered just as good of a storyline as the Gameboy Mario Golf game, and it also introduced doubles matches which I think can be really interesting.

Favorite Mario Tennis game: My favorite game in the Mario Tennis series would have to be Mario Tennis for the Gameboy Color because that game had a great storyline and as you progressed through the story, the number of games in each set would increase, unlike it's sequel Mario Tennis Power Tour, which stayed at 2 games per set the whole way through.

Favorite Mario RPG: This one was a close call between Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, and Super Mario RPG. In the end though, I decided to go with Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga because to me, that game has the best story, and it had the best cast of characters as well. While Bowser's Inside Story had a much better final boss theme, I say that Superstar Saga had a better overall soundtrack. These are the reasons I say Superstar Saga's the best Mario RPG.

Favorite Wario game: My favorite Wario game would have to be Wario Land 4 because I thought that game had a better soundtrack, and I felt like that game was more enjoyable overall than the other Wario games.

That's my list. I've played so many Mario games it's not even funny. That along with Pokemon are my 2 favorite video game franchises of all time.

barberiant :
Eirinn :
I guess I'll follow suit and do one similar to you guys.

-Super Mario game: Super Mario Bros 3, without a doubt

-Star Collecting Game: Super Mario Sunshine, or Super Mario 64

-Yoshi Game: SMW2: Yoshi's Island

-Mario Kart: Mario Kart 64, or Mario Kart 8

-Mario Party: Mario Party 3

-RPG: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, or Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

-Sports: Mario Power Tennis

-Misc: Dr. Mario, or Mario Paint

And that's my favorites. Yeah.

Well I have not played every Mario game, and do not know all the genres in it but these are my favorite.
Super Mario Bros 2
Paper Mario
Mario cart racing, the first one.
and Mario Party 8

Lesse...
-Super Mario game: Super Mario 3D World (I'm going under the assumption that this counts as Super Mario, not star collecting)
-Star Collecting Game: Super Mario Galaxy
-Yoshi Game: Yoshi's Island. Kind of tough, but I don't enjoy YOshi's Story very much so I guess Yoshi's Island wins
-Mario Kart: Double Dash
-Mario Party: Mario Party 6. Probably in the minority here but I just really like this one the most (Helps that Boo is playable *HINT HINT*)
-Wario Land: Wario Land 3
-Sports: Mario Superstar Baseball. I like Baseball, and I like Mario Sports. Instant match~
RPG: Can... can I just say all of them? No? Well... I guess it's Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story then.