Nintendo's consoles are littered with platformers. And not only are there scores of games that focus on navigating 2D worlds, but they often sport a cartoony, family-friendly aesthetic that makes it difficult to distinguish one from another at a glance. Seriously, is there a major difference between Mario and Donkey Kong? They do both run from left to right, after all, and have a penchant for jumping. They're practically clones! Well, I don't buy into that reductionist belief one bit. Nintendo's franchises each fill a different gaming need, so I happily play new offerings to see what direction my favorite characters will go next.

So let's explore how Nintendo's four biggest platforming series compare to each other, and figure out which one to play depending on your gaming mood.