7 'Mario' games that never made it to the U.S.

Whether you're a serious gamer or just a casual player, it's hard to hate on Mario.

Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. empire is celebrating its 30th birthday on Sunday, which arguably makes Mario and his clan of friends -- and enemies -- some of the most recognizable characters in gaming.

[seealso slug="super-mario-theories-explained"]

But despite Mario's smash hits in the U.S., like Super Mario Kart and Super Mario Bros. 3, there are a few lesser-known Mario games that most American players wouldn't recognize because they were never sold outside Japan.

So in honor of his birthday, we roundup some of the lesser-known Mario games that never made it to the States.

[nggallery id="24254" layout="list" title="top"]

[wp_scm_comment]

BONUS: A contemplative Mario reflects on 30 years since 'Super Mario Bros.'