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Story

Bowser returns in Super Mario Bros. 3 armed with a fleet of airships and flanked by 7 new Koopa generals known as Koopalings. Each Koopaling is sent to one of the 7 kingdoms of Mushroom World where they have stolen that king’s magical wand and transformed him into an animal of some variety (because… of course). Now it’s up to the Mario Bros. to travel to each besieged land and restore the monarchs back to normal otherwise surrender to the Koopa King and his horde once and for all!

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Overview

In Super Mario Bros. 3, your goal is the same as previous installments (i.e. collect power-ups, stomp enemies, make it from beginning point to end, etc.) however this was the first Super Mario Bros. game to have an “over world” screen essentially allowing you to alternate your path through each world and avoid some areas if desired. The worlds (or kingdoms) are made up of many different types of platform stages all leading up to an airship encounter at the end containing one of Bowser’s 7 Koopalings who must be defeated (done by jumping on their heads 3 times) before you can proceed. There’s also a couple of different bonus levels/mini games that can be played to obtain power-ups and extra lives during your journey. 

Mario can jump on enemies just as before but also can use power-ups when he finds them such as the Super Leaf (which allows Mario to use a tail whip attack and also fly) as well as the Hammer Suit (which enables Mario to throw hammers) and many more. Even better, you can now store these items for later (when received on the over world) and use them at your discretion! Traverse your way through the 7 different kingdoms in the Mushroom World defeating all of Bowser’s Koopaling henchmen along the way to open up your path to the vile Dark Land. Conquer your way through this final gauntlet to reach the Koopa King Bowser himself and defeat him to complete the game.

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Cast

Mario (main protagonist) Expert koopa slayer… average plumber

Luigi (2nd player protagonist) Still waiting for HIS turn

Princess Toadstool (protagonist support/in distress) P–wing pen-pal

Toad (protagonist support) Bonus house proprietor

Larry Koopa (antagonist support) Not exactly the prize of Bowser’s litter but he’s trying

Morton Koopa Jr. (antagonist support) Bigger and more stout than his 1st level-guarding bro but still just as dopey

Wendy O. Koopa (antagonist support) Bowser’s only daughter occupies the airship above stage 3 and attacks with life savers that match her outfit, tres chic!

Iggy Koopa (antagonist support) The nerd of Bowser’s bunch, Iggy patrols the skies above Giant Land while maintaining a minor-to-moderate threat level

Roy Koopa (antagonist support) Clearly the only Koopaling with an eye for ‘tude, Roy quakes the ground while rocking the radical hot pink

Lemmy Koopa (antagonist support) Bouncing around on his ball like a circus performer, the oddball Lemmy presents a tougher challenge than most of his siblings

Ludwig Von Koopa (antagonist support) Bowser’s firstborn and heir to the throne represents arguably the toughest obstacle of any enemy that’s not the Koopa King

Bowser (main antagonist) Scourge of Mushroom Kingdom… proud dad

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This 3rd Time Is The Ultimate Charm (XL section)

*Disclaimer* The following review contains many out-of-context lines and pictures from the awful, yet memorable movie The Wizard. If you have not seen the film then feel free to disregard the quotes entirely as they have absolutely no merit on the review at all other than some additional comedy and perspective from the past. And now, without further ado…
(“I love the Power Glove… it’s so bad !”)… Man, there’s no way I can even think about Super Mario Bros. 3 without remembering the movie The Wizard. My introduction to Mario’s 3rd entry on the system was found in the film’s “Video Armageddon” scene which promised to reveal a brand new NES game. After sludging through what seemed like an eternity of terrible dialogue (“I was closing in on the barbarian !!!”), ridiculous story and very little actual in-game footage, the movie slammed me in the face like a Mack truck with one of the coolest endings I have ever seen in the world of films (“Now I’m really gonna brain you out !”)!

After an awesome futuristic door opening scene (and an epic space shuttle sounding countdown), the large screens behind are revealed to show the brand new (at the time) Super Mario Bros. 3!!! HOLY COW! What a rad introduction as it had me jacked to play the game as fast as I could tying it together with this movie in a very unique way. Not really sure how they knew where to find the magic whistles right off the bat but who cares… MARIO 3 AHHHHH!!! (Wipes brow… composes self) Whew… okay now that we got that out of the way let’s move on to just the game… (“Ninja GaiDEN…Hai !!!”)… haha no not that one.

Super Mario Bros. 3 is an action platform game where the object is to defeat each level by making your way from the starting point and avoiding enemies and obstacles on your way to the final goal (presented as like a Mario item slot machine box – “Get the star Jimmy get the star “). While simple sounding enough, the sheer amount of quality level design in the game is an absolute marvel to behold. Truly no 2 stages are the same as each new area brings a different kind of challenge whether it be a water level full of Jelectro  (stationary electric enemies that Mario must swim around) or a castle where you have to navigate opposite moving treadmills while avoiding Boos  (ghost enemies that trail you when your not looking at them) just to name a few however the less said about scrolling levels (especially ones where you have to navigate platforms in the air while the screen is moving) the better (“What is this kid some kind of cyborg or something ?” … cough cough) though luckily there’s not too many of these. In addition to the “in-game” stages, a brand new to the series “over world” screen adorns Super Mario Bros. 3 allowing for several new gameplay variables like item storage and mini games which were all equally innovative and cohesive to the gameplay overall. 

Coupling perfectly with the excellent level variety is the super deep enemy rundown led by returning oldies Goombas  and Koopa Troopas  as well as new additions like Chain Chomps  and Venus Fire Traps  plus many many more. The boss battles have improved dramatically over previous games from the small castle Boom Boom’s  (I swear some of the game’s most intense moments come in these very simple mini boss battles) leading up to the fun assortment you’ll get from Bowsers Koopaling generals each one offering a difficult airship level and unique battle such as shooting projectiles at you (like Wendy  does with her rings) or jumping down on the floor and stunning you (Ludwig’s favorite strategy… “Just keep your Power Glove off of her pal “ … clears throat). Bowser himself looks great in his return from hiatus  and the final trudge through the hellish “Dark Land” to get to him is the most challenging and rewarding part of the whole game.

Okay so we know that there are many different types of levels and enemies but how about Mario himself ? Well, he’s great thanks for asking and why shouldn’t he be. Yet another trip into the Mushroom Kingdom to go spelunking for weird items and jumping on the backs of unsuspecting enemies. Luckily, Mario feels good when you control him though he does have a definite slipperiness that sometimes feels like you stop a little farther than you want to but it’s very minor (honestly it feels much the same as Mario 1 to me). My favorite part of the controls is the jumping. It really feels responsive and it’s more fun than ever to try and juggle bounce off of a multitude of baddies.

Returning power-ups are back from Mario 1 & 2 like the Mushroom , Fire Flower and Star but they all cower in fear to the Super Leaf , a brand new enhancement that allows Mario to fly as well as tail whip enemies to attack them. Man, how did we ever survive without this thing? With the power of this amazingly turbocharged tree debris, Mario becomes pretty much like a superhero and the Mushroom Kingdom melts into your hands like butter as he flies above hazards and floats down safely to accessible platforms. Further enhancements grant Mario even more power like the Frog Suit which makes swimming much easier, the Hammer Suit which grants you the ability to… throw hammers (similar to the Fire Flower) and the Tanooki Suit which brings all the same abilities as the Super Leaf as well as the option to turn into a statue  which makes you invincible at the expense of movement (quite useful for those pesky “fireball windmills” in the castles). Couple all that with the new option to keep collected power-ups stored away for the first time ever in a Mario game (accessible on the over world screen) and you have the fewest amount of excuses EVER to not persevere through all of Super Mario Bros. 3 offerings regardless of how difficult they get.

The music in Super Mario Bros. 3 is very fun and catchy being both cutesy and lighthearted in some levels and “bassy” and heavier in others displaying a nice contrast. This back and forth blends perfectly with each new area as the music appropriately pairs with Mario’s surroundings whether your bouncing off of a Boomerang Bro in a happier outside stage or sliding on your butt into a Buzzy Beetle  while navigating an ominous underground level. The sound effects are, of course, extremely memorable (i.e. collecting coins, going down a pipe, jumping on a Koopa Troopa, etc.) and hearken your brain instantly to a special place when hearing them as is par for the course with any release in the Super Mario Bros. series.

The graphics are absolutely beautiful and some of my favorite overall on the system especially the sprites. Most of the colors are fun and different and you always feel that the area your in is draped in an appropriate hue (i.e. the sandy browns of the desert levels or the lush greens in any of the grassy stages) though some of the backgrounds look questionable which prevents the visuals from entering the masterpiece realm. Still, when stacked up against the multitudes of Nintendo games out there Super Mario Bros. 3 looks great and definitely belongs in the upper echelon in this category.

Analyzing Super Mario Bros. 3 with the ‘Tude Meter yields some edgy feedback (Roy Koopa’s glasses are dope !) mostly from the spiteful enemies and final hell stage though Mario himself has never stood out particularly in this department to me (“I don’t care if you did like me your attitude sucks “)! He basically looks like a real life plumber (minus the exposed butt-crack thank god) making him seem like just a more normal and nice kind of guy which doesn’t exactly warrant intimidation. It’s not really like he’s ever needed it though I mean he gets along fine without superficiality but it’s slightly more noticeable here considering the game’s release (1990) during the heightened trend towards eye-grabbing machismo. I will say he’s always looked more boss when he’s little for some reason like a determined underdog willing to go the distance as opposed to the dopey looking bigger version of himself who resembles a snowman with hair but it’s far from anything I’d consider ‘tudey.

To be honest, the only gripes I could really muster up about this game would be negligible at best and not even worth mentioning next to the monumental awesomeness of every great thing including two components I just had to squeeze in. The first is the difficulty level which in my opinion is one of the best examples of a hard NES game that’s not unfair, meaning that it’s totally beatable but the challenge is extremely satisfying. The second is the super cool multiplayer aspect (essentially a clone of the arcade game Mario Bros.) where players can battle each other for goal cards which caused many fun and competitive sleepovers with friends when I was younger. It’s this great attention to detail coupled with an absolutely wonderful cornucopia of quality gameplay, excellent controls and pleasing aesthetics that makes Super Mario Bros. 3 one of the greatest overall experiences that can be had in gaming. There’s no doubt, this game is playing with power like nothing else and to think it all started with a kid walking in the desert saying… “Caleefornia .” … ugh!

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Critical Analysis

5/5 Levels and enemies are extremely varied and fun bringing with them one of the most (if not THE most) satisfying overall experiences you will have on the NES. The multiplayer game adds a competitive aspect that increases replayability by battling with your friends but perhaps my favorite part of the gameplay in Super Mario Bros. 3 is the difficulty curve which presents a perfectly balanced challenge from start to finish. One thing’s for sure, there’s plenty of meat on this bone for everyone no matter the experience level and Super Mario Bros. 3 is guaranteed to appeal to the masses in this category.

5/5 Mario certainly gains momentum quick when running (he’s pretty fast for a plumber) which can lead to a slippery feel when trying to stop him but it’s a microscopic critique in an otherwise close-to-perfect performance control-wise. Jumping feels the best that it ever has to me over previous releases in the series (besides using the Princess in Super Mario Bros. 2) and the power-ups like the Super Leaf and Fire Flower are all very simple to use making the journey through all the different “Lands” that much more enjoyable. Quite frankly, the controls in Super Mario Bros. 3 are among the best of the entire 8-bit generation and a true bar-setter across the whole realm of platforming.

5/5 The music is great and appropriately fits each area ranging from the happiest of the happy in most of the outside stages to the dark and intimidating drones of the fortress and airship levels. The sound effects are always perfect in a Mario game and this one is no exception scratching that microscopic brain itch that transports you instantly to playing something Super Mario Bros.-related whether it be shooting a fireball or growing big from eating a Super Mushroom which is the highest praise you can get in terms of familiarity. Man, CRANK it up on those underground levels the beats are dope!

5/5 Yet another amazing component to this game, the graphics are very impressive and look great specifically the sprites which are all cartoonish and add a ton of character to the Mushroom World. The colors are bright and fit nicely with each new stage though some of the backgrounds are kind of weird looking such as the ones full of diagonal lines in them (kind of hurts the eyes). One flea-sized complaint I have is the game does seem to have too much beige in it at times (geez does the entire sky have to be skin color?) otherwise the overall look is very cool and pleasing to the eye.

While the Super Mario Bros. series itself has always felt more family friendly, this game takes you to HELL dude!!! Also, there’s Roy Koopa with his super rad hot pink shades and some awesome airships blasting cannonballs around like pirates snorting pixy sticks which pushes the needle more towards the right than its 8-bit predecessors. Still, this game maintains a moderate line as there’s just too many stages that continuously vibe with a happy-go-lucky motif constantly injecting my mind with flowers and sunshine instead of skulls and explosions… YUCK!

Great game One of The ‘Tude Dude’s personal favorite NES games of all time This game RULES! Despite its cheesy association with the guilty-pleasure crapfest film The Wizard (a movie I LOVE to hate), there’s truly not much higher praise I could lump down on this perfect blend of platforming goodness other than to give it as high a score as I can possibly give! Coalescing many of the components that already made the series great with a plethora of fresh ideas befitting of a top-flight sequel, Super Mario Bros. 3 absolutely KILLS IT claiming top marks as both a single and multiplayer affair chalked full of fun factor and variety at every turn. Its excellent level design, appealing graphics, cool sounds and outstanding controls make this game one of the most fun experiences you will EVER have on the NES bar none! Furthermore, I find the challenge to be an absolutely perfect climb from beginning to end as it starts out simple enough in the early levels but crescendo’s beautifully in the later stages leading to many loud “ohh’s” and “ahh’s” especially in the final hell world where the challenge reaches its peak.  It’s only “low” point for me is its modest approach towards superficial ‘tude which is par for the course of the g-rated Mario Bros. series though I do feel like this one turned up the dial a little bit more than its predecessors indicating its proximity to the neon anomaly as the 90’s picked up steam. Overall though, Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of the greatest NES games there is and cannot be recommended enough. In fact, it’s one of the greatest games PERIOD! Its showcase of quality and depth is unparalleled and remains instant fun now and forever. Play it alone… play it with friends… who cares… JUST PLAY IT!

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“These enemies are freakin’ Cheep… Cheep !”

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