This video game is part of my childhood and I remember it so well playing it with all of my older siblings. Super Mario Bros 3 remains a game etched in the memories of old gamers like myself, back when we didn't need any DLC's, online multiplayer, or when FPS games didn't take over the world. It was just good old fashioned game tournaments at our home with friends or family members, or visiting friends and family members to play with them. Now it's time to review this game with utmost and unlimited POWER.
Plot. It is a legend that no one will forget. Mario and Luigi start a new quest, not only to save Princess Toadstool (Peach), but also the rulers of the seven kingdoms which have been taken over by the evil King Bowser. The two plumbers must travel through eight different worlds to restore order in the Mushroom Kingdom. And the brothers have seven new enemies before Bowser, his Koopalings. Using their new super powers, the Super Mario Bros set out to save the seven rulers and Princess Toadstool, and defeat the evil Koopa family.
Bowser: I'LL GET THOSE PLUMBERS (lol, from the cartoon)
The Super Leaf, gives Mario a racooon ears and tail, giving him the ability to fly. The Tanooki Suit not only allows him to fly, but to turn into a statue to fool enemies. And finally, the Frog Suit gives Mario the ability to swim faster underwater than ever before. There are also various mini games in which Mario can obtain various power-ups, and also when completing a world.
Concept. Players navigate through the game via two screens. An overworld map and a level playfield. The overworld map displays an overhead representation of the current world and has several paths leading from the world's entrance to a castle. Paths connect to action panels, fortresses and other map icons, and allow players to take different routes to reach the world's goal. Moving the on-screen character to an action panel or fortress will allow access to that level's playfield, a linear stage populated with obstacles and enemies. The majority of the game takes place in these levels, with the player traversing the stage by running, jumping, and dodging or defeating enemies. (source: Wikipedia).
Design. The designs for this game were very well made as the worlds looked more detailed, and the characters looked a lot better than in the previous games. The game took more than two years to complete. The character graphics were created by using a special graphics machine ("Character Generator Computer Aided Design") that generated a collection of all the graphical shapes used in the game. Shapes in the collection were assigned numbers that the game's code uses to access in real time, and are combined to form complete images on the screen in real time.
Memories. I played this game when I was about 4 years old, and me and my siblings used to play this all the time until my Nintendo broke. Then I was overjoyed to play this again with my cousin's old NES game. And I was even MORE happier to play this again on the SNES as part of Super Mario All-Stars. Me, my siblings and cousins would do some tournaments, and beat this game together. We truly loved playing this game a lot. Taking a break from SMB 3 we would play other games like Sonic, Zelda, and so many other great games. Oh the memories, back when there were no DLCs, online multiplayer, or a bunch of idiotic 11-14 year old FPS fanboys.
Legacy. Super Mario Bros 3 received critical praise upon it's release. Prior to it's release however, it was featured in the 1989 film, The Wizard. The appearance of this game in the movie, pumped many gamers for it, in a time where games were more than just graphics. Super Mario Bros 3 spawned a cartoon show, which was as successful as The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. The SMB3 cartoon also shared a crossover with Captain N as well. This game would be remade in 16-bit on SNES Super Mario All-Stars and then would be re-released a few years later on the Game Boy Advance. Great times and memories with this incredible game.
Rantings. For years, the enemy I always hated in the water stages was the Big Bertha and Baby Cheep. These enemies would always get on my nerves, as well as that chasing Boss Bass. World 3 was pretty much the world that was really tough, and at times would get to my breaking point. Also, I hated the bigger cannons on world 8, because you could barely see the cannonball because it was a dark world.
Good Aspects. The game's replay value is ultimately high, and players will enjoy hours of fun and excitement, especially when you play it for two with either a friend or a family member. This game will plunge you into Mario's incredible and fantastic world, and you are not gonna want to stop playing it. You can purchase this game on the Wii Virtual Console for 500 Wii Points.
Overall. This game lives on in my memories as a veteran video gamer. This great game gets a 10 out of 10
God Bless and Play Hard Gamers!