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| Super Mario Bros. 3 | |
|---|---|
| Title | Super Mario Bros. 3 |
| Developer | Nintendo R&D4 |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Director | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Producer | Takashi Tezuka |
| Designer | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Composer | Koji Kondo |
| Platforms | Nintendo Entertainment System, Famicom, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Console, Nintendo Switch Online |
| Released | 1990 (JP), 1990–1991 (WW) |
| Genre | Platform |
| Modes | Single-player, Multiplayer |
Super Mario Bros. 3 is a 1988–1990 platform game developed and published by Nintendo that introduced expansive level design and novel power-ups to the video game canon. It stars Mario and Luigi on a quest through themed worlds to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser, blending tight controls with inventive mechanics that influenced later titles from Nintendo and other studios. Lauded by critics and players, it remains a landmark in the evolution of the platform game and an enduring element of popular culture.
Super Mario Bros. 3's gameplay expands on mechanics from Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels with a world map system and varied level objectives, combining exploration across themed worlds like Grass Land, Desert Land, Water Land, Giant Land, Sky Land, Ice Land, Pipe Land, and Dark Land. Players control Mario or Luigi to run, jump, and use items such as the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, and the new Super Leaf, which grants a raccoon transformation and a tail attack; later power-ups include the Frog Suit and Hammer Suit, enabling specialized interactions with enemies like Koopa Troopa, Goomba, and bosses including Bowser's children, the Koopalings. The title features item-based progression via Toad Houses and a warp system, while integrating minigames and card-based inventory mechanics similar to arcade-style chance systems seen in Nintendo Entertainment System-era titles. Multiplayer alternates turns between Mario and Luigi, emphasizing score and progress competition reminiscent of earlier arcade cabinets and home-console multiplayer traditions.
The narrative follows the disruption of the Mushroom Kingdom when Bowser and the Koopalings invade, scattering the inhabitants and stealing magical items. Mario and Luigi traverse eight themed kingdoms to retrieve the stolen wands and restore rulers such as the Toadstool's allies, culminating in confrontations that echo earlier clashes from series installments like Super Mario Bros. 2 and narrative beats familiar to fans of Donkey Kong and other Shigeru Miyamoto creations. The plot's episodic structure permits varied boss encounters and environmental storytelling inspired by contemporary platform narratives in titles from Capcom and Konami.
Development was led by Nintendo Research & Development 4 under figures including Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, with composition by Koji Kondo. Production refined level design philosophies from predecessors produced by Nintendo and incorporated lessons from titles such as The Legend of Zelda and titles by Hudson Soft and Capcom on the NES. Technical achievements pushed the Nintendo Entertainment System hardware with custom mapper usage and sprite techniques akin to those explored in cartridges by Rare (company) and Konami; art direction drew on folk motifs and theatrical staging comparable to set pieces in works associated with Hayao Miyazaki-era animation. Localization teams in Nintendo of America coordinated a major marketing campaign including tie-ins with The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! and television promotions reminiscent of cross-media efforts by Midway Games and SEGA.
The game launched in Japan on the Family Computer before regional releases in North America and Europe, coinciding with extensive merchandising and promotional campaigns that reflected Nintendo's strategy in the late 1980s and early 1990s alongside franchises like Metroid and The Legend of Zelda. Critics praised its design, with outlets such as Nintendo Power, Electronic Gaming Monthly, and Edge highlighting innovations in level variety and controls; retrospective assessments from publications like IGN, GameSpot, and GamesRadar+ rank it among the greatest video games of all time. Commercially, it became one of the best-selling titles on the NES and Famicom, contributing to Nintendo's market dominance alongside hardware milestones like the Super Nintendo Entertainment System launch and home-console industry trends driven by companies such as Sega and Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Super Mario Bros. 3 influenced platform design in subsequent Nintendo franchises including Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros., and titles by third-party developers like Sonic the Hedgehog-era teams at Sega and platform auteurs at Rare (company). Its power-up concepts and map-based progression informed mechanics in series entries such as Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and spin-offs including Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros.. The game's cultural footprint extended into television, merchandise, and competitive scenes, inspiring speedrunning communities and preservation efforts aligned with organizations like the Video Game History Foundation and archival projects at institutions similar to The Strong National Museum of Play.
Super Mario Bros. 3 has been ported and re-released across multiple platforms including the Game Boy Advance compilation Super Mario Advance 4, the Wii Virtual Console, the 3DS Virtual Console, the Wii U Virtual Console, and as part of the Nintendo Switch Online library. It also appeared on compilations like the NES Classic Edition and influenced emulation and ROM preservation discussions involving projects referenced by Internet Archive advocates and fan communities. Re-releases were often accompanied by quality-of-life enhancements or emulation updates paralleling other classic ports from publishers such as Capcom and Konami.
Category:1990 video games Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games Category:Platform games