It was February 1990 and the hype for Super Mario Bros. 3 was absolutely massive. Even before the internet existed for normal people, folks in North America already knew about the game because magazines kept showing screenshots and previews all through 1989. Some shops were even selling imported versions from Japan before the official release. Then the movie The Wizard showed gameplay footage near the end and kids completely lost their minds over it.
This was not just another Mario game. Nintendo needed this game to prove they were still the kings of gaming. Companies like Sega and NEC were starting to bring out stronger hardware, and people were wondering if Nintendo’s success would fade away like a trend. Instead, Super Mario Bros. 3 ended up becoming one of the biggest and most important games ever made.
Even now, it still feels special.
The Story Behind the Game
Back in 1985, Super Mario Bros. completely changed gaming. In Japan it became huge almost overnight. Millions of copies were sold, strategy guides became bestsellers, and Mario basically turned into the mascot of gaming itself. Nintendo sold millions of Famicom consoles because everybody wanted to play Mario.
Nintendo quickly made a sequel, Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, but people thought it felt too similar to the first game. It was also ridiculously hard. Nintendo even called it a game “For Super Players”. Players wanted something bigger and more original.
Ultimate Mario
That led to Nintendo’s R&D4 team deciding to make what Shigeru Miyamoto called the ultimate Mario game. Miyamoto was heavily involved this time after stepping back a bit during the previous game. Alongside him was director Takashi Tezuka, programmer Toshihiko Nakago, and composer Koji Kondo.
Nintendo also had new cartridge technology called the MMC3 chip, which gave the NES way more power. Because of that, the team could make bigger levels, smoother scrolling, better graphics, and way more ambitious mechanics. At one point they even tested an isometric camera angle, almost like a 3D game, but Miyamoto thought it ruined the jumping so they scrapped it.
The developers wanted Mario to feel more athletic. Instead of just running and jumping, Mario could now slide down hills, pick up blocks, kick shells, and even fly. The game also completely changed the visuals. Everything looked brighter, more colourful, and more alive. Trees danced around, blocks looked like stage props, and the whole game had this theatre style where curtains opened at the start of levels.
The worlds themselves were also far more creative than before. Instead of just grassy stages over and over again, the game had deserts, ice worlds, giant lands, sky levels, oceans, pipe mazes, and huge castles. The overworld map made the adventure feel massive because players could choose different paths and discover secrets.
Power-Ups and Enemies
One of the biggest reasons the game became so iconic was the power-ups. The Super Leaf turned Mario into Raccoon Mario and let him fly for short periods. The Frog Suit made swimming way easier but made running on land awkward. The Hammer Suit let Mario throw hammers and block fireballs.
Then there was the Tanooki Suit, which is probably one of the weirdest and coolest Mario power-ups ever. It worked like the raccoon suit but also let Mario turn into a statue for temporary invincibility. Miyamoto kept it in the game even though he thought players outside Japan might not understand what a Tanooki was.
The enemies were great as well. Classic enemies like Goombas and Koopa Troopas returned, but there were loads of new ones too like Boom Boom, Spike, Big Bertha, and the Koopalings. Some of them even came from real life ideas. Chain Chomps were inspired by Miyamoto being scared of a neighbour’s dog as a kid, and Boos were apparently based on Tezuka’s wife getting angry when he worked too late.
The Hype Around the Release
The marketing for this game was insane. Nintendo spent millions advertising it throughout 1989. The Wizard basically worked as a giant advert for the game. Most kids watching had never seen gameplay footage before, so seeing Mario flying around and using new suits looked unbelievable.
Nintendo Power magazine constantly teased the game for over a year. Arcades got early versions through the PlayChoice-10 machines, and magazines like Electronic Gaming Monthly and GamePro imported copies from Japan just to preview it.
By the time the game finally released in North America in February 1990, it was complete chaos. Shops sold out almost instantly. Kids talked about warp whistles, secrets, and hidden levels in school playgrounds everywhere. Nintendo even released a full strategy guide because the game was so huge and packed with secrets.
The game ended up selling over 17 million copies worldwide, and with rereleases it has probably passed 30 million. At the time it was one of the best-selling games ever made.
Gameplay
The gameplay is still brilliant today. Mario controls almost perfectly. Running and jumping feels smooth, and flying with the raccoon suit is still one of the most satisfying mechanics in gaming.
The level design is where the game really becomes special. Nearly every stage introduces something new. One level might have giant enemies while another focuses on airships blasting cannonballs at you. Some levels scroll automatically while others are built around puzzles or vertical climbing. The game constantly changes things up before they get boring.
The overworld map was also a huge deal at the time. Instead of just moving in a straight line, players could choose routes, skip levels, unlock shortcuts, and replay stages. Modern Mario games still use this idea now.
The secrets are another massive part of why people loved the game. Hidden whistles, invisible blocks, secret areas, bonus rooms, and shortcuts are everywhere. Half the fun was hearing rumours from friends about hidden stuff and then trying to find it yourself.
Graphics and Music
For an NES game, the graphics still look amazing. The colours are bright and colourful, and every world has its own style. Giant Land especially stands out because everything is oversized and strange.
The music by Koji Kondo is fantastic too. Instead of just copying the original Mario music, he gave the soundtrack more percussion and a weird reggae style. The airship theme is still stressful, and the overworld themes are unbelievably catchy.
Critique
As amazing as the game is, it is not perfect.
Some later levels can become really difficult, especially in World 8. Younger players will probably end up relying on warp whistles or extra items just to get through parts of the game. Losing power-ups can also feel brutal because certain levels are much easier with suits like the raccoon or hammer suit.
The inventory system is cool, but sometimes it makes the game feel a little unbalanced because you can stockpile powerful items and completely destroy difficult stages. On the other hand, some players probably loved that because it made the game feel less frustrating.
There are also moments where the controls feel slightly slippery compared to newer Mario games. It is not bad at all, but if somebody starts with modern Mario titles first, they will notice it.
Still, these problems barely damage the experience because the game is just so creative and fun the whole way through.
Legacy
Super Mario Bros. 3 changed gaming completely. It proved home consoles could deliver giant adventures that were even better than arcade games. It also helped Nintendo stay on top while the gaming industry was becoming far more competitive.
The success of Mario pushed other companies to create their own mascots. Sega responded with Sonic the Hedgehog, which started the massive console wars of the 1990s.
Even now, people still talk about this game as one of the greatest platformers ever made. A lot of modern Mario games still use ideas introduced here. That says everything really.
Final Verdict
Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of the most important video games ever made. Nintendo took everything from the earlier Mario games and massively expanded it with better level design, more movement options, more secrets, better worlds, and more personality.
The game still feels fun today because of how creative it is. Every world feels different, the power-ups are iconic, and the amount of secrets packed into the game is ridiculous. Even after decades, it still feels magical to play.
Rating: 10/10
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