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Super Mario Bros. 3

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For the cartoon, see The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.
Super Mario Bros. 3
File:Smb3.jpg
The North American cover art depicts Mario flying with raccoon ears and tail obtained from the new "Super Leaf" item.
Developer(s)Nintendo R&D4
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Designer(s)Shigeru Miyamoto
Takashi Tezuka
Composer(s)Kōji Kondō
SeriesMario
Platform(s)Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayChoice-10 arcade, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Console
Genre(s)Platformer
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Super Mario Bros. 3, also referred to as Super Mario 3 and SMB3, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and is the fifth release in the Super Mario video game series. It was first released in Japan in 1988 and later in the United States and Europe in 1990 and 1991 respectively. Development was handled by Nintendo's Research & Development Team 4, led by Shigeru Miyamoto who directed the game along with Takashi Tezuka.

Super Mario Bros. 3 centers on the quest of Mario and Luigi to save seven kings of seven kingdoms from Bowser, the series' antagonist. The two must travel across eight new worlds to restore order to the Mushroom World. The game built on the gameplay of previous Mario games by introducing several new power-ups that augment character abilities, and establish conventions that were carried over to future games in the series.

Prior to its North American release, gameplay footage from Super Mario Bros. 3 appeared in the Universal Studios film The Wizard, and helped fuel anticipation. Upon its release, the game was commercially successful, and has since become one of the best-selling video games in the industry. It was well received by video game publications, and has been included in numerous lists of top video games. The success of the game resulted in an animated television show based on its characters and elements, and in the game's rerelease on later Nintendo consoles.

Gameplay

See also: Gameplay of Mario series

Super Mario Bros. 3 is a two-dimensional platform game in which the player controls the on-screen protagonist (either Mario or Luig), from a third-person perspective. The game shares similar gameplay mechanics with previous titles in the series—Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, and Super Mario Bros. 2—but introduces several new elements. After Mario and Luigi had saved the Mushroom Kingdom in the previous games, Bowser, the game's antagonist, sends his seven children to the terrorize the Mushroom World. His children, the Koopalings, steal the magic wands of the kings of seven kingdoms, and use them to transform the kings into animals. Princess Toadstool sends Mario and Luigi to rescue the kings and stop Bowser.[1] Each kingdom serves as a game world and is further divided into stage levels. In addition to the seven worlds, an eighth is included as the final world, Bowser's kingdom. The eight worlds each have distinct visual themes; for example, the second world, "Desert Land", features sand covered levels with pyramids, while the levels in the fourth world, "Giant Land", are populated with obstacles and enemies twice as big as other worlds.[2]

File:SMB3-overworld.jpg
Mario in a "Tanooki Suit" on the overworld map, a new feature that players navigate to access stages.

The player navigates through the game via two game 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 the kingdom's castle. Paths are connected by action panels, fortresses, and other map icons. Moving the on-screen character to an action panel or fortress will allow access that level's playfield, which is a linear stage populated with obstacles and enemies. Completing stages allows the player to progress through the overworld map and to proceeding worlds. Each world features a final stage with a boss to defeat, an airship controlled by one of the Koopalings. Other map icons include large boulders and locked doors which impeded the path, and special minigames which provide the player a chance to obtain special power-ups.[3][4]

File:SMB3-gameplay.gif
Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced several suits to alter the character's abilities. For example, Mario can use the "Frog Suit" to swim more easily in water, but will move more slowly on land.

In addition to special items from previous games like the "Super Mushroom" and "Fire Flower", new power-ups are introduced that provide the player with new gameplay options. The "Super Leaf" and "Tanooki Suit" give Mario a raccoon appearance and allow him to fly for a limited amount of time. Other suits include the "Frog Suit", which increases the character's speed and agility under water, and the "Hammer Suit", which give Mario the appearance of the Hammer Bros. enemy and allows him to throw hammers. The suits also provide extra abilities intend to give the player more navigation options in stages; for example, the Frog Suit allows access to underwater pipes and the Tanooki Suit can temporarily transform Mario into an invincible statue. A new feature is the player's option to save power-up items they've obtained in minigames for later use in the game via a menu accessible at the overworld screen.[3][4][5]

Super Mario Brothers 3 includes an option which allows two players to cooperatively play through the game by taking turns at navigating the overworld map and accessing stage levels; the first player controls Mario, while the other controls Luigi. It also contains a minigame which is a remake of the original Mario Bros. game.[6]

Development

Shigeru Miyamoto oversaw the creative development of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Mario Bros. 3 was developed by a group of around ten people in Nintendo's Research & Development Team 4, and took over two years to complete.[7][8] Development was led by Shigeru Miyamoto, who provided advice to the designers and programmers, and paid extra attention to the initial concepts and final stages. He frequently discussed ideas with his staff in order to organize the thoughts into full concepts. Super Mario Bros. 3 was intended to appeal to players of varying skill levels. To assist less skilled players, earlier worlds were populated with bonus coins and 1-ups, while later worlds presented more complex challenges for more experienced players. The two player mode had the players alternate turns to balance the amount of play time between the two.[7]

Miyamoto considered interesting and original gameplay ideas to be the key to making a successful game. Similar to previous games in the series, the team wanted to introduce new power-ups, and developed concepts revolving around Mario transforming him into a creature. An early idea transformed Mario into a centaur, but this was dropped in favor of a tail that allowed him to fly.[7][8] The first tail conceived was a raccoon tail, and was kept because the designers felt it was practical and matched Mario's style.[8] Other costumes with different abilities were added, and levels were designed to take advantage of these abilities.[9]

To add diversity to the game, new enemies were included as well as variants of previous ones like such as Goombas, Hammer Bros. and Koopa Troopas.[8][9] Inspiration for new enemies were derived from different areas. For example, the Chain Chomp enemies (spherical, dog-like creatures) were inspired from a bad experience Miyamoto had with a dog as a child.[7] Bowser's children were based on seven of the game's programmers as a tribute to their work and efforts, and were each designed to be unique in appearance and personality.[7][8] Their names were later altered in the English localization to mimic celebrities' names.[8]

The character graphics were created by using a Character Generator Computer Aided Design machine that compiled a character bank consisting of all the graphical shapes used in the game. Shapes in the bank are assigned numbers that the game's code uses to access during gameplay, and are combined to form complete images.[7] The Super Mario Bros. 3 cartridge used Nintendo's custom Memory Management Controller (MMC) chip, specifically the MMC3 model, to take advantage of extra functions. MMC chips are smaller, cheaper and held more memory than previous Nintendo chips used in cartridges. The additional memory allowed for a split screen and multi-directional scrolling. For instance, the game screen was split into two portions, a top and bottom portion, which allowed the top portion to scroll while the bottom portion remained static to display information.[10]

In mid-1988, a shortage of microchips that Nintendo used to manufacture its cartridges delayed the North America release of Super Mario Bros. 3, among other games.[11] The delay presented Nintendo with an opportunity to promote the game in a feature film. In 1989, Tom Pollack of Universal Studios approached Nintendo of America's marketing department about a video game movie; inspired by Nintendo video game competitions, Pollack envisioned a video game version of Tommy for younger audiences. Nintendo licensed its products to be included in the film, The Wizard, and was given approval over the game footage and script.[12] Nintendo chose to include Super Mario Bros. 3, along with other new products they wanted to promote, and the game was used in one of the movie's final scenes involving a video game competition.[12][13]

Reception

Super Mario Bros. 3 was a commercial success and eventually became the one of the best-selling video games ever.[9] The game's inclusion in The Wizard helped serve as a preview, and generated a high level of anticipation prior to its release.[14][15] Levi Buchanan of IGN considered Super Mario Bros. 3's appearance in the film as a show stealing element, and referred to the movie as a "90-minute commercial" for the game.[16] The PlayChoice-10 arcade version was also successful.[17] By 1993, it had sold 4 and 7 million units in Japan and the United States respectively, earning Nintendo over US$500 million in revenue. Video game author David Sheff commented that in music industry terms the game went platinum eleven times.[18] In 2008, Guinness World Records listed the game as the best-selling video game to be sold separately from a system, and reported sales of over 17.2 million copies.[19]

The game was well received by the video game press. Julian Rignall of Mean Machines referred to Super Mario Bros. 3 as the "finest videogame" he had ever played, citing its addictive gameplay that offered depth and challenge. In contrast, he described the audio and visuals as being outdated compared to games for the Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). A second Mean Machines reviewer, Matt Regan, anticipated the game would be a top selling title in the United Kingdom, and echoed Rignall's praise calling it a "truly brilliant game". Regan further stated that the gameplay offered elements which tested the player's "brains and reflexes", and that though the graphics were simple they were "incredibly varied".[3] In a preview of the game, Nintendo Power gave it high marks in graphics, audio, challenge, gameplay, and enjoyability.[4] Edge magazine considered Super Mario Bros. 3 a stand out title during 1988, and commented that its success outshone the first Super Mario Bros.'s sales milestone; the first title sold 40 million copies, but was bundled with the NES.[20] The in-game, hidden items were a well received element. Rignall considered them a component of the game's addictiveness, while Sheff stated that finding the secret items in the game, such as the whistles, provided a sense of satisfaction.[3][21]

Because of its popularity, Super Mario Bros. 3 has appeared on numerous top video game lists. The game debuted on Nintendo Power's Top 30 list at number 20 in September 1989.[22] It entered the list's top 10 a few months later and reached number one in May 1990.[23][24] More than a decade later, the magazine ranked the game number 6 on their list of 200 Greatest Nintendo Games.[25] In 2007, Screwattack considered Super Mario Bros. 3 the best Mario game in the series, citing the graphics, power-ups, and popularity.[26] The game has also been ranked on several of IGN's lists of "top games". In 2005, IGN rated Super Mario Bros. 3 23rd among their Top 100 Games, and praised the precise and intuitive controls.[27] IGN editors from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia ranked the game number 39 in their 2007 Top 100 Games, citing on Miyamoto's "ingenious" designs. They further commented that the game improved on the "already-brilliant concepts" of the previous titles with new power-ups and enemies.[8] Users and readers of the website also placed the game high on similar lists: 32nd in 2005 and 21st in 2006.[28][29]

Legacy

Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced several elements which were carried over to subsequent Mario titles; for example, Mario's ability to fly has been included in Super Mario World and Super Mario Galaxy, and Bowser's red hair has become since become a part of his standard appearance.[8] Through a collaboration between NBC and Nintendo of America, an animated television series titled The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 was created in 1990 by DIC Entertainment. The show aired weekly and featured numerous characters, enemies, and settings from the video game.[30] The game has been ported to several other Nintendo consoles. In 1993, it was included in Super Mario All-Stars, a SNES compilation of enhanced remakes of NES Mario games.[31] A Game Boy Advance version, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, was released in 2003, and included several updates.[32][33] It featured similar graphics to the SNES port along with a larger color palette and parallax scrolling. The Mario Bros. minigame allowed up to four players instead of two, and support for the Nintendo e-Reader peripheral was added which gave the player access to walkthrough demonstrations as well as new items and levels.[33] In later 2007, Super Mario Bros. 3 was released via the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console service, but featured the original graphics and gameplay of the NES version.[34][35]

References

  1. ^ "Story". Super Mario Bros. 3 Instruction Booklet. Nintendo of America. 1990-02-12.
  2. ^ "The Eight Kingdoms". Super Mario Bros. 3 Instruction Booklet. Nintendo of America. 1990-02-12.
  3. ^ a b c d Mean Machine Staff (1991). "Nintendo Review: Super Mario Bros. 3". Mean Machines (13). EMAP: pp. 56–59. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  4. ^ a b c Nintendo Power Staff (1990). "Previews: Super Mario Bros. 3". Nintendo Power (10). Nintendo: pp. 56–59. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  5. ^ Nintendo Power Staff (1990). "Super Mario Bros. 3: Strategy Guide on the Way". Nintendo Power (12). Nintendo: 94–95. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  6. ^ "How To Play The 2 Player Game". Super Mario Bros. 3 Instruction Booklet. Nintendo of America. 1990-02-12.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Nintendo Power Staff (1990). "The Making of Super Mario Bros. 3". Nintendo Power (10). Nintendo: pp. 20–23. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "IGN Top 100 Games 2007: 39 Super Mario Bros. 3". IGN. 2007. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  9. ^ a b c McLaughlin, Rus (2007-11-08). "The History of the Super Mario Bros". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  10. ^ Nintendo Power Staff (1991). "Why Your Game Paks Never Forget". Nintendo Power (20). Nintendo: pp. 28–31. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  11. ^ Sheff, David (1993). "Game Masters". Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children. Random House. p. 222. ISBN 0679404694.
  12. ^ a b Sheff, David (1993). "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas". Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children. Random House. pp. 190–191. ISBN 0679404694.
  13. ^ McFerran, Damien (2008). "The Making of The Wizard". Retro Gamer (49). Imagine Publishing: pp. 84–87. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  14. ^ Matti, Michele (1989). "NES Journal: The Wizard". Nintendo Power (9). Nintendo: p. 90. {{cite journal}}: |page= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  15. ^ Roush, George (2008-06-18). "Watching The Wizard". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  16. ^ Buchanan, Levi (2008-06-18). "The 90-Minute Super Mario Bros. 3 Commercial". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  17. ^ Nintendo Power Staff (1989). "Pak Watch: Super Mario Bros. 3". Nintendo Power (9). Nintendo: p. 92. {{cite journal}}: |page= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  18. ^ Sheff, David (1993). "A New Leader of theClub". Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children (1st ed.). Random House. pp. 3–5. ISBN 0679404694.
  19. ^ Craig Glenday, ed. (2008). Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008. Guinness World Records. section coauthored by Oli Welsh. Guinness World Records Limited. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-904994-20-6.
  20. ^ Edge Staff (2007). "Who Dares Wins". Edge (177). Future Publishing: pp. 63–65. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  21. ^ Sheff, David (1993). "I, Mario". Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children (1st ed.). Random House. p. 53. ISBN 0679404694.
  22. ^ Nintendo Power Staff (1989). "Nintendo Power Top 30". Nintendo Power (8). Nintendo: p. 82. {{cite journal}}: |page= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  23. ^ Nintendo Power Staff (1990). "Nintendo Power Top 30". Nintendo Power (11). Nintendo: pp. 40–41. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  24. ^ Nintendo Power Staff (1990). "Nintendo Power Top 30". Nintendo Power (12). Nintendo: pp. 42–43. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  25. ^ "NP Top 200". Nintendo Power (200). Nintendo: pp. 58–66. 2006. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  26. ^ "Top Ten Mario Games". ScrewAttack. GameTrailers. 2007-07-24. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  27. ^ "IGN's Top 100 Games: 21–30". IGN. 2005. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  28. ^ "Top 99 Games of All Time: Reader's Pick". IGN. 2005. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  29. ^ "Readers' Picks Top 100 Games: 21-30". IGN. 2006. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  30. ^ Nintendo Power Staff (1990). "On the Air: SMB3". Nintendo Power (16). Nintendo: p. 89. {{cite journal}}: |page= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  31. ^ "Super Mario All-Stars for SNES: Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  32. ^ "Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 for Game Boy Advance: Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  33. ^ a b Davis, Ryan (2003-10-17). "Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  34. ^ "Super Mario Bros. 3 for Wii: Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  35. ^ Provo, Frank (2007-12-19). "Super Mario Bros. 3 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
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