The Timeless Legacy of Super Mario Bros 3: How It Continues to Redefine Platforming Games Today

Highlights

Super Mario Bros. 3, released in 1988, raised the bar for platforming games and served as a template for future Mario titles.

Super Mario Bros. 3's impactful contributions to multiple genres can be attributed to its innovative features, such as the inclusion of an overworld map and introduction of new power-ups. Its influence reached far beyond the Mario franchise, serving as an inspiration for iconic characters like Sonic the Hedgehog and even becoming immortalized in the film The Wizard.

Super Mario Bros. 3 was officially released in Japan on October 23, 1988, two years before it arrived in the West. While players in North America were still playing Super Mario Bros. 2, Japanese players were already enjoying Super Mario Bros. 3, which would go on to set the standard for all future 2D Mario games and greatly elevate the platforming genre. Even on its 35th anniversary, following the release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, it is astonishing how well Super Mario Bros. 3 remains one of the greatest games ever made.

Due to the difficulty of the Japanese sequel, Super Mario Bros., Nintendo decided to rework a Japan-exclusive game called Doki Doki Panic and release it as the Western version of Super Mario Bros. 2. Meanwhile, Nintendo developed and launched the true sequel to Super Mario Bros. in Japan, forever changing the gaming industry. Compared to the first two games in the series, Super Mario Bros. 3 stands out as one of the best platformers on the NES and showcases Nintendo's creative brilliance at its peak. The release of Super Mario Bros. 3 solidified Nintendo's position as a dominant force in the gaming world.

Super Mario Bros. 3's Noteworthy Innovations to the Series and Genre

Ignoring the outlier in the Western release of Super Mario Bros. 2, the first two official games in the Super Mario Bros. series were largely the same. They shared the same assets and gameplay mechanics, while the sequel introduced new level layouts and increased difficulty. With advancements in technology, Shigeru Miyamoto, the mastermind behind the series, was able to push the boundaries with the third game, resulting in innovative features that still impact various genres today.

Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced an overworld map and the ability to skip levels. This allowed certain stages to serve as challenges to test players' skills without blocking their progress in the main game. Despite its notorious difficulty, Super Mario Bros. 3 is often praised for its perfect balance. The difficulty curve gradually prepares players for the toughest challenges the game has to offer. The introduction of new power-ups, such as the iconic Tanooki and Frog suits, made navigating these stages easier. Their influence can be seen in subsequent Mario games, including the new Elephant power-up in Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

The Lasting Impact of Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario Bros. 3's impact extends far beyond the Mario franchise, marking a pivotal moment in the history of gaming. While the original Super Mario Bros. holds the title of best-selling NES game due to being bundled with the console, Super Mario Bros. 3 stands as the top-selling game for the NES on its own merit. Its record-breaking 17 million copies sold, along with the immense hype surrounding it and Nintendo at the time, are forever immortalized on film in the 1989 movie, The Wizard.

Furthermore, Super Mario Bros. 3 played a significant role in shaping another influential platforming series, Sonic the Hedgehog. The success of Mario and the innovative qualities showcased in Super Mario Bros. 3 inspired Yuki Naka, the creator of Sonic, to transform his concept of a racing game into a platformer. This decision ultimately led Sega to compete with Nintendo. Combining its historical importance and flawless platforming mechanics that remain unrivaled, Super Mario Bros. 3 is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable and enjoyable games ever created.

Super Mario Bros. 3 is available on Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online service.