Nintendo Wii Virtual Console Game Reviews: Super Mario Bros. 3 Review

Nintendo Wii Virtual Console Game Reviews: Super Mario Bros. 3 Review
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Super Mario Bros. 3 is the third installment of the Super Mario Bros. games. Originally released in 1990 in the US, it has become one of the best selling games of all time. In fact, you’ve probably played this game in one form or another at some point, but now you can download it for you Wii. And who wouldn’t want to do that?

Story (3 out of 5)

For once, Princess Toadstool is not kidnapped. No, this time Bowser (who changed his name from Koopa to make it less confusing) has taken over the kingdoms of seven kings and turned the kings into animals. Princess Toadstool asks Mario and Luigi to make it right by freeing each kingdom and defeating Bowser. Of course, who else would she call on but a couple of plumbers?

I’m just happy there is no Princess saving in this game. Maybe by this time the developers realized it was getting old. Mario is not Link, after all.

Gameplay (4 out of 5)

Super Mario Bros. 3 plays like the previous Mario titles with the running and jumping since it is a platformer. However there have been a number of additions in the forms of power ups. Super Mario Bros. 3 is the first game in which Mario flies with the help of a leaf (that turns him into a raccoon man. Not sure why raccoons can fly, but I’ll go with it). There are also a number of suits to collect, like a frog suit and a full raccoon suit, each of which imbue Mario with a special ability.

Super Mario Bros. 3 is also the first Mario game to use a world map to travel between worlds and levels. Also, all of the levels are connected in such a way that there are multiple paths to get to the ship at the end. Yes, I said ship. For once, Mario is not storming castles. He storms a small fortress which is like a castle light, but then has to beat a flying armored ship at the end of each world. I guess it didn’t catch on because Mario went back to castles in Super Mario World (and saving the Princess).

There are also a bunch of mini games on the world map that can be played for power ups, although they can each only be played once. Also, there is a much improved version of the original Mario Bros. game that can be played from the menu or from the world map when you are playing a multiplayer game.

Super Mario Bros. 3 also has a plethora of hidden things (warp whistles, power ups and more), even more than Super Mario Bros. 2! However, if you played this game as a kid, you probably already know all the its secrets.

The Wiimote as a classic controller works fine for Super Mario Bros. 3 and feels very natural in the hands. All in all, the gameplay holds up well even after nearly 20 years.

Graphics and Sound (3 out of 5)

The VC version of Super Mario Bros. 3 is not the spruced up Super Mario All Stars version for the SNES, or even the Super Mario Bros. 3 version for the GBA. This is the old school NES version in all its 8-bit glory. Yeah, the graphics are a little bit less advanced and the colors are kind of dull, but that doesn’t really matter. Enhanced graphics can’t make the game any better.

Sound wise, Super Mario Bros. 3 is okay. A lot of the music is actually recycled from Super Mario Bros. with new beats added, and that is a little disappointing, but it does have some new music as well. All in all, I think Super Mario Bros. 3 is the least impressive music wise of all the Mario games.

Fun (4 out of 5)

Of course! I remember waiting in line for this game at Toys R Us, bringing it home and staying up all night playing it. Yeah, those were good times, and they are still good times. Super Mario Bros. 3 has more depth than Super Mario Bros. (although it’s not quite as off the wall as Super Mario Bros. 2) it is still a great game. Just figuring out all of the secrets is a joy. It is also one of the hardest Mario games, I think. Bowser’s World really kicks my butt every time I play it.

And, if you don’t feel like playing through the worlds, grab a friend and bounce on each others heads. The inclusion of the original Mario Bros. as a mini game makes Super Mario Bros. 3 even better.

Overall (4 out of 5)

Super Mario Bros. 3 was one of the best selling games of all time for a reason. It’s a really great game. While it’s not my personal favorite Mario game, I still enjoy playing it for hours. For only 500 Wii points, it is a bargain. Everyone should have this game on the VC, simple as that.