Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario Bros. 3 is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer in Japan in 1988 and the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1990. It sends Mario and Luigi across the Mushroom World after Bowser’s seven children, the Koopalings, steal the magic wands of seven kings and transform the rulers into animals. Each kingdom ends with an airship battle against one Koopaling. After the kings are rescued, Bowser kidnaps Princess Toadstool, setting up the final journey through Dark Land.

Unlike the original Super Mario Bros., this game lets players choose levels from an overworld map. Paths lead past fortresses, wandering Hammer Bros., Toad Houses and spade panels that award prizes. Clearing a fortress can open a locked route, while a Warp Whistle can transport Mario or Luigi to a separate warp zone. Some stages scroll automatically, notably the Koopalings’ airships, where cannons and moving platforms make the approach to each boss part of the challenge.

The game introduced several powers that became closely associated with the series. A Super Leaf gives Mario a raccoon tail for attacking, slowing falls and, with enough running speed, flying for a limited time. The Tanooki Suit adds the ability to become a statue. The Frog Suit improves movement underwater, while the Hammer Suit lets Mario throw hammers. A rarer item, Kuribo’s Shoe, appears in a single stage and allows its wearer to hop safely over hazards such as spikes.

Its eight worlds have distinct identities. Giant Land enlarges familiar enemies and scenery; Ice Land fills stages with slippery surfaces; and Pipe Land builds routes around networks of pipes. Desert Land includes the Angry Sun, an enemy that descends from the sky to pursue the player. These ideas sit alongside hidden exits, secret rooms and optional routes, giving players reasons to revisit stages even after reaching the next world.

Super Mario Bros. 3 reached American audiences in an unusual way: it appeared in the 1989 film The Wizard before its North American release. Nintendo later remade it with updated graphics and sound for the 1993 Super Nintendo collection Super Mario All-Stars. A Game Boy Advance version, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, followed in 2003 and supported additional levels distributed through e-Reader cards. Those releases preserved a game whose map, suits and varied stage designs marked a substantial expansion of Mario’s original NES adventure.