Super Mario Bros. 3

Who hasn’t played this game?, is there anyone?, not having played this game is an offence, a true sacrilege, because this is the best game ever crafted for the old NES. Super Mario Bros. 3 is the true sequel of the first Mario game, the original Super Mario bros. 2 was just a bloody hard version of the first Mario, the and the American version, while as good as this one (in my humble opinion), was a completely new game that had almost nothing to do with the Mario saga.

But this third part plays and feels exactly like the first Mario right from the beginning, and right from the beginning too, this game is one million times better than the original and three billion times better than basically any other NES game you can imagine, and let’s face it, Super Mario Bros. 3 is much, much better than almost any other game you can imagine for any console ever. Yes, it is that good.

Every level in SMB 3 is filled with Bowser’s loyal followers, who are designed creatively and make you think a little, as they pop up everywhere (though there attacks aren’t terribly difficult to avoid). The best of the crew are the Koopa soldiers who retreat inside their large shell when you jump on them.

This shell can then be used to hit hard-to-reach blocks or simply to knock down lines of enemies. But, if you take too long, the Koopa will pop back out of the shell and attack you! Fortunately, the responsive controls and excellent jump and running abilities give you prefect command of Mario, eliminating any frustration and minimizing deaths. Still, the diverse enemies can catch you off-guard so the game does demand a somewhat cautious approach rather than an entirely carefree attitude (especially if you’re at Mario weakest stage). It certainly isn’t a simple walk in the park.

An additional two-player mode extends the lifespan of the game slightly, but it’s long enough without this mode since the each world is quite long and fairly challenging to get through and, once you’ve finished the main adventure, exposing all of the game’s secrets proves to be very enjoyable and rewarding. SMB 3 is also a game that you can replay just for the sake of it, as the intricate levels, vibrant color schemes, catchy tunes, tough enemies, and solid control system make it easy and amazing to play.

Every gamer should experience this magical mix of awesome platforming fun, terrific stage design and absorbing representation of the Mushroom Kingdom, because SMB 3 deserves to stand next to Super Mario World and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 as an equally legendary platform game.