Super Mario Bros. 3

This article is about the Nintendo Entertainment System game. For other uses, see Super Mario Bros. 3 (disambiguation).

"Mario 3" redirects here. For the level in Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge, see Mario 3 (level).

"Super Mario 3" redirects here. For the Nelsonic Game Watch also known as simply "Super Mario 3", see Super Mario Bros. 3 (Nelsonic Game Watch). For the manga series originally subtitled as "Super Mario 3", see Miracle Peach.

Super Mario Bros. 3 is a 2D action-adventure platform game for the Family Computer and Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the fourth installment in the Super Mario series and is recognized as the third in Japan.^[10][11] It was released for consoles in Japan on October 23, 1988; in North America on February 12, 1990; and in Europe and Australia on August 29, 1991. Prior to its North American release on the NES, Super Mario Bros. 3 was ported to the Nintendo PlayChoice-10.^[5] Being the first game in the series since Super Mario Bros. not to derive its gameplay from another game as well as to release in all regions, Super Mario Bros. 3 retains the same level-based platformer mechanics of previous titles. These core mechanics are iterated upon, featuring greatly expanded levels, several new power-ups, new enemies and bosses, a more fleshed-out multiplayer mode, a world map, and many optional levels and secrets. The game has gone on to become one of the most influential titles for the Super Mario franchise, and several elements introduced in this title have since become mainstays in the 2D games, including landscape-themed worlds, the Koopalings, airships, and Toad's Houses.

The game features a unique stage play-esque aesthetic, with objects being bolted to the background or suspended by ropes and casting drop shadows. Additionally, the ends of most levels feature Mario traveling "offstage" on a black backdrop to complete them. This led to a long-standing rumor that the game was a stage play put on by the Super Mario cast, an idea later confirmed by series creator Shigeru Miyamoto.^[12] Some of these aesthetic choices were changed or removed in remakes of the game.

Super Mario Bros. 3 has received near-universal critical acclaim since its release, and it is one of the best-selling NES and Super Mario games of all time.^[13] The game has received several re-releases on other platforms, including full remakes for the SNES compilation game Super Mario All-Stars and on the Game Boy Advance as Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3. It is also featured on all of Nintendo's Virtual Console services, as well as Nintendo Switch Online.

Story

The following text is taken directly from the instruction booklet.

The Mushroom Kingdom has been a peaceful place thanks to the brave deeds of Mario and Luigi. The Mushroom Kingdom forms an entrance to the Mushroom World where all is not well.

Bowser sent his seven children to make mischief as they please in the normally peaceful Mushroom World. They stole royal magic wands from each country in the Mushroom World and used them to turn their kings into animals. Mario and Luigi must recover the royal magic wands from Bowser's seven kids to return the kings to their true forms.

"Goodbye and good luck!" said the Princess and Toad as Mario and Luigi set off on their journey deep into the Mushroom World.

Peace has returned to the Mushroom Kingdom thanks to the efforts of Mario and Luigi; however, Bowser sent his own seven children (Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig) to the other countries of the Mushroom World, which the Mushroom Kingdom forms a gateway to. The Little Koopas stole the royal Magic Wands of the seven kings, using them to transform the kings into various helpless creatures. Mario and Luigi vow to go and stop the Little Koopas' mischief, and change the kings back into their normal form. At the end of each world, Mario and Luigi fight one of the Little Koopas, and after the match is over, retrieve the wand from the Little Koopa to turn the king back to normal. While the brothers are out in their adventure, Bowser kidnaps Princess Toadstool and takes her to his lair in Dark Land. The brothers go to Dark Land and fight Bowser. After defeating Bowser, they save the princess and restore peace once again.

Gameplay

Super Mario Bros. 3 plays similarly to Super Mario Bros., with several additions. The game features a world map where the player can choose which path to take and which level to play. Toad's Houses and Spade Panels are also found on the world map. Midway through each world, Mario or Luigi enter a fortress, where they fight Boom Boom. At the end of each world, they enter the world's airship, where one of the seven Little Koopas is fought. After defeating the Little Koopa, Mario or Luigi restores the king back to his normal state and moves onto the next world.

The first player controls Mario, while the second player controls his brother, Luigi, with the two players taking turns. After one brother completes a level or loses a life, the other brother plays. If one brother interacts with the other brother's icon on the world map, they enter Battle Mode in their Small forms. Whoever wins is immediately given a turn to play in the main game.

New moves include picking up objects and kicking them, as well as sliding down hills, moves which have carried over in future Super Mario games. The Fire Flower returns in this game, where it acts as it does in Super Mario Bros., allowing Mario or Luigi to transform into their Fire forms and shoot fireballs. Several new power-ups are also introduced, including the Super Leaf, a leaf power-up that transforms Mario or Luigi into their Raccoon forms, allowing them to fly into the sky, and the Hammer Suit, which transforms the brothers into their Hammer forms, letting them throw hammers at enemies.

Controls

Characters

Playable characters

• 👁 Mario
  

  Mario

• 👁 Luigi
  

  Luigi

Non-playable characters

Enemies and obstacles

Enemies

Obstacles

Bosses

Bosses are listed in the order that they are first encountered.

Items and objects

Items

These are collectibles, pickups, and health-restoring objects.

Power-ups

Items that transform Mario's appearance and give him unique abilities. Forms that share a column look the same for Mario and Luigi.

Objects

Objects are interactable elements of the environment that cannot be picked up or collected.

Worlds

Unlike Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2, this game has a world map, a feature that has been carried over into every subsequent title in the series. Like Super Mario Bros., the game features eight total worlds spread out across eight different maps, each one featuring a different name, theme, and boss; the inclusion of thematic worlds would also be carried over into future titles in the series, though some of the worlds of later installments differ from the ones established in this one. In the original NTSC release of this game, most of the worlds were given different names (indicated in parentheses in the table below), which are largely carried over to remakes. There is a total of 88 levels in Super Mario Bros. 3. According to the Japanese manual, the map designs were deliberately modeled after that of a board game.^[14]

Version differences

TCRF article: Super Mario Bros. 3

There are four versions of Super Mario Bros. 3 released for Family Computer and Nintendo Entertainment System: the original Japanese version, the North American PRG0 and PRG1 versions (NES cartridges will display NES-UM-USA and NES-UM-USA-1 next to the Nintendo Seal of Quality respectively), and the PAL version. During the release gap of fifteen months between the original Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 3 and the North American localized edition, many changes were made for the game's international release. Many of these gameplay and level design changes were kept in the future remakes (both in Japan and in the West), while other changes were reverted to make the game closer to the original Japanese version.

Gameplay changes

• In the Japanese version, powered-up Mario will automatically shrink to Small Mario when hit, like in Super Mario Bros. In the international versions, powered-up Mario is reverted to Super Mario when hit, then shrinks to Small Mario when hit again. This also applies for the Goomba's shoe. In the Japanese version, the shoe is red as it flies offscreen, and the player is also reverted to Small Mario; the shoe retains its green color as it is removed for the international versions, and the player keeps any power-ups they had before entering the shoe. Despite these changes, the short demo that plays on the title screen still shows Mario being reduced to Small Mario when being hit by a shell when he is Raccoon Mario. This oversight was not fixed for either All-Stars or Advance 4.
• In Toad's Houses, the player can move while Toad is speaking in the Japanese version. In the international versions, the player must wait until the message is completely displayed.
• The timing for the credits sequence was altered for the international versions.
• After the credits end in the international versions, the player can press any button to return to the title screen and start another game in which the inventory is filled with 28 P-Wings. In the Japanese version, the player cannot do this as the game remains on the ending screen indefinitely and must be restarted. This is one of the few international gameplay changes not retained in the later remakes.

Level design changes

• In the second room of World 1-👁 Image
  Fortress in the international versions, the door to Boom Boom is at the very end of the room, with the spikes above the door slightly above the rest. Comparatively in the Japanese version, the room is two blocks wider to the right, and the door is one block to the left of the gap in ceiling spikes.
• The castle interiors when entering and finishing an airship stage were redesigned for the international versions. Mario is standing in the center of the room rather than on the very left, a third pillar next to the very left one was removed, the column on the right is in front of the stairs rather than behind, the throne and stairs are colored golden rather than being blue like the background wall, the stairs are made slightly longer, and the shadow shading was put on the right of each pillar rather than on the left.
• In World 8-👁 Ship
  Ship, a block was removed off the end of the final ship, allowing players to more easily jump onto the ship should they swim under the fleet.
• The end of World 5-1 was moved to the end of the main area of the level rather than having a Warp Pipe that takes the player to the end of the stage. A Buster Beetle at that part was also removed for the international versions. This was likely done to remove a glitch allowing the treasure box that appears in the secret area in this level to appear at the end of the level.

Graphical changes

• When the player is hit as Tanooki, Hammer, or Frog Mario or while wearing Goomba's Shoe, the item comes off (outlined for the suits, colored red for the shoe) and a sound effect plays in the Japanese version. In the international versions, the costume disappears in a puff of smokeMedia:SMB3 Puff normal.gif, like Raccoon Mario.
• In the Japanese version, when entering a stage, it wipes in to black, then wipes out the stage. In the international versions, it wipes in, then the stage fades in slightly more quickly.
• In the Japanese version, there is a single transparent pixel on the "R" outline in "WORLD" on the heads-up display, causing it to reflect the current background color. This is filled in with solid black in the international versions.
• In the PRG1 version, a bug was fixed that caused the player's held cards to not display on the HUD during the vertical scrolling sections of World 4-👁 Image
  Fortress 2, World 5-2, World 7-1 and World 7-6.^[15]

Textual changes

• In the PRG1 version, the names of each world as shown in-game minus Grass Land were further altered; Desert Hill became Desert Land, Ocean Side became Water Land, Big Island became Giant Land, The Sky became Sky Land, Iced Land became simply Ice Land, Pipe Maze became Pipe Land, and Castle of Koopa became Dark Land. This actually makes it closer to how they were originally written in the instruction manuals, including the Japanese one. The Super Nintendo and Game Boy Advance ports, however, reverted back to the original pre-revision names.
• In the PRG0 version, Toad says "Miss twice and your out!" in the N-Mark Spade Panels. The US PRG1 version changes Toad's line to "You can only miss twice!" to get rid of the typo in the PRG0 version.
• Princess Peach mentions in her letter received in World 2 "Kuribo's shoe" in the PRG0 version and "Goomba's shoe" in PRG1 version.

PAL version changes

• The PAL version is based on the US PRG1 version, featuring most of its changes. It was optimized for PAL NES to have its gameplay and music match the Japanese and US versions. Some of the music sounds different as the result, such as the Airship music, where the percussion in the first part is not cut off.
• Bowser inexplicably signs his letter as "Koopa Troopa" instead of "King of the Koopa", his actual title.

Pre-release and unused content

Main article: List of Super Mario Bros. 3 pre-release and unused content

One of the early ideas was a power-up to turn Mario into a Centaur (half-man, half-horse), although this was rejected before being implemented into the game. (Tilden 1990, 21)

Additionally, Cheep-Cheeps and Para-Beetles respectively have unused tan and green variations, which would have moved faster than their ordinary counterparts.

Glitches

Main article: List of Super Mario Bros. 3 glitches

Air walking

The player must be Raccoon Mario or Tanooki Mario to perform this glitch. In a level with quicksand, Mario must run and fill the Power Meter, or be using the P-Wing. Afterward, he must touch the quicksand and jump right after. Flying up, Mario appears to be walking while flying up and back down.^[16] This works in the original and Super Mario All-Stars versions.

Staff

Main article: List of Super Mario Bros. 3 staff

Directors

• Shigeru Miyamoto
• Takashi Tezuka

Game Designers

• Shigeru Miyamoto
• Takashi Tezuka

Main Programmer

• Toshihiko Nakago

Sound Composer

• Koji Kondo

Producer

• Shigeru Miyamoto

Development

Development for Super Mario Bros. 3 began shortly after Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels was finished in the Spring of 1986. Originally, the game was developed with a bird's-eye view in mind, similar to The Legend of Zelda, where the player would be looking down at the characters from above. With jumping as one of Mario's main moves, this overhead view made it difficult to determine whether Mario was touching the ground or not, so the view was switched to the side-view used in earlier titles. However, relics of the overhead view can still be found in the final game, such as the black-and-white checkerboard seen at the title screen.^[17]

When Takashi Tezuka was designing concepts for the game, he did not want it to be like Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels where only the levels and difficulty was changed. Instead, he wanted to rework everything, from giving Mario an improved moveset to overhauling the character sprites. Programmers also had what they called a "Map Room", which was a long, narrow meeting room where they looked at sheet papers and programmed map data all day. There were 20 to 30 people working on Super Mario Bros. 3, compared to Super Mario Bros.'s seven or eight. However, Koji Kondo was completely alone on sound design, and he claims it was difficult to come up with music to fit the genre of the game. Additional sounds were possible to use during Super Mario Bros. 3's development which weren't able to be used during Super Mario Bros.'s. The Japanese version of the game was originally planned to release in Spring of 1988, but because of the developers wanting to add so many new features, the game ended up getting pushed back another six months.^[17]

The hard part of creating a video game with old characters is making the old characters seem fresh and new.^{[18][better source needed][19]} In many ways, Super Mario Bros. 3 revived the series and brought many new young and old fans back to the adventures of the Mario Bros. The game also appeared in the 1989 movie The Wizard as a way to advertise it; this also marked the first time that a Super Mario game was advertised in a movie.

Reception

The game has received critical acclaim and is considered to be one of the greatest games of all time. IGN placed it at the number one spot of their top 100 NES games of all time list.^[20]

Release

Merchandise

Among the merchandise based on the game are a Nelsonic Game Watch, and chocolate chip swirl cookies manufactured by Salerno, which features a maze on the box.^[21]

Remakes and ports

Super Mario Bros. 3 was later remade and included in Super Mario All-Stars with updated graphics and sound for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which was later reissued as Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World and ported to the Wii as Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition. A notable addition to the All-Stars version of Super Mario Bros. 3 was a save feature which allow players to save the progress and continue the world where they left off. Additionally, there's a Battle Game feature in the title screen that works differently from the ones featured from the maps in the 2-Player Game mode. Other than that, retaining some localization changes and certain glitches fixed, gameplay was not altered.

The original game is also one of the 30 titles included in the NES Classic Edition and Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer, and was made available as one of the 20 NES titles with added online play at the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service's launch in September 2018.^[22] It later received a special version on July 28, 2021, known as Super Mario Bros. 3: Mario, the quick-change artist!, where the player would start on World 8 with 35 lives and the inventory full of every power-up in the game.

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3

Main article: Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario Bros. 3 was ported to the Game Boy Advance handheld system as the fourth and final installation in the Super Mario Advance series, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3. It used the same graphics and sounds as the Super Mario All-Stars version, and also incorporated the use of the e-Reader: by scanning in certain cards, players could unlock new items and levels, including content originally from the other classic Super Mario platformers.

References to other games

Mario Bros.

• Battle Mode is very similar to the multiplayer in this game.

Super Mario Bros.

• Buzzy Beetles reuse their sprites from this game but with a few differences.
• Spinies in the Battle Mode reuse their sprites from this game.
• When Princess Toadstool is saved from Bowser (in English versions except Super Mario Advance 4), she says "Thank you. But our princess is in another castle!...Just kidding! Ha ha ha! Bye bye." This is a reference to the mushroom retainers' line "Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!" from this game.
• Several sound effects from this game are reused.
• An arrangement of the Underground BGM from this game is used for the underground levels.
• The Music Box plays an arrangement of the Ground BGM from this game.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

• The skidding sound effect and red Piranha Plants return.

Super Mario Bros. 2

• Princess Toadstool's appearance is almost identical to how she appeared in this game, though it more closely resembles her appearance from the prototype version as there is no white coloring in her eyes.
• Bob-ombs, as well as desert, sky and ice-themed levels/worlds also return.

The Legend of Zelda series

• The "Magic Whistle" item is the Recorder from The Legend of Zelda; it summons a whirlwind to warp the player character to another location and plays the same tune when used, which has become a reoccurring melody in the original series.

The Mysterious Murasame Castle

• The Raccoon Mario transformation sound effect originated from this game.^[23]

References in later media

Super Mario World

• The Koopalings return in this game.
• The Sunken Ghost Ship was once an airship in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Mario Land 2 - 6 Golden Coins

• Water Land's music can be heard in the background of the music for stage 3 of Tree Zone, as well as in Mario Zone.

Super Metroid

• The sound effect for when Crocomire fully dies is taken from the Dry Bones in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

• The music heard in Grate Guy's Casino is a rendition of the music that plays during the minigames of Super Mario Bros. 3, the theme heard during the battle with Bowser is an arrangement of that from Super Mario Bros. 3, the music for Bowser's Keep also contains part of the same theme, and the music heard from Mario's Pad as well as the Flower Garden cutscene is an arrangement of Grass Land's theme from Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Mario 64

• Many levels in Giant Land resemble Tiny-Huge Island in Super Mario 64 and its DS remake.
  • Changing sizes by using doors also resembles using pipes to go from tiny to huge in Tiny-Huge Island.

Mario Party

• Some songs are rearrangements of some world map themes from the game.
  • "Slowly, Slowly" is based on "World 6 Map (Ice Land)".
  • "Dodging Danger" is based on "World 8 Map (Dark Land)".

Mario Party 2

• The jingle that plays when a single player wins in a minigame is similar to the jingle that plays when the player clears a level.

Super Mario Bros. Deluxe

• The opening for the game features a letter from Princess Peach in a similar manner to Super Mario Bros. 3.

Mario Artist: Polygon Studio

• One of the game's interchangeable parts is a brown striped tail resembling Raccoon Mario's or Tanooki Mario's tail.

Paper Mario

• The jingle that plays when Mario rescues a Star Spirit is an arrangement of the theme that plays when Mario recovers a king's Magic Wand, which also plays when Mario wins the Star Rod back from Bowser.
• An arrangement of the fortress theme plays in the Koopa Bros. Fortress.
• The theme of the Koopa Bros. is an arrangement of the theme for the Hammer Bros. battles.
• The music that plays when Mario levels up is an arrangement of Grass Land's music from Super Mario Bros. 3.

Luigi's Mansion

• One of the other songs played on Melody's piano is a version of the Super Mario Bros. 3 athletic theme.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

• The Ground and Grass Land themes are heard in a new version named after Super Mario Bros. 3.
• Bowser's down special move, Bowser Bomb, is based on the ground pound he uses in Super Mario Bros. 3.
• Raccoon Mario, Boo and Thwomp appear as trophies.

Super Mario Fushigi no Janjan Land

• Several sprites from Super Mario Bros. 3 are reused in this game.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

• The theme for Ice Land plays when Jolene calls Mario.
• Peach also provides vital clues to Mario via (e-)mail, and her last message ends up being intercepted by the main villain (Grodus, in this game's case), similar to in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Animal Crossing series

• In Animal Crossing: Wild World, City Folk, and New Leaf, the player can receive and send stationery called "SMB3 Paper", whose design is a direct reference to the opening title sequence of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Tetris DS

• Levels 4, 5, and 6 in Marathon mode uses Super Mario Bros. 3 gameplay on the top screen, along with the Raccoon, Frog and Tanooki Mario sprites on the touch screen.
  • An arrangement of the Ground theme plays in those levels.

Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix

• The songs "Jump! Jump! Jump!" and "Hammer Dance" are arrangements of the Athletic BGM and Ground BGM, respectively. The former also uses samples from the original.

WarioWare: Twisted!

• The Super Mario Bros. 3 microgame, along with the Super Mario Bros. 3-Lift microgame, are based on Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Mario 64 DS

• The Rec Room theme is an arrangement of Grass Land's theme.
• The Wanted!, Connect the Characters, and Mario's Slides minigames use the minigame music.

Mario Party Advance

• The music played after Mario beats a Boom Boom/Koopaling is heard after the player completes a quest.
• In the minigame Drop 'Em, the background has a similar design to the levels from Super Mario Bros. 3.

Mario Kart DS

• The track Airship Fortress is based on the airship levels from Super Mario Bros. 3.
• Desert Hills is based on Desert Land from Super Mario Bros. 3.
• A few of the Mission Mode arenas are based on the Fortress levels in Super Mario Bros. 3.
• The background of Shroom Ridge is based on Giant Land from Super Mario Bros. 3.

New Super Mario Bros.

• Many concepts started in Super Mario Bros. 3 are features in this game, such as Toad Houses.
• Most of the worlds have similar themes.
• The fortress theme is an arrangement of the Super Mario Bros. 3 fortress theme.
• The "Fortress Boss" theme returns as an arrangement.
• A new version of Toad House's music was as the theme for Bob-omb Reverse, a minigame in this game.
• Bowser's theme from Super Mario Bros. 3 is rearranged in this game.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)

• A new version of the Ground theme from Super Mario Bros. 3 is available as a track that can be heard in the music gallery.

Super Mario Galaxy

• Arrangements of the airship and athletic themes appear in this game.

Super Paper Mario

• The theme that plays when Big Blooper appears is an arrangement of the underwater theme from Super Mario Bros. 3.
• Bowser's boss battle theme is an arrangement of "World 8 Map (Dark Land)."

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

• The "Super Mario Bros. 3" theme from Super Smash Bros. Melee is re-used in this game.
• The music that plays during Peach's Final Smash, Peach Blossom, is a sped-up arrangement of the music that plays in Coin Heavens and the second portion of Sky Land, as well as the Warp Zone.
• The airship theme is redone and can be heard on the stage Luigi's Mansion.
• A medley of the boss theme of Super Mario Bros. 3 (alongside the Super Mario World Castle theme) can be heard on the Luigi's Mansion stage.
• Raccoon Mario, Boo, Thwomp, and Ludwig von Koopa appear in the form of stickers.
• Boo, Chain Chomp, and Dry Bones appear as trophies and stickers.

Mario Kart Wii

• A license plate which reads "SMB3" can be found on one of the trucks on Moonview Highway.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

• In the Wii version, a version of the athletic theme is available as a track that can be played during events.
• In the Nintendo DS version, an arrangement of the athletic theme is used as the first part of the Mario & Sonic Medley in Ultimate Figure Skating.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

• The Penguin Suit is based on the Frog Suit from Super Mario Bros. 3.
• The Koopalings' battle theme is arranged twice and once again played when fighting against them.
• The airship theme is an arrangement and can be heard on airship levels.
• The map model of the Towers are based on the fortress map sprites of Super Mario Bros. 3.
• The Enemy Courses are similar to the levels when fighting against a Hammer Bro, Fire Bro, Boomerang Bro, or Sledge Bro, and even use an arrangement of the song.
• Also, players can store reserve power-ups like in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Nintendo 3DS

• The sound effect when selecting an NES Virtual Console game is the coin sound effect startup sound from Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

• Supermassive Galaxy is similar to Giant Land.

Mario Sports Mix

• In the underwater theme in Harmony Hustle, a recreated part of the Super Mario Bros. 3 underwater theme can be heard.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)

• The athletic theme in Super Mario Bros. 3 is available as one of the optional music tracks that can be heard.

Super Mario 3D Land

• Many Super Mario Bros. 3 elements, like Boom Boom, Tanooki Mario, Note Blocks, and Super Leaves appear in this game.
• The Airships and Boom Boom battles return, and the arrangements of the Airship and athletic themes from Super Mario Galaxy play in certain stages.

Mario Kart 7

• The Super Leaf appears as an item.

Fortune Street

• A new version of Pipe Land's theme is used as the stocks menu music.
• The Toad House theme is used as the music for auctions.
• A version of the "3 Matching Cards" fanfare plays whenever a line is made in Round The Blocks on a Mario board or when the Super Mario Tour is completed in Tour mode.
• A version of the "World Clear" fanfare playing when a line of lucky 7's is made in Round The Blocks on a Super Mario board.

New Super Mario Bros. 2

• Some levels in this game contain the same colorful blocks as Super Mario Bros. 3.
• Super Leaves, Raccoon Mario, and the Power Meter returns.
• The loading chime sometimes plays a small part of the Super Mario Bros. 3 Ground theme.
• The theme for Toad Houses was reused as that of Toad Houses in this game. World 1-1 and 1-5 are remade as part of the Gold Classics Pack.

New Super Mario Bros. U

• The P-Acorn sounds and acts like the P-Wing.
• Also, the first part of the Soda Jungle is based on Giant Land.

Mario Tennis Open

• A costume and racket of Tanooki Mario can be unlocked in this game.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star

• Goomba's shoes (known as the Super Boot), a version of Raccoon Mario with only the tail, and Frog Suits return as stickers in this game.
• The music that plays when riding the ski lift in Whiteout Valley is a version of the athletic theme from Super Mario Bros. 3.
• The Kings' theme is recreated for the theme that plays after collecting a boss's Royal Sticker.
• When the Host Snifit explains the rules to Snifit or Whiffit, a new version of the Spade Panel music plays.

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

• Part of the boss theme is arranged as part of the music in Mario's Figure Skating Spectacular in this game.

Super Mario 3D World

• A version of the death jingle in Super Mario Bros. 3 is used in this game.
• Spikes and Super Leaves also return.

NES Remix 2 / Ultimate NES Remix

• Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of the games that is remixed.

Mario Golf: World Tour

• The music for Sky Island is an arrangement of the Super Mario Bros. 3 athletic theme.
• Golf clubs, a golf ball, and a clothing combo appear based on the Super Leaf.
• There are golf clubs, a golf ball, and a costume available based on Tanooki Mario.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

• Tanooki Mario is a playable character in the downloadable content pack The Legend of Zelda × Mario Kart 8, but is available from the start in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
• Rocky Wrenches in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe resemble their appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

• "Super Mario Bros. 3 Medley" consists of the athletic, stage clear theme, Giant Land's theme, Hammer Bros. battle theme, and the player miss theme.
• The Super Leaf is a usable item, turning fighters into the Raccoon form and allowing them to glide for a while.
• The Koopalings appear as playable characters as alternate costumes for Bowser Jr.

Mario Party 10

• Toad's amiibo Party theme is a version of the theme for Toad Houses from this game.
• After a Bowser Party is finished, the results music is the lullaby that makes the Hammer, Boomerang, Fire, and Sledge Bros. fall asleep.

Super Mario Maker/Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS

• Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of the game styles for these games.
• The Course World menu music and 100 Mario Challenge map music are both arrangements of the Grass Land map theme.
• The Enemy Course theme plays when the Bowser emblem sound effect is activated in the Super Mario Bros. style, and the Fortress Boss theme plays when it is activated in the Super Mario Bros. 3 style.

Paper Mario: Color Splash

• The 8-bit Recorder and Claw Hammer return in the Super Mario Bros. 3-themed course in Green Energy Plant and can be squeezed into realistic Thing Cards
• When the Recorder is used, the original notes are played by the flute itself, and it has the same effect of summoning a whirlwind, while three other flutes play the "Coin Heaven" theme in the background.
• To board an airship carrying a giant bucket of paint at the Crimson Tower, Mario hangs on the Anchor as he does in Super Mario Bros. 3.
• Raccoon and Frog Mario also appear as usable card effects.
• Larry, like in the Japanese manual for the game, states before fighting Mario, that he is doing his actions specifically to avoid upsetting Bowser.
• Similar to in Super Mario Bros. 3, after completing a level, Peach supplies Mario with advice via Holo-Peaches. Additionally, her final message ends up intercepted by the main villain (Black Bowser in this case).

Super Mario Run

• The background music for Remix 10 features a version of the Ground theme from Super Mario Bros. 3.
• One of the minigames available heavily resembles the Battle Mode stage where coins and fireballs spew out of a vertical pipe.

Super Mario Odyssey

• The music that plays in the slot rooms and the picture-matching mini-game areas is a version of the minigame theme from Super Mario Bros. 3.
• A scene of Mario fighting Bowser, accompanied by the final boss theme from Super Mario Bros. 3, plays when Mario captures Bowser.

WarioWare Gold

• The Super Mario Bros. 3-Lift microgame from WarioWare: Twisted! reappears, referred to as simply "Super Mario Bros. 3".

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

• New arrangements of the Ground Theme (which features the level clear theme and Grass Land's theme), Fortress Boss theme (featuring Ice Land and Dark Land's themes), and Bowser battle theme (also featuring Dark Land's theme) are available as tracks.

Paper Mario: The Origami King

• Olivia mentions the sun being angry in Scorching Sandpaper Desert.
• Portions of Chestnut Valley's music are based on this game's athletic theme.
• Koopas are also depicted as religious, repeatedly praying to a deity as a sign of worship, referencing an image in this game's credits sequence depicting a green Koopa Troopa praying to Statue Mario.^[24]

Super Mario Maker 2

• Super Mario Bros. 3 returns as a course style. The Enemy Course theme plays when the "Boss Music" sound effect is activated in the Super Mario Bros. style, the Fortress Boss theme plays when it is activated in the Super Mario Bros. 3 style, and the Bowser battle theme plays when the "Final Boss" sound effect is activated in the Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 style.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

• The Brooklyn couple's house features a framed piece of artwork resembling the green triangular texture patterns used for hills in Super Mario Bros. 3.
• Music Boxes, P Switches, P-Wings, Lakitu's Clouds, Anchors, treasure chests as they appear in Super Mario Bros. 3's Toad Houses, and a Hammer can be seen in the antique store.
  • On the back wall of the store is a picture of Princess Peach as she appears in the letters.
• When Mario runs from some Toad guards in Peach's Castle, the sound he makes when skidding across the hallway is identical to the P-Meter sound effect.
• The P-Meter sound effect and the drum sample are used in the track "Press Start".
• The Ground Theme, Athletic Theme, Toad House/P Switch music, Spade Panel minigame music, Airship Theme, and Hammer Bro mini-boss music are also arranged in the film's score.
• The Tanooki Suit appears.
• The sign above the vertical lift Mario and Toad use in the Mushroom Kingdom resembles the world maps.
• Bowser's territory is the Dark Lands.
• The voxel map Peach uses makes the "world map start" sound effect when the Mushroom Kingdom forms.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

• The minigame music is reused for the Wonder Effect in Taily's Toxic Pond.
• The Hammer Bro music is reused for the Break Time! level Trottin' Piranha Plants.

WarioWare: Move It!

• A microgame based on Super Mario Bros. 3 appears in this game, in which the player controls a flying Raccoon Mario.

Mario Kart World

• In Dry Bones Burnout, in the graveyard is a tombstone for a Dry Bones with a listed death year of 1988, in reference to Super Mario Bros. 3's release year in Japan.

Adaptations

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3

Main article: The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3

A cartoon adaptation of the game and direct sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! known as The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 started airing shortly after the release of the game. In the cartoon, King Koopa and the Koopalings attempt to take over both the real world and the Mushroom Kingdom. The series was produced by DIC Entertainment in association with Nintendo. Since the cartoon was developed before the game was localized in English, the then-unnamed Koopalings received different names in the cartoon.

Publications

Super Mario Bros. Monogatari

The graphic novel Super Mario Bros. Monogatari published by Fuyukisha features redesigns of multiple characters while adapting the game events: Luigi, instead of being Mario's twin, is depicted as a classic-looking prince and Peach's fianceé (similarly to Haru-ōji from Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!), while the Koopalings have different names, hairstyles, and accessories.

Super Mario Kodansha manga

Super Mario Bros. 3 was the first game adapted by Kazuki Motoyama in his Super Mario manga series published by Kodansha and distributed by Comic BomBom Special, while KC Deluxe would distribute the following volumes, in Manga Super Mario Bros. 3 Kanzen Kōryakuhon. Compared to the next entries, it is much closer to a strategy guide than the gag adventure that would characterize the rest of the series, divided into two storylines: three chapters as the main adaptation and one chapter focused on the game's secrets and tricks, along with additional informational sheets. It nonetheless features humorous moments, such as Mario entering a Warp Pipe and ending up in the Kodansha department.

Super Mario 4koma Manga Theater

The Super Mario 4koma Manga Theater series features various stories and story arcs based on Super Mario Bros. 3, in the first six books.

• 👁 Book one
  

  Book one

• 👁 Book two
  

  Book two

• 👁 Book three
  

  Book three

• 👁 Book four
  

  Book four

• 👁 Book five
  

  Book five

• 👁 Book six
  

  Book six

Yukio Sawada manga

Yukio Sawada originally used the subtitle "Super Mario 3" for an original series of his starring Princess Peach, intended as a sequel to Super Mario-kun 2: Miracle Peach. The subtitle was dropped when the third game was developed. Once he finished the Super Mario Bros. 2 manga for Tokuma Shoten on the Wanpakku Comic magazine, he immediately went to create a direct sequel: Super Mario Bros. 3. It only lasted 2 chapters, due to the closure of the magazine.

Meanwhile, after finishing with Miracle Peach, Sawada continued on Gakushū Yōchien with a shorter Super Mario Bros. 3 adventure (2-4 pages monthly): Super Mario Bros. 3. He would also do a puzzle collection story for the same magazine titled Super Mario Bros. 3 Bōken Meiro. Additionally, despite the closure of Wanpakku Comic, Sawada continued working for Tokuma Shoten by making the illustrations for the fifth and last Super Mario Bros. 3 illustrated strategy guide: Super Mario Bros. 3: Kanzen Kōryaku Technique Book 5: Sōshūhen.

• 👁 The second to last issue of Wanpakku Comic, containing the first chapter of Super Mario Bros. 3
  

  The second to last issue of Wanpakku Comic, containing the first chapter of Super Mario Bros. 3

• 👁 The last issue of Wanpakku Comic, containing the second and last chapter of Super Mario Bros. 3
  

  The last issue of Wanpakku Comic, containing the second and last chapter of Super Mario Bros. 3

• 👁 The prologue chapter of the Gakushū Yōchien version of Super Mario Bros. 3
  

  The prologue chapter of the Gakushū Yōchien version of Super Mario Bros. 3

• 👁 Super Mario Bros. 3: Kanzen Kōryaku Technique Book 5: Sōshūhen
  

  Super Mario Bros. 3: Kanzen Kōryaku Technique Book 5: Sōshūhen

In an effort to remedy the lost chance for a substantial adaptation of the game, Sawada would use some chapters of the Super Mario World arc in Super Mario-kun to give a proper closure to his Super Mario Bros. 3 adaptation, starting with Mario often pulling out the Frog Suit to deal with water obstacles since the very first chapter of this series.

In the last chapter of volume 2, a 4-koma collection recapping Mario's previous adventures, two skits are dedicated to Super Mario Bros. 3's power-ups.

In volume 3 stage 4, Bowser summons a "second army", which comprises of the various original enemies from Super Mario Bros. 3 that were not included in Super Mario World such as Boom Boom, Chain Chomps, and the Angry Sun, and orders it to attack Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi. Toad helps them by sending them a treasure chest full of Super Mario Bros. 3 power-ups.

As revealed in the instruction manual, the Sunken Ghost Ship is the haunted shipwreck of an Airship and, while exploring it in volume 4 stage 1, Mario finds a Super Leaf that he uses to deal with the disappearing Boo Buddies that have possessed Luigi.

In volume 5 stage 4, the trio faces a frozen Ptooie in Donut Secret 2.

In the story arc's conclusion in volume 5 stage 12, aiding the Stars of Star World, Mario and his friends discover that they were conquered by "Bowser 3", Bowser's alter-ego from Super Mario Bros. 3 (complete with the cape he wears in the Japanese cover art). He sends his troops from the game against Mario and friends, but he is ultimately defeated and the Star World saved.

• 👁 The two Super Mario Bros. 3 skits in volume 2
  

  The two Super Mario Bros. 3 skits in volume 2

• 👁 Volume 3 stage 4
  

  Volume 3 stage 4

• 👁 Raccoon Mario saves Luigi in volume 4
  

  Raccoon Mario saves Luigi in volume 4

• 👁 The Ptooie in volume 5
  

  The Ptooie in volume 5

• 👁 "Bowser 3" in volume 5
  

  "Bowser 3" in volume 5

Profiles and statistics

Nintendo official website

Super Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary

• The History of Super Mario Bros. :
  • English:
    Mario and Luigi are called back into action when Bowser and the Koopalings steal magical wands from the kings of the Mushroom World and turn them into animals.
  • Other languages:
    • Dutch:
      Mario en Luigi moeten weer in actie komen wanneer Bowser en de Koopalings koningen in het Paddenstoelenrijk beroven van hun toverstafjes en ze in dieren veranderen.
    • French:
      Mario et Luigi reprennent du service lorsqu'ils découvrent que Bowser et ses sept Terreurs ont volé les baguettes magiques des rois du Monde Champignon pour transformer ces derniers en animaux.
    • German:
      Bowser und die Koopalinge stibitzten die Zauberstäbe der Könige der Pilz-Welt und verwandelten sie alle in Tiere. Ein Fall für Mario und Luigi!
    • Italian:
      Mario e Luigi devono tornare in azione dopo che Bowser e i suoi Bowserotti hanno rubato gli scettri magici dei sovrani del Mondo dei Funghi e trasformato questi ultimi in animali.
    • Portuguese:
      O Mario e o Luigi voltam a entrar em ação quando o Bowser e os seus lacaios roubam varinhas mágicas dos reis do Mushroom World e os transformam em animais.
    • Spanish:
      Mario y Luigi volvieron a la acción cuando Bowser y sus esbirros robaron las varitas mágicas de los reyes del Mundo Champiñón y transformaron a los monarcas en animales.

Nintendo Today!

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Collectible Cards

• Featured Game Title :
  • English:
    Mario and Luigi venture across the different countries in the Mushroom World to recover seven royal magic wands stolen by Bowser and his Koopalings. Mario can acquire power-ups to fly as Raccoon Mario or swim as Frog Mario.
  • Other languages:
    • Japanese:
      大魔王クッパとコクッパたちに奪われた7本の魔法の杖を取り戻すため、マリオとルイージがキノコワールドで冒険を繰り広げる。空を飛べる「しっぽマリオ」や泳ぎが得意な「カエルマリオ」など、たくさんのパワーアップが登場する。
    • Chinese (Traditional):
      為了奪回被大魔王庫巴與Koopalings奪走的七根魔法之杖，瑪利歐與路易吉在蘑菇世界展開冒險。大量「力量提升」登場，例如是可以飛翔的「尾巴瑪利歐」及擅長游泳的「青蛙瑪利歐」等。
    • Dutch:
      Mario en Luigi bezoeken de verschillende landen van de Paddenstoelenwereld om de zeven koninklijke toverstaven terug te veroveren die Bowser en zijn Koopalings hebben gestolen. Met de power-ups in deze game kan Mario door de lucht vliegen als Wasbeer-Mario of vrij rondzwemmen als Kikker-Mario.
    • French (Europe):
      Mario et Luigi s'aventurent dans les différents pays du Royaume Champignon pour récupérer les sept sceptres magiques royaux volés par Bowser et ses troupes. Mario peut utiliser des objets et se transformer en Mario raton laveur pour voler ou encore en Mario grenouille pour nager.
    • German:
      Auf der Suche nach den sieben königlichen Zauberstäben, die von Bowser und seinen Koopalingen gestohlen wurden, begeben sich Mario und Luigi in die verschiedenen Länder des Pilz-Königreichs. Mario kann Power-Ups einsetzen, die ihn als Waschbär-Mario fliegen und als Frosch-Mario schwimmen lassen.
    • Italian:
      Mario e Luigi partono all'avventura attraverso i vari regni del Mondo dei Funghi per recuperare le sette bacchette magiche che Bowser ha rubato insieme ai suoi Bowserotti. Mario può raccogliere potenziamenti che gli permettono di volare nei panni di Mario procione o nuotare nei panni di Mario rana.
    • Korean:
      대마왕쿠파와 쿠파7인조에게 빼앗긴 7개의 마법 지팡이를 되찾기 위해, 마리오와 루이지가 버섯 월드에서 모험을 펼친다. 하늘을 날 수 있는 「꼬리마리오」나 수영이 특기인 「개구리마리오」 등, 다양한 파워 업이 등장한다.
    • Portuguese (Brazil):
      Mario e Luigi partem em uma aventura por diferentes países no Mundo Cogumelo para recuperar sete varinhas mágicas roubadas por Bowser e seus Koopinchas. Mario pode adquirir potenciadores para voar como Mario guaxinim ou nadar como Mario sapo.
    • Spanish (Latin America):
      Mario y Luigi se aventuran a lo largo de ocho diferentes territorios del Mundo Champiñón para recuperar siete varitas mágicas que fueron hurtadas por Bowser y sus koopalines. Mario puede adquirir mejoras para volar como Mario Mapache o para nadar como Mario Rana.
    • Spanish (Europe):
      Mario y Luigi recorren distintos países del Mundo Champiñón para recuperar las siete varitas mágicas reales que han robado Bowser y sus esbirros. Mario puede hacerse con potenciadores para volar en forma de Mario Mapache o nadar como Mario Rana.

Quotes

See also: List of Super Mario Bros. 3 quotes

• "The Tanooki Suit turns into a statue! Even though I knew it wouldn't make sense to some non-Japanese players...I was so excited about it that I left it in." - Shigeru Miyamoto, Super Mario History 1985-2010 booklet
• "We were helped by many people when developing this game. But even with a larger team, I was still the worst gamer of the bunch." - Takashi Tezuka, Super Mario History 1985-2010 booklet
• "This time around, I added a lot of percussion and was able to create tracks that sounded like there were three or more sounds playing at once, resulting in much richer-sounding music." - Koji Kondo, Super Mario History 1985-2010 booklet

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Super Mario Bros. 3.

• 👁 Raccoon Mario
  

  Raccoon Mario

• 👁 Princess Toadstool, Toad, and Luigi
  

  Princess Toadstool, Toad, and Luigi

• 👁 Para-Goomba
  

  Para-Goomba

• 👁 Bowser
  

  Bowser

• 👁 Boom Boom
  

  Boom Boom

• 👁 Main cast
  

  Main cast

Multimedia

For the complete list of media files for this subject, see Multimedia:Super Mario Bros. 3.

Help:Media file • Having trouble playing?

Names in other languages

Super Mario Bros. 3: Mario, the quick-change artist!

Notes

• Super Mario Bros. 3 is Takashi Tezuka's favorite game in the series,^[33] as he feels that it is his first masterpiece.
• According to the Guinness Book of World Records 2008, Super Mario Bros. 3 was the world's best-selling video game, a title which at the time belonged to Super Mario Bros. based off known data.
  • Also, the image used in the book was of Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, the remake, which made the same mistake on the back of its box.
• On page 14 of the game's NES instruction manual, The Moves You Already Know section shows a "jumping out of the water" move. However, Super Mario Bros. 3 was the first Mario game where the player can jump out of the water.
  • Additionally, the NES instruction manual does not list the Hammer Suit power-up despite it listing all other power-ups in the game.

References

External links

• Famicom 40th Anniversary Webpage (JP)
• Mario Portal Game Archive (EN) (archive)
• Mario Portal Game Archive (JP)
• Program Details for Super Mario Bros. 3 - Time Attack
• Nintendo Power Special: The making of Super Mario Bros. 3
• Nintendo Power Special: Super Mario Bros. 3 Strategy Guide
• The Mushroom Kingdom - pre-release and unused content from Super Mario Bros. 3
• Japanese Famicom manual
• North American manual