Good: Classic Super Mario gameplay

Bad: Need an e-Reader to unlock new stages

Coolest Power-Up Ever: Kuribo’s Shoe

John R: At long last, the best of the old-school Mario games has arrived in portable form. Super Mario Bros. 3 doesn’t quite compare to Super Mario World (its direct sequel) in overall depth and playability, but it does stand tall in one area that’s always been extremely important to me: originality. Mario 3 is the last Mario game that truly felt “magical”; the bizarre, colorful worlds of the mushroom kingdom exude levels of creativity that, once upon a time, only Nintendo could deliver. The power-ups are far and away the best the series has to offer—where else can you don a full-body frog suit or bounce around inside a giant shoe?—and the stages are overloaded with secrets to discover.

Interestingly enough, Nintendo went a lot further with this port than it did with previous Mario Advance games. Playing in conjunction with an e-Reader and SMA4 e-Cards allows you to unlock a host of new levels, some of which are really cool. My only issue with this is that you’re forced to shell out extra cash for an almost useless peripheral and cards just to unlock stuff that’s already on the cartridge. Is it worth the extra cost? Not really, but that doesn’t detract from what is otherwise one of the best platformers ever made. If you own a GBA, consider this a must-buy. You won’t regret it.

Shane: Nintendo’s sure milking Mario for all he’s worth—remember Super Mario All-Stars on Super Nintendo? That game contains remakes of four classic Mario titles, while GBA owners have to dole out $30 a pop for these tasty chestnuts. Pricing rants aside, Super Mario Bros. 3 undoubtedly stands the test of time as one of history’s greatest platformers. Ingenuity abounds, in both the level designs (the colossal scale of World 4 is insanely clever) and the power-ups (gotta love the Hammer Bros. suit). What strikes me most while playing through this again, however, is how absurdly tough and/or short some of the stages are. Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World offers a much longer, more balanced quest overall, but John’s right—SMB3 benefits from a wilder touch of creativity. Oh, and the amazing e-Card unlockables would raise my score...if the setup required to harvest them weren’t stupidly complex.

Shoe: SMB3 is one of the best games of all time. Not just on a Nintendo system. Not just for a Mario game. Not just when it first came out many moons and mushrooms ago. OF ALL TIME. I really can’t say much that these two reviewers haven’t already covered—or that you don’t already know. Perfect controls. Perfectly constructed stages. Perfect graphics (for an old, trippy 2D game, that is). Perfect game design that delicately balances anyone-can-pick-it-up gameplay with hardcore platforming action that’ll make your palms sweat and your stomach churn when you go for those death-defying leaps. I’d score it a 10, ’cept this isn’t anything new or innovative—it’s the same game from years ago. And that money-milking e-Card BS? Well, you read what the other two wrote....

Get Carded

To access SMA4’s coolest secrets, you’re going to need one of those absurd e-Card reader doohickeys and Mario e-Cards ($3.29 a pack). Normally, we wouldn’t advocate such a gimmicky peripheral, but the rewards are tangible here. Some cards offer hints, others open up entire new levels, and some even give Mario exclusive power-ups (like the vegetable-tossing ability, seen above.)

Rating: Gold

John R.: 9.5

Shane: 9.0

Shoe: 9.5

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Nintendo

Players: 1 (2-4 w/Link cable)

ESRB: Everyone

www.nintendo.com

Copyright © 2003 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Electronic Gaming Monthly.