Super Mario Bros. 3 - wikipedia Super Mario Bros. 3 Super Mario Bros. 3 The cover art depicts Mario, the main protagonist, flying with the ears and tail of a Japanese raccoon dog, obtained from the new `` Super Leaf '' item. Developer ( s ) Nintendo R&D4 Publisher ( s ) Nintendo Director ( s ) Takashi Tezuka Producer ( s ) Shigeru Miyamoto Programmer ( s ) Toshihiko Nakago Artist ( s ) Takashi Tezuka Hideki Konno Hiroyuki Kimura Composer ( s ) Koji Kondo Series Super Mario Platform ( s ) Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayChoice - 10, Game Boy Advance Release JP : October 23, 1988 NA : February 12, 1990 PAL : August 29, 1991 Genre ( s ) Platforming Mode ( s ) Single - player, multiplayer Super Mario Bros. 3 is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System ( NES ). It was first released in Japan on October 23, 1988, and later in North America on February 12, 1990. The game was developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, led by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Enhanced remakes were later released on the Super NES in 1993 and the Game Boy Advance in 2003. The game has been re-released as a Virtual Console title for the Wii, Nintendo 3DS, and Wii U consoles. Super Mario Bros. 3 centers on plumbers Mario and Luigi who embark on a quest to save Princess Toadstool and the rulers of seven different kingdoms from the antagonist Bowser and his children, the Koopalings. The player, as Mario or Luigi, is able to defeat enemies by stomping them or using items that bestow magical powers. Mario and Luigi are given a wider range of abilities than in previous Super Mario games, including flying or sliding down slopes. In addition, Super Mario Bros. 3 introduces numerous elements, such as new enemy characters and the use of a world map to transition between levels, that have reappeared in or have influenced subsequent Mario games. Super Mario Bros. 3 is acclaimed by critics as one of the greatest video games of all time, and was a commercial success upon its release. Super Mario Bros. 3 is the third - best - selling NES game, having sold over 17 million copies worldwide. The popularity of the game also inspired a short - lived animated television series. Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Plot and characters 3 Development 4 Reception 4.1 Sales 5 Legacy 5.1 Remakes 6 Notes 7 References 8 External links Gameplay Super Mario Bros. 3 is a two - dimensional, side - scrolling platform game in which the player controls the on - screen protagonist : either Mario or Luigi. The game shares similar gameplay mechanics with previous titles in the series -- Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. : The Lost Levels, and Super Mario Bros. 2 -- and introduces several new elements. In addition to the running and jumping moves found in past games, the player can slide down slopes, pick up and throw special blocks, and freely climb up and down vines. In addition, with power - ups, Mario can fly and float. The game world consists of eight `` kingdoms '' that are each subdivided into multiple levels. The eight worlds feature distinct visual themes ; for example, the second world, `` Desert Land '', contains sand - covered levels with pyramids, while the levels in the fourth world, `` Giant Land '', are populated with obstacles and enemies twice their normal size. The player navigates through the game via two game screens : an overworld map and a level playfield. The overworld map displays an overhead representation of the current kingdom and has several paths leading from the world 's entrance to a castle. Paths connect to action panels, fortresses, and other map icons, and allow players to take different routes to reach the kingdom 's goal. Moving the on - screen character to an action panel or fortress will allow access to that level 's playfield, a linear stage populated with obstacles and enemies. The majority of the game takes place in these levels, with the player traversing the stage by running, jumping, flying, swimming, and dodging or defeating enemies. Completing stages allows the player to progress through the overworld map and to succeeding worlds. Each world features a final stage with a boss to defeat ; the first seven worlds feature an airship controlled by one of the Koopalings, while the player battles Bowser in his castle in the eighth world. Other map icons include large boulders and locked doors that impede paths, and mini-games and bonus screens that provide the player a chance to obtain special power - ups and additional lives. Power - ups obtained in these mini-games are stored in a reserve until activated by the player from the map screen. In addition to special items from previous games like the `` Super Mushroom '' and the `` Fire Flower '', new power - ups are introduced that provide the player with new options. The `` Super Leaf '' and `` Tanooki Suit '' give Mario raccoon and tanooki appearances respectively and allow him to fly ; the `` Tanooki Suit '' enables him to turn into stone to avoid enemies for a short period of time. Changing into a Tanooki statue while jumping results in Mario pounding the ground and killing whatever enemies are directly under him ; this marks the first appearance of the `` ground pound '' move in a Mario game, a move that was later given to Yoshi in Super Mario World 2 : Yoshi 's Island and that later became part of Mario 's standard move set in Super Mario 64 and subsequent games. Other suits include the `` Frog Suit '', which increases the character 's underwater speed and agility and improves the jumping height on land, and the `` Hammer Suit '', which gives Mario the appearance of the Hammer Bro. enemy and allows him to throw hammers at enemies and resist fire attacks ( when crouching ). Super Mario Bros. 3 includes a multiplayer option which allows two players to cooperatively play the game by taking turns at navigating the overworld map and accessing stage levels ; the first player controls Mario, while the other controls Luigi ( a palette swap of Mario ). Through this mode, players can access several mini-games, including a remake of the original Mario Bros. arcade game, in which one player has the opportunity to steal the cards of another but may lose their turn if they lose the mini-game. Plot and characters Further information : List of Mario franchise characters and List of recurring Mario franchise enemies The plot of Super Mario Bros. 3 is described in the instruction booklet. The Mushroom World, the setting of the game, is invaded by the Koopalings, Bowser 's seven children. The Koopalings conquer each of the seven kingdoms by stealing its king 's magical wand and using it to transform him into an animal. Princess Toadstool sends Mario and Luigi to travel to each kingdom, retrieve the stolen wand, and restore its king to normal. Mario and Luigi receive notes and special items from Princess Toadstool after rescuing each of the first six kings. When they rescue the seventh king, they instead receive a note from Bowser, boasting that he has kidnapped Toadstool and imprisoned her within the castle of his own realm, Dark Land. The brothers travel through Dark Land, enter his castle, and defeat Bowser in a battle. The game ends with Toadstool being freed from the castle. On September 10, 2015, Miyamoto confirmed a fan theory stating that the entirety of Super Mario Bros. 3 takes place as a stage play. The game 's title screen features a stage curtain being drawn open, and during the game obstacles are seen hanging from off - screen catwalks, objects are bolted to the background, and certain objects cast shadows on the skyline. When Mario finishes a level, he walks off the stage. Development Beginning development shortly after the release of Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3 was developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, a team that consisted of more than ten people, and took more than two years to complete. Developer Shigeru Miyamoto served as director. He worked closely with the designers and programmers during the conceptual and final stages, encouraging a free interchange of ideas. Miyamoto considered intriguing and original ideas to be key to creating a successful game. Originally, the team intended for the game to be played from an isometric point of view, but the developers found that this made it too difficult to position jumps, so the game kept to the 2D side view used in previous games. Some elements of the game were left over from this concept, such as the checkered floor present in the game 's opening cutscene. The game was designed to appeal to players of varying skill levels. To assist less skilled players, bonus coins and 1 - ups are more abundant in earlier worlds, while later worlds present more complex challenges for more experienced players. In the two - player mode, the players alternate turns to balance play time. The development team introduced new power - ups and concepts that would give Mario the appearance of different creatures as a means of providing him with new abilities. An early idea changed Mario into a centaur but was dropped in favor of a raccoon tail that allows limited flying ability. Other costumes with different abilities were added to his repertoire, and levels were designed to take advantage of these abilities. New enemies were included to add diversity to the game, along with variants of previous enemies, such as Goombas, Hammer Bros., and Koopa Troopas. Some of the enemies designed for Super Mario Bros. 3 were inspired by the team 's personal experiences. For example, Miyamoto stated that the Chain Chomp enemy, a tethered ball and chain creature that lunges at the player when in close proximity, was based on a `` bad ( childhood ) experience '' he had with a dog. Bowser 's children, the Koopalings, were designed to be unique in appearance and personality ; Miyamoto based the characters on seven of his programmers as a tribute to their work and efforts. Nintendo of America named the Koopalings after well - known musicians ; for example, the characters `` Ludwig von Koopa '' and `` Roy Koopa '' are named after Ludwig van Beethoven and Roy Orbison respectively. The character graphics were created with a special graphics machine ( `` Character Generator Computer Aided Design '' ) that generated a collection of all the graphical shapes used in the game. Shapes in the collection were assigned numbers that the game 's code uses to access, and are combined to form complete images on the screen in real time. The Super Mario Bros. 3 cartridge uses Nintendo 's custom MMC3 ( memory management controller ) ASIC to enhance the NES capabilities. The MMC3 chip allows for animated tiles, extra RAM for diagonal scrolling, and a scan line timer to split the screen. The game uses these functions to split the game screen into two portions, a playfield on the top and a status bar on the bottom, allowing the top portion to scroll as the character navigates the stage while the bottom portion remains static to display text and other information. Like its predecessors, the music in Super Mario Bros. 3 was composed by Koji Kondo, who composed several new songs as well as returning melodies from Super Mario Bros. According to Kondo, who had composed the music in Super Mario Bros. based on what he believed fit the levels rather than focusing on composing a specific genre of music, the game was the most difficult game for him to compose. Kondo experimented with several different genres of music, unsure of how to follow up the music from the first game after hearing from several people that it sounded a lot like latin or fusion music, and came up with several different melodies throughout its development before settling on what ultimately made it into the game. The development team chose not to feature music on the game 's title screen, as it was felt to be unnecessary. During 1988, a shortage of ROM chips, along with Nintendo of America 's preparation of a version of Super Mario Bros. 2 for Western gamers, prevented Nintendo from performing various North American game releases according to their original schedules. The delayed products included Super Mario Bros. 3 and, according to Nintendo Power, Zelda II : The Adventure of Link. The delay, however, presented Nintendo with an opportunity to promote the game in a feature film. In 1989, Tom Pollack of Universal Studios approached Nintendo of America 's marketing department about a video game movie ; inspired by Nintendo video game competitions, Pollack envisioned a video game version of Tommy for younger audiences. Nintendo licensed its products for inclusion in what would become the film The Wizard. During the movie 's production, the filmmakers requested and were granted approval from Nintendo regarding the script and portrayal of the company 's games. Super Mario Bros. 3 was one of the products shown in the film and was used in a final scene involving a video game competition. The film was released in December 1989, between the Japanese and English versions of the game. Reception Reception Aggregate score Aggregator Score GameRankings 97.50 % ( 6 reviews ) Review scores Publication Score AllGame NES : CVG NES : 98 / 100 GameSpot Wii : 9 / 10 IGN Wii : 9.5 / 10 Mean Machines NES : 98 % Upon release, the game was lauded by the video game press. It was widely considered to be one of the best games released for the NES. Computer and Video Games editors Paul Rand, Tim Boone and Frank O'Connor awarded the game a 98 / 100, praising it for its gameplay, replayability, sound, and graphics. Boone commented that the game is nearly flawless in its utterly `` stupendous incredibility and absolutely impossible to put down for anything less than a fire alarm -- and even then you find yourself weighting down the odds. '' Rand called Super Mario Bros. 3 the best video game ever, labeling it `` the Mona Lisa of gaming '' and stating that it is `` astoundingly brilliant in every way, shape and form. '' O'Connor stated that the game `` makes Sonic the Hedgehog look like a wet Sunday morning and even gives the ( Super ) Famicom 's ( Super Mario World ) a run for its money. '' Julian Rignall of Mean Machines referred to Super Mario Bros. 3 as the `` finest video game '' he had ever played, citing its addictiveness, depth, and challenge. A second Mean Machines reviewer, Matt Regan, anticipated the game would be a top - selling title in the United Kingdom, and echoed Rignall 's praise, calling it a `` truly brilliant game ''. Regan further stated that the game offered elements which tested the player 's `` brains and reflexes '', and that though the graphics were simple, they were `` incredibly varied ''. In a preview of the game, Nintendo Power gave it high marks in graphics, audio, challenge, gameplay, and enjoyability. Super Mario Bros. 3 has received universal acclaim from modern critics who consider the title to be one of the best games of all time. Edge considered Super Mario Bros. 3 Nintendo 's standout title of 1989, and commented that its success outshone the first Super Mario Bros. 's sales milestone ; the first title sold 40 million copies but was bundled with the NES. They lauded the overworld map as an elegant alternative to a menu to select levels. Allgame 's Skyler Miller praised the game 's level design, graphics, music, and nonlinearity. Dengeki referred to the game as a popular title and expressed excitement over its re-release on the Game Boy Advance system. The items hidden in the game 's levels, such as the warp whistles, were well - received : Rignall regarded them as part of the game 's addictiveness, and Sheff stated that finding them provided a sense of satisfaction. Both Screw Attack and GamesRadar ranked it the best NES game made. GamesRadar claimed that while Super Mario Bros. defined its genre, Super Mario Bros. 3 perfected it. Criticism focused on particular aspects of the game. Miller considered the inability to save progress a drawback since gamers will have to play the entire game in one sitting if they wish to complete it. Rignall described the audio and visuals as being outdated in comparison to games on the Mega Drive and Super NES ( the latter platform having already been launched in other regions by the time Super Mario Bros. 3 was released in Europe ). Sales Super Mario Bros. 3 was a commercial success and became a best - selling game. Its inclusion in The Wizard served as a preview and generated a high level of anticipation in the United States prior to its release. Levi Buchanan of IGN considered Super Mario Bros. 3 's appearance in the film as a show - stealing element and referred to the movie as a `` 90 - minute commercial '' for the game. By 1993, the game had sold 4 and 7 million unbundled units in Japan and the United States respectively. In the United States alone, the game generated over US $ 500 million in revenue for Nintendo. Author David Sheff commented that, in music industry terms, the game went platinum 11 times. Including bundled units, the NES version of the game sold over 17 million copies. Game Informer reported in their October 2009 issue that the Virtual Console version had sold one million copies. As of 2011, Super Mario Bros. 3 remains the highest - grossing non-bundled home video game to date, having grossed $1.7 billion, adjusted for inflation. Legacy Super Mario Bros. 3 is credited for popularizing the use of overworld maps in the Mario series. Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced several elements which were carried over to subsequent Mario titles. A similar overworld map is used in Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros., and Mario 's ability to fly has been a feature in games such as Super Mario World, Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy. The game 's `` Super Leaf '' item has returned in more recent Mario titles for the Nintendo 3DS, like Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7 and New Super Mario Bros. 2. Bowser 's red hair was first popularized in the game and has since become a part of his standard appearance. Through a collaboration between NBC and Nintendo of America, an animated television series titled The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 was created in 1990 by DIC Entertainment. The show aired weekly and featured numerous characters, enemies, and settings from the video game ; the original seven Koopalings are given different names based on their given personalities and are also given a new age order. Other Nintendo products have included various elements from the game as well. Music from Super Mario Bros. 3 appears as a track on Nintendo Sound Selection Koopa, a collection of songs from Nintendo games. The game 's stages and graphics comprise a background theme in the 2006 Nintendo DS game Tetris DS. The Koopalings are also world bosses in Super Mario World, Mario is Missing !, Yoshi 's Safari, Hotel Mario and all New Super Mario Bros. games except New Super Mario Bros. Boom Boom, another boss from this game, additionally reappears in Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World, alongside a boomerang - wielding female counterpart named Pom Pom. Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of the four games represented in Super Mario Maker. Super Mario Bros. 3 has appeared on numerous top video game lists. The game debuted on Nintendo Power 's Top 30 best games ever list at number 20 in September 1989. It entered the list 's top 10 a few months later and reached number one in May 1990. Super Mario Bros. 3 remained within the top 20 for more than five years. More than a decade later, the magazine ranked the game number six on their list of 200 Greatest Nintendo Games. In August 2008, Nintendo Power listed Super Mario Bros. 3 as the second best NES video game, praising it for making the series more complex and introducing new abilities that have since become signature abilities in the series. The game placed 11th, behind Super Mario Bros., in Official Nintendo Magazine 's `` 100 greatest Nintendo games of all time ''. In 2007, ScrewAttack called Super Mario Bros. 3 the best Mario game in the series as well as the best game on the NES, citing the graphics, power - ups, secrets, and popularity, summing it up as `` just incredible '' and stating, `` If you have n't experienced this greatness, we pity you ''. In a poll conducted by Dengeki, the game tied with Super Mario World as the number three video game their readers first played. The game has been ranked on several of IGN 's lists of `` top games ''. In 2005, they rated it 23rd among their Top 100 Games, and praised the precise and intuitive controls. IGN editors from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia ranked Super Mario Bros. 3 number 39 in their 2007 Top 100 Games, citing Miyamoto 's `` ingenious '' designs. They further commented that the game improved on the `` already - brilliant concepts '' of the previous titles with new power - ups and enemies. Users and readers of the website placed the game high on similar lists : 32nd in 2005 and 21st in 2006. In 2007, the game was included in the `` game canon '', a list of the ten most important video games selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. In 2009, Game Informer put Super Mario Bros. 3 9th on their list of `` The Top 200 Games of All Time '', saying that it is `` a game with incredible lasting power that we wo n't soon forget ''. This is down one place from Game Informer 's previous ranking in 2001. Edge ranked the game # 20 on its list of `` The 100 Best Games To Play Today '', calling it `` the one 8 - bit game that still shines today, no caveats required. '' UGO listed Super Mario Bros. 3 on their list of the `` Top 50 Games That Belong On the 3DS '', calling it `` Arguably the greatest Mario game ever made. '' GameSpot placed the game on their list of the greatest games of all time. USgamer ranked the game as the third best Mario platformer ever. Super Mario Bros. 3 ranked 34th on Warp Zoned 's `` Scientifically Proven Best Video Games of All Time '' list, a statistical meta - analysis of 44 `` top games '' lists published between 1995 and 2016. Super Mario Bros. 3 is well known for spawning the Commander Keen series of side - scrolling platform games, which launched Id Software. During their period of employment at Softdisk in the early 1990s, video game developers John Carmack and Tom Hall secretly developed the adaptive tile refresh technology that would perform smooth, side - scrolling graphics on EGA cards for IBM clone personal computers. They used their spare time late at night to develop a clone of the first level of Super Mario Bros. 3, using the hero in Softdisk 's Dangerous Dave, calling the prototype Dangerous Dave in Copyright Infringement. When John Romero saw their work in action, he and the project chief at Softdisk Jay Wilbur suggested that they finish the PC clone of Super Mario Bros. 3. This demo was later presented to Nintendo, who denied to allow their games on PCs because they `` were only made exclusively for their Nintendo consoles ''. As a result, the first Mario - style, side - scrolling episode of Commander Keen was made on Softdisk 's computers at odd hours. Shortly afterward, Softdisk suggested that the team form its own company, which became Id Software on February 1, 1991. Remakes The game has been ported or remade on several other Nintendo consoles. It was included in the 1993 Super NES game Super Mario All - Stars, a compilation of remakes of NES Super Mario games featuring updated graphics and sound, which was also later released on the Wii in 2010. A Game Boy Advance version, Super Mario Advance 4 : Super Mario Bros. 3, was released in 2003. This version features support for the Nintendo e-Reader peripheral, which allows the player to access additional levels stored on e-Reader cards, in addition to updated graphics, power - ups, and sound. Super Mario Bros. 3 was re-released as a downloadable Virtual Console title in 2007 for the Wii and in 2014 for both the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U consoles. These versions support multiple console - specific controllers, such as the Wii Remote or the Wii U GamePad, and allow players to save progress with the use of save states. The game was included as one of thirty pre-installed NES titles included with the NES Classic Edition plug and play console. Notes Jump up ^ Super Mario Bros. 3 ( スーパー マリオ ブラザーズ 3, Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Surī ) References Jump up ^ `` Super Mario Bros. Developer Interview -- NES Classic Edition -- Official Site ''. Retrieved December 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Super Mario Bros. 3 ''. IGN. Retrieved June 28, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Wii U Super Mario Bros. 3 ''. Nintendo. Retrieved June 28, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Super Mario Bros. 3 International Releases ''. Giant Bomb. Retrieved June 28, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` IGN Top 100 Games 2007 : 39 Super Mario Bros. 3 ''. IGN. 2007. Retrieved January 25, 2009. ^ Jump up to : Nintendo Power Staff ( September -- October 1989 ). `` Nintendo Power Top 30 ''. Nintendo Power. Nintendo ( 8 ) : 82. ^ Jump up to : `` Top Ten NES Games ''. ScrewAttack. ScrewAttack 's Top 10. GameTrailers. October 16, 2007. Retrieved February 6, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Mario 's Basic Moves ''. Nintendo Power : Strategy Guide. Nintendo. SG1 ( 13 ) : 4. 1990. Jump up ^ Super Mario Bros. 3 Instruction Booklet. Nintendo of America. February 12, 1990. pp. 30 -- 34. ^ Jump up to : Mean Machine Staff ( October 1991 ). `` Nintendo Review : Super Mario Bros. 3 ''. Mean Machines. EMAP ( 13 ) : 56 -- 59. ^ Jump up to : Nintendo Power Staff ( January -- February 1990 ). `` Previews : Super Mario Bros. 3 ''. Nintendo Power. Nintendo ( 10 ) : 56 -- 59. ^ Jump up to : Miller, Skyler. `` Super Mario Bros 3 -- Overview ''. Allgame. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Ground Pound -- Super Mario World 3D ''. IGN. Retrieved June 28, 2014. Jump up ^ `` How To Play The 2 Player Game ''. Super Mario Bros. 3 Instruction Booklet. Nintendo of America. February 12, 1990. Jump up ^ Super Mario Bros. 3 manual. USA : Nintendo. 1990. p. 5. Jump up ^ Nintendo ( February 12, 1990 ). Super Mario Bros. 3. Nintendo Entertainment System. Nintendo. Level / area : World 7 castle. Bowser : Yo ! I kidnapped the princess while you were running around. She 's here in my castle, if you dare to try and rescue her. Ha ha ha... Jump up ^ `` Super Mario Bros. 3 Review ''. FlyingOmelette. Retrieved July 26, 2014. Jump up ^ Schreier, Jason ( 2015 - 09 - 10 ). `` Miyamoto Confirms That Super Mario Bros. 3 Was A Play ''. Kotaku. ^ Jump up to : `` Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 developer interviews - NES Classic Edition ''. Nintendo of America. Retrieved November 18, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Nintendo Power Staff ( January -- February 1990 ). `` The Making of Super Mario Bros. 3 ''. Nintendo Power. Nintendo ( 10 ) : 20 -- 23. ^ Jump up to : McLaughlin, Rus ( November 8, 2007 ). `` The History of the Super Mario Bros ''. IGN. Retrieved January 26, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Nintendo Feature : 10 Amazing Mario Facts ''. Official Nintendo Magazine. 2010 - 04 - 30. Retrieved 2010 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ Nintendo Power Staff ( January 1991 ). `` Why Your Game Paks Never Forget ''. Nintendo Power. Nintendo ( 20 ) : 28 -- 31. ^ Jump up to : Mackey, Bob ( December 10, 2014 ). `` Super Mario 's Maestro : A Q&A with Nintendo 's Koji Kondo ''. US Games. Retrieved February 8, 2018. Jump up ^ Sheff, David ( 1993 ). `` Game Masters ''. Game Over : How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children. Random House. p. 222. ISBN 0 - 679 - 40469 - 4. ^ Jump up to : Sheff, David ( 1993 ). `` The Grinch Who Stole Christmas ''. Game Over : How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children. Random House. pp. 190 -- 191. ISBN 0 - 679 - 40469 - 4. Jump up ^ McFerran, Damien ( April 2008 ). `` The Making of The Wizard ''. Retro Gamer. Imagine Publishing ( 49 ) : 84 -- 87. ^ Jump up to : Matti, Michele ( November -- December 1989 ). `` NES Journal : The Wizard ''. Nintendo Power. Nintendo ( 9 ) : 90. Jump up ^ `` Super Mario Bros. 3 reviews on GameRankings ''. GameRankings. Retrieved June 26, 2014. ^ Jump up to : Rand, Paul ( November 1991 ). `` Computer and Video Games Magazine, issue 120 ''. Computer and Video Games. p. 23. Retrieved June 28, 2014. Jump up ^ Provo, Frank. `` Super Mario Bros 3 Review ''. GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2012. Jump up ^ Thomas, Lucas M. ( November 12, 2007 ). `` Super Mario Bros. 3 Review ''. IGN. Retrieved December 5, 2012. Jump up ^ Edge Staff ( July 2007 ). `` Who Dares Wins ''. Edge. Future Publishing ( 177 ) : 63 -- 65. Jump up ^ Edge Staff ( September 2008 ). `` Return to Main Menu ''. Edge. Future Publishing ( 192 ) : 71 -- 72. Jump up ^ 任天堂 が 新作 ソフト を 一挙 公開 ! 注目 の ラインナップ を まとめ て お 届け ! ! ( in Japanese ). Dengeki. May 14, 2005. Retrieved February 5, 2009. Jump up ^ Sheff, David ( 1993 ). `` I, Mario ''. Game Over : How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children ( 1st ed. ). Random House. p. 53. ISBN 0 - 679 - 40469 - 4. Jump up ^ `` Best NES Games of all time ''. GamesRadar. April 16, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2013. Jump up ^ Roush, George ( June 18, 2008 ). `` Watching The Wizard ''. IGN. Retrieved January 25, 2009. Jump up ^ Buchanan, Levi ( June 18, 2008 ). `` The 90 - Minute Super Mario Bros. 3 Commercial ''. IGN. Retrieved January 25, 2009. Jump up ^ Sheff, David ( 1993 ). `` A New Leader of the Club ''. Game Over : How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children ( 1st ed. ). Random House. pp. 3 -- 5. ISBN 0 - 679 - 40469 - 4. Jump up ^ Boutros, Daniel ( 2006 - 08 - 04 ). `` A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today 's Best - Selling Platform Games ''. Gamasutra. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 21. ^ Jump up to : The Game Informer staff ( December 2009 ). `` The Top 200 Games of All Time ''. Game Informer ( 200 ) : 44 -- 79. ISSN 1067 - 6392. OCLC 27315596. Jump up ^ Morris, Chris ( March 24, 2011 ). `` Call of Duty, Guitar Hero Top All - Time Best Selling List ''. CNBC. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2011. ^ Jump up to : East, Tom. `` 100 Best Nintendo Games -- Part Five ''. Official Nintendo Magazine. Future plc. Retrieved February 25, 2009. Jump up ^ Official Super Mario 64 Player 's Guide. Nintendo. 1996. Jump up ^ Harris, Craig ( May 6, 2006 ). `` New Super Mario Bros. Review ''. IGN. Retrieved February 3, 2009. Jump up ^ Nintendo Power Staff ( September -- October 1990 ). `` On the Air : SMB3 ''. Nintendo Power. Nintendo ( 16 ) : 89. Jump up ^ `` 「 クラブ ニンテンドー 」 の 交換 アイテム に '' 元気 が 出る `` 音楽 CD 「 クッパ 」 が 登場 ! '' ( in Japanese ). Dengeki. December 16, 2004. Retrieved February 5, 2009. Jump up ^ 石田, 賀津男 ( August 6, 2008 ). `` 任天堂 、 マリオ など が 登場 する 定番 パズル ゲーム DS 「 テトリス DS 」 '' ( in Japanese ). Impress Watch. Retrieved February 5, 2009. Jump up ^ Thomas, Lucas M. `` IGN : E3 2009 : Return of the Koopalings ? ''. IGN. Retrieved August 18, 2009. Jump up ^ `` New Super Mario Bros. Wii Stage Demo '' ( Flash ). GameSpot. June 4, 2009. Retrieved December 12, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Boom Boom & Pom Pom ''. IGN. Retrieved June 8, 2014. Jump up ^ Nintendo Power Staff ( March -- April 1990 ). `` Nintendo Power Top 30 ''. Nintendo Power. Nintendo ( 11 ) : 40 -- 41. Jump up ^ Nintendo Power Staff ( May -- June 1990 ). `` Nintendo Power Top 30 ''. Nintendo Power. Nintendo ( 12 ) : 42 -- 43. Jump up ^ Nintendo Power Staff ( January 1995 ). `` Power Charts ''. Nintendo Power. Nintendo ( 68 ) : 101. Jump up ^ `` NP Top 200 ''. Nintendo Power. Nintendo ( 200 ) : 58 -- 66. February 2006. Jump up ^ `` Nintendo Power -- The 20th Anniversary Issue ! '' ( Magazine ). Nintendo Power. 231 ( 231 ). San Francisco, California : Future US. August 2008 : 71. Jump up ^ `` Top Ten Mario Games ''. ScrewAttack. ScrewAttack 's Top 10. GameTrailers. July 24, 2007. Retrieved January 24, 2009. Jump up ^ ( アンケート 結果 発表 ) 初めて プレイ した ゲーム ソフト は なんで すか ? ( in Japanese ). Dengeki. July 9, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2009. Jump up ^ `` IGN 's Top 100 Games : 21 -- 30 ''. IGN. 2005. Retrieved January 25, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Top 99 Games of All Time : Reader 's Pick ''. IGN. 2005. Retrieved January 25, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Readers ' Picks Top 100 Games : 21 -- 30 ''. IGN. 2006. Retrieved January 25, 2009. Jump up ^ Chaplin, Heather ( March 12, 2007 ). `` Is That Just Some Game ? No, It 's a Cultural Artifact ''. New York Times. Retrieved February 6, 2009. Jump up ^ Cork, Jeff ( November 16, 2009 ). `` Game Informer 's Top 100 Games of All Time ( Circa Issue 100 ) ''. Game Informer. Retrieved December 10, 2013. Jump up ^ Edge Staff ( March 9, 2009 ). `` The 100 Best Games To Play Today ''. Edge Online. Retrieved January 21, 2014. Jump up ^ Sal Basile ( July 6, 2010 ). `` The Top 50 Games That Belong On the 3DS - UGO.com ''. UGO. Archived from the original on March 15, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011. Jump up ^ Davis, Ryan. `` The Greatest Games of All Time ''. GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2012. Jump up ^ Parish, Jeremy ( 2015 - 09 - 09 ). `` Page 3 : What 's the Greatest Mario Game Ever ? We Ranked Them All, and You Can Too ! ''. USgamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2015 - 09 - 10. Retrieved 2015 - 09 - 11. Jump up ^ Scalzo, John ( January 20, 2017 ). `` The Scientifically Proven Best Video Games of All Time # 34 : Super Mario Bros. 3 ''. Warp Zoned. Retrieved March 12, 2017. Jump up ^ Kushner, David ( 2004 ) ( 2003 ). Masters of Doom : how two guys created an empire and transformed pop culture. New York, NY : Random House, Inc. p. 50, 57. ISBN 9780375505249. OCLC 50129329. Jump up ^ Orland, Kyle ( December 14, 2015 ). `` Here 's what id Software 's PC port of Mario 3 could have looked like ''. Ars Technica. Retrieved December 15, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Dangerous Dave in Copyright Infringement on John Romero 's Site ''. John Romero. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2014. Jump up ^ `` A Look Back at Commander Keen ''. October 18, 2014. Retrieved October 18, 2014. Jump up ^ Super Mario Bros. 3 Demo ( 1990 ). John Romero. 1990. Retrieved December 15, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Super Mario All - Stars for SNES : Release Summary ''. GameSpot. Archived from the original on May 14, 2009. Retrieved January 27, 2009. Jump up ^ Yeung, Karlie ( October 28, 2010 ). `` Super Mario All - Stars Wii Coming to North America ''. Nintendo World Report. Retrieved May 4, 2013. Jump up ^ Davis, Ryan ( October 17, 2003 ). `` Super Mario Advance 4 : Super Mario Bros. 3 Review ''. GameSpot. Retrieved January 27, 2009. Jump up ^ Provo, Frank ( December 19, 2007 ). `` Super Mario Bros. 3 Review ''. GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 8, 2009. Retrieved January 27, 2009. Jump up ^ Schreier, Jason ( April 17, 2014 ). `` Super Mario Bros. 3 Finally Comes To Wii U And 3DS Today ''. Kotaku. Retrieved June 28, 2014. External links Super Mario Bros. 3 ( Virtual Console version ) at Nintendo 's website Super Mario Bros. 3 at NinDB Super Mario Bros. 3 at MobyGames Super Mario series Main games Console Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels Super Mario Bros. 2 Super Mario Bros. 3 Super Mario World Super Mario 64 Super Mario Sunshine Super Mario Galaxy New Super Mario Bros. Wii Super Mario Galaxy 2 New Super Mario Bros. U New Super Luigi U Super Mario 3D World Super Mario Maker Super Mario Odyssey Handheld Super Mario Land Super Mario Land 2 : 6 Golden Coins New Super Mario Bros. Super Mario 3D Land New Super Mario Bros. 2 Super Mario Run Spin - offs Wario Land : Super Mario Land 3 Yoshi 's Island Super Princess Peach Captain Toad : Treasure Tracker Remakes Super Mario All - Stars Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Super Mario Advance Super Mario Advance 2 Super Mario Advance 3 Super Mario Advance 4 Super Mario 64 DS Mario video games Games designed and directed by Shigeru Miyamoto Director Donkey Kong ( 1981 ) Donkey Kong Jr. ( 1982 ) Mario Bros. ( 1983 ) Super Mario Bros. ( 1985 ) The Legend of Zelda ( 1986 ) Super Mario 64 ( 1996 ) The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time ( 1998 ) Mario Artist : Paint Studio ( 1999 ) Designer Donkey Kong ( 1981 ) Donkey Kong Jr. ( 1982 ) Popeye ( 1983 ) Mario Bros. ( 1983 ) Donkey Kong 3 ( 1983 ) Baseball ( 1983 ) Tennis ( 1984 ) Golf ( 1984 ) Devil World ( 1984 ) Excitebike ( 1984 ) Super Mario Bros. ( 1985 ) The Legend of Zelda ( 1986 ) Yume Kōjō : Doki Doki Panic ( 1987 ) Super Mario Bros. 2 ( 1988 ) BS Zelda no Densetsu ( 1995 ) The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time ( 1998 ) See also Shigeru Miyamoto gameography Mario portal Nintendo portal Video games portal 1980s portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Super_Mario_Bros._3&oldid=824999986 '' Categories : 1988 video games Mario platform games Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development games Nintendo Entertainment System games PlayChoice - 10 games Side - scrolling platform games Video game sequels Virtual Console games Virtual Console games for Wii U Video games composed by Koji Kondo Video games directed by Shigeru Miyamoto Video games directed by Takashi Tezuka Video games produced by Shigeru Miyamoto Multiplayer and single - player video games Fictional plays Hidden categories : Articles containing Japanese - language text CS1 uses Japanese - language script ( ja ) CS1 Japanese - language sources ( ja ) Use mdy dates from June 2014 Articles using Infobox video game using locally defined parameters Articles using Wikidata infoboxes with locally defined images Articles using Video game reviews template in single platform mode Good articles Talk Contents About Wikipedia Беларуская Català Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Italiano Latina Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Simple English Suomi Svenska Tagalog ไทย Українська 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 10 February 2018, at 21 : 53. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when did super mario bros 3 come out
Answer: October 23, 1988