Mario Hoops 3-on-3

Mario Hoops 3-on-3, (named Mario Slam Basketball in Europe), is a Mario basketball game released for the Nintendo DS in 2006 (2007 in Europe). The game was developed by Square Enix and published by Nintendo. It features a few Final Fantasy characters as secret unlockable characters. About a decade later, in 2016, the game was ported to the Wii U Virtual Console.
==Gameplay==
Touch control is used for all actions except for movement (which is handled by the ). Dribbling is performed automatically but at a lower rate if the Touch Screen is not used actively to dribble. Touching the screen in a certain direction causes the character that the player is controlling to change which way the character is dribbling and face in another direction, allowing the player to turn his/her character without having to move with the d-pad and gives the player better defense. In addition, dribbling is faster on coin pads. Dribbling on coin pads also earns the player coins to be used as points while shooting.
Navigating menus and playing the game can be done with either the Touch Screen or the d-pad. You can play left or right handed, depending on what you choose in the options menu. There is also an option of using the , , , and buttons instead of the Touch Screen. There are certain moves that only use the Touch Screen. In Practice mode, only the Touch Screen can be used.
The player shoots by drawing a line forward on the Touch Screen. Depending on where the character is and how they are moving, the shot is either a normal shot or a slam dunk. Normal Shots and Slam Dunks are 20 points plus the number of coins the player currently has. Super Shots (Specials) are 40 points each plus the number of coins. Ranged shots (three-point shots in usual basketball) are worth 30 points each plus the number of coins.
The game is structured in tournaments, which the player must win to progress. The tournament ladder is made with graphics based on the original Super Mario Bros. Each tournament consists of three games with two halves of 2.5 minutes, except that the player needs to play an extra game with the Final Fantasy team at the end of the rainbow tournament.
The player can win a tournament by winning the three games on its ladder. The player would obtain either a gold cup, a silver cup or a bronze cup. A gold cup is available only if the player has 200 points more than the opponents in all games of the tournament. Silver if all games are won by more than 100 points and bronze for winning all 3 games.
There are two modes: the normal mode and the hard mode. The hard mode is available after beating the Final Fantasy team on "normal mode".
===Scoring===
Getting the ball in the hoop awards 20 points, but the amount of points for landing a basket can be greatly increased by collecting coins. Scattered on the floor are question mark blocks that can be activated by dribbling over them (i.e. tapping on the right part of the screen). Oftentimes question mark blocks will bestow players with gold or red coins (which are worth ten gold). The maximum amount of points per shot is 140 in most basketball courts, which equates to 100 coins plus the 40 points for making a successful special shot. In one court shot worth can be doubled or tripled, making coin gathering more important.
There are several different combinations to do a special shot. To do a special shot, you need to make the player bounce the ball in a specific way. The most common is to tap out the letter "M" on the Touch Screen. This is for characters such as Mario. Other letters for other characters include "L", "B", "N", "W", "S" (looks like a backwards "Z"), an upside down triangle, and a star.
Normal question mark blocks are in yellow. Red question mark blocks are available as an item. When a red question mark block is thrown onto the ground, it slowly turns yellow, but the question mark is reversed. If walked upon, it trips up the player. Purple question mark blocks are available in Jr. Street, and contain purple coins. They can be used in the slot machine connected to the hoop to increase the points you earn by 10, 20, 30, or multiply the player's shot score by two, three, or zero. The more purple coins you collect, you can line up results on multiple lines or diagonal.
===Modes===
===Dribble Race===
This mode features unique courses.
*Peach's Castle
*Sunshine Road
*Rainbow Road
===Coin Hunters===
Like Dribble Race, this mode also has unique courses.
*Mario Classic 1-1
*Mario Classic 8-4
*Mario Classic 2-2
*Strange Forest
==Playable characters==
===Starter===
Character 	Type 	Special Shot 	Baller Name 	Site profile 	Manual profile
Mario 	All-around	Fire Shot 	The Jumpman 	Mario's shadow looms large on every court. the best ballers in the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond have come to take their shot at the overalled wonder. But are they ready for his vicious Fire Shot? 	A versatile player. Mario's steady performance lets him handle anything.
Luigi 	All-around	Green Fire Shot	Mushroom Dynamite 	The L might as well be for "ludicrous" because that's how you feel after he schools you. He's big on defense and bigger with the ball. Once his Green Fire Shot gets rolling, you better pack your bags. You're going home.	Luigi leads the team to victory with solid plays that are just as sharp as his brothers.
Peach 	Technical 	Heart Shot 	3-Point Royalty 	The grace of a princess shows in her 3-point stroke. when she unleashes her Heart Shot, her opponents can only sit and marvel at her silky smooth shot, the technique fit for queen in the making. 	Peach goes right after that hoop! She never misses a shot that she goes after.
Daisy 	Technical 	Flower Shot 	Cash Money Coin Collector	Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but tons of coins are a good substitute. Daisy's speed and quick hands help her pile up the bling. When it's time to cash in, count on her Flower Shot each time. 	Daisy's a bit of a tomboy, and her shooting is first class. She's always full of energy.
Yoshi 	All-around	Flutter Dunk 	Piranha Playa Hater 	He's the hardest working man--er--Yoshi on the hardwood. Wherever the ball is, you'll find Yoshi sweating over it. Watch out when he drives to the hoop. His hops are so big on his Flutter Dunk, he levitates. 	Yoshi's a steady all-around player. He's got robust jumping skills, so he's pretty powerful.
Wario 	Powerful 	Move-It Dunk 	Sir Stomp 	Wario takes pride in his girth and uses it to move bodies that don't want to get moved. For such a big-boned boy, he shows amazing ups. For proof, look no further then his acrobatic Move-It Dunk, then question gravity. 	Wario drives out opponents with his power plays!
Waluigi 	Technical 	Twist Dunk 	The Question 	Waluigi is one weird, loud baller. The only thing normal about him is that his points count the same as everyone else's. When he sets off his Twist Dunk, he swims through the air and brings down a showerful of coins. 	Taking advantage of his lengthy limbs, long shots are a piece of cake for Waluigi.
Donkey Kong	Powerful 	Konga Dunk 	Dunky Monkey 	Donkey Kong might be a brick wall on defense, but you're dreaming if you think you can stand between him and the basket. Is there a baller around who doesn't fear the kings Konga Dunk? Anyone? Didn't think so. 	With his spectacular dunks and powerful steals, Donkey Kong is a mighty hoops player. Don't get in his way!
Diddy Kong 	Speedy 	Jet Shot 	Diddy? No he didn't! 	Diddy Kong's aerobatics are nothing short of amazing. Just when he's cornered, he pulls a jet pack out of nowhere and blasts into the stratosphere. His Jet Shot will make you say, "Diddy? No he didn't!" 	With speedy plays and a tiny stature, opposing teams are at the mercy of Diddy Kong!
Bowser Jr. 	Speedy 	Graffiti Shot 	Masked Man 	Who is that masked man? He's a vicious gamer trapped inside a small package. Bowser Jr. will rip out your heart with his Graffiti Shot and make you respect the boy as he grows up on the court. 	He zigs and he zags. He's powerful like his dad! Better not underestimate Bowser Jr.!
===Unlockable===
Character 	Type 	Special Shot 	Baller Name 	Site profile 	Available
Bowser 	Powerful 	Bomber Dunk 	The Big Shell 	He's literally a monster on the court. Bowser may not have speed, has few friends and may be ugly, but he can jam with unstoppable force. Try to stand in the way of his Bomber Dunk. you'll be sorry. 	Complete the Star Cup
Birdo 	All-around	Egg Shot 	Dimond Dino 	Not available 	Finish Hard Mushroom Cup (bronze prize)
Dixie Kong	Speedy 	Cannon Shot 	Monkey On The Loose	Not available 	Finish Flower Cup (bronze prize)
Paratroopa	Tricky 	Wing Shot 	Winged Wonder 	Not available 	Finish Mushroom Cup (bronze prize)
Fly Guy 	Tricky 	Thunder Shot 	Fly Skillz 	Not available 	Finish Hard Star Cup (bronze prize)
Boo 	Tricky 	Thriller Dunk	Boo Ball 	Not available 	Finish Hard Flower Cup (bronze prize)
Ninja 	All-around	Leaf Veil 	Mr. Invincible 	Speed, grace and power sum up Ninja's game. To stop him, you have to catch him, but when you think you have him where you want him, he really has you set up to be the fool. His Leaf Veil is a thing of beauty. 	Beat Rainbow Cup
White Mage	Technical 	Holy Shot 	The Light 	She doesn't need an introduction on the court. Everyone knows the power of the White Mage and her skills honed through the ways of the ancients. Shield your eyes when she delivers her Holy Shot if you want to see again.	Finish Rainbow Cup (Silver prize)
Black Mage	Tricky 	Meteor Shot 	Abracadabra Kid 	It doesn't take some alignment of stars for Black Mage to dominate on the hardwood. He has more then a few shots up his sleeve, not the least of which is his Meteor Shot, an homage to the big rocks in the sky. 	Finish Rainbow Cup (Gold prize)
Moogle 	Tricky 	Moogle Dance 	Game & Watch Me 	What makes Moogle so dangerous? Cuteness. Just when you think you can steamroll a furry friend, you find yourself flat on your back. When the Moogle Dance gets rolling, you're going to get stepped on. 	Finish Star Cup (Silver prize)
Cactuar 	Speedy 	1000 Needles 	Stick and Sting 	Cactuar is tough to guard. not only does he have wicked moves, he's covered with needles. One way or another, he'll make you pay through pain. Stay out of his way when he unleashes his 1000 Needles shot 	At Glare Desert in Exhibition mode, once Cactuar appears, the player can have their character dribble on its head a few times and then win the basketball match to unlock Cactuar.
==Courts==
Stage 	Availability
Mushroom Tourney	Mushroom Tourney
Mario Stadium 	Always
Koopa Beach 	Beat the second challenge of Mushroom Cup
Peach Field 	Beat the third challenge of Mushroom Cup.
Sunset Beach 	Play an exhibition match on Koopa Beach between the hours of 4 and 6 PM
Flower Tourney 	Flower Tourney
DK Cruiser 	Beat the first challenge of Flower Cup.
Luigi's Mansion 	Beat the second challenge of Flower Cup.
Daisy Garden 	Beat the third challenge of Flower Cup.
Malboro Garden 	Dunk three times in Daisy Garden then run over the panel that appears to get a blue seed.
Star Tourney 	Star Tourney
Wario Factory 	Beat the first challenge of Star Cup.
Jr. Street 	Beat the second challenge of Star Cup.
Bowser's Castle 	Beat the third challenge of Star Cup
Glare Desert 	Collect over 800 points in the Star Cup.
Rainbow Tourney 	Rainbow Tourney
Sherbet Land 	Beat the first challenge of Rainbow Cup.
Bloocheep Sea 	Beat the second challenge of Rainbow Cup.
Pirate Ship 	Beat the third challenge of Rainbow Cup.
Rainbow Ship 	Clear the extra challenge of Rainbow Cup.
==Items==
Item 	Usability 	Available at 	Manual profile
Coin 	Both you and your opponent can use.	All Courts 	Score goes up by a point when a shot is made.
10 Coins 	Both you and your opponent can use.	All Courts 	Score goes up by 10 points when a shot is made.
Mushroom 	Both you and your opponent can use.	All Courts 	Boosts your speed for a while.
Poison Mushroom	Both you and your opponent can use.	All Courts 	Slows you down for a while.
Star 	Both you and your opponent can use.	All Courts 	Makes you in invincible for a while and boosts speed.
Lightning 	Both you and your opponent can use.	All Courts 	Causes everyone else to fall.
Fake ? Panel 	When the opponent has the ball. 	All Courts 	Flies in the direction you stroke to trip anyone who steps on it.
Banana 	When the opponent has the ball. 	All Courts 	Flies in the direction you stroke to trip anyone who steps on it.
Bomb 	When the opponent has the ball. 	All Courts 	Flies in the direction you stroke and trips everyone around it when it blows up.
Green Shell 	When the opponent has the ball. 	All Courts 	Flies straight in the direction you stroke, tripping anyone who touches it.
Red Shell 	When the opponent has the ball. 	All Courts 	Automatically goes after the ball when you stroke to throw it.
Spiny Shell 	When the opponent has the ball. 	All Courts 	A more powerful version of the Red Shell. It even chases the ball in the air.
Slot Coin 	When you have the ball. 	Jr. Street 	If you make a shot after getting a slot coin, the slot will start spinning. You get bonus points or lose points depending on how the pictures line up.
Mimic 	When the opponent has the ball. 	Bloocheep Sea	Stroke to activate it. It goes after the ball or might even cough up coins.
Freezy 	When the opponent has the ball. 	Sherbert Land	Throw in the direction of an opposing player and freeze him or her for a while.
==Basketballs==
Blue and Silver Ball	Complete Training Mode
Chrome Ball 	Complete Dribbling Challenges
Star Ball 	Get Gold in Star Cup
Yoshi Egg 	Get Gold in Flower Cup
Watermelon 	Get Gold in Mushroom Cup
Dice Ball 	Get Gold in Hard Flower Cup
Cheep-Cheep Ball 	Get Gold in Hard Mushroom Cup
Goomba Ball 	Get Gold in Hard Star Cup
Gold Ball 	Collect 5000 points in profile
Soccer Ball 	Get Silver In Hard Mushroom Cup
Black and Red Ball 	Play Exhibition on the Rainbow Ship court.
Pumpkin Ball 	Host a multiplayer game.
==Alternate costumes==
Peach 	Finish Mushroom Cup (silver prize)
Daisy 	Finish Flower Cup (silver prize)
Yoshi 	Finish Hard Flower Cup (silver prize)
Fly Guy 	Finish Hard Star Cup (silver prize)
Ninja 	Finish Hard Rainbow Cup (silver prize)
White Mage	Finish Hard Rainbow Cup (gold prize)
Black Mage	Finish Hard Rainbow Cup (silver prize)
To use these, hold a direction of the control pad (↑ ↓ ← →) while you drag the player into the basketball ring. The costume may change depending on which direction you hold.
==References to other media==
Some of voice clips are reused from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, and some of Mario's voice clips are reused from Super Mario 64.
==Gallery==
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Category:Nintendo DS games
Category:2006 games
Category:Spin-offs
Category:2000s games