Excerpt
In the context of NES platformers, Super Mario Bros. 3 decimates its competition. Even compared to other games in the series, it's a gigantic step upward from the frustrating Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2, and the diversionary (through still excellent) American sequel. Compared to the original game, the screen scrolls in all directions, allowing for more open and less confining stages, including tense levels where the screen automatically scrolls. The map allows alternative routes to the end of each world, with challenging castles at the mid-way points, and airship stages that culminate in fights against one of Bowser's seven children. Put simply, itüfs far more expansive than almost any other similar game on the 8-bit platform.
Even divorced from context, though, Super Mario Bros. 3 excels because of its level design. The stages are relatively short, but each is memorably and skillfully designed. The eight Worlds all have distinct themes ? deserts, oceans, and clouds, with the most unique being one where everything, enemies and bricks, is oversized. There are charming details, like the bushes in the first World map, which appear to dance along with the theme music. The individual levels are filled with foes and items that pop up only a few times, like the menacing sun in the sand stages, or Kuribo's Shoe, a curious one-time item that lets Mario hop around unharmed on spikes. The Raccoon tail is the first (and best) power-up that allows Mario to fly, while several others abilities ? the Frog, Tanooki, and Hammer Bros. suits ? are uncommon, but offer cool abilities. It's the rare game where almost every part of it feels special.
