Super Mario Bros. 3
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Developer: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Release Date: Oct. 23, 1988
Why this game mattered: Every part of this game is perfection, even by Mario standards. The game expanded the formula to multiple levels packed with power-ups and eight different worlds. Each world and level have incredible variety. The addition of specialty suits, card mini-games, and warp whistles added a whole new experience, and the difficulty scales perfectly as players work their way through the final levels. It changed the face of Mario games as we know it, and it was fantastic.
Fun fact: The first time U.S. players got a look at this game was in the 1989 movie, The Wizard, which featured footage from it. American players wouldn't get their hands on Super Mario Bros. 3 until Feb. 1990.
Future games influenced by this title: Super Mario 3 set the bar for future Mario games. This franchise entry gave Mario the ability to fly and gave him a new arsenal of suits that developers continue to experiment with today. It is the go-to for inspiration for Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Odyssey. Regardless of future games, Super Mario 3 is still the standard for excellence.
Where you can play it today: Super Mario 3 is now available on Nintendo Switch Online or on the NES Classic.
