27. Super Mario Brothers 3

Nintendo. Super Mario Brothers 3. Virtual Console. 2007.










Rating
E for Everyone

Plot Summary
Super Mario Brothers 3 is the third installation in the Super Mario series for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Mario and Luigi are two plumbers who have somehow got themselves mixed up in the world of Mushroom Land where princesses, coins, and evil creatures are a common sight. In this title, Mario and Luigi must save the rulers of seven different kingdoms from the evil Bowser and his seven Koopa kids. Each of these seven rulers has been transformed into an animal and it is up to Mario and Luigi to recover magic wands in order to turn them back into their human selves. Each of these seven kingdoms exists in a unique environment that sets the stage for the different levels of the game. Mario and Luigi battle their way from level to level until they reach each ruler's castle, where they must defeat one of Koopa's kids. Mario and Luigi receive help along the way from new power ups such as a frog suit that allows Mario to swim like a frog, and a Tanooki suit that allows Mario to turn to stone. This scrolling-level game is filled with secret rooms, more difficult villains, and action than the previous Mario titles. The final showdown between Mario and Bowser takes place in the 8th and final world known as "Dark Land." This challenging world is extremely difficult, allowing for only the best of players to finish triumphantly.

Critical Evaluation
One of the best selling video games of all time is now accessible to the world again thanks to the Nintendo Virtual Console. The Nintendo team took the traditional side-scrolling action of the previous Mario adventures and unleashed a world of exploration completely new to video games. Mario has the ability to fly to new lands and levels in the sky, he can disappear behind gaming walls, and he can maneuver forwards and backwards through the depths of the oceans. In this re-release of the original 1990 U.S. Nintendo version, the game play and excitement remain the same. Some gamers will notice subtle differences in the quality of graphics that were not noticeable on the original release. There is a thin grey bar on the left side of the screen, and during some of the forced scrolling sections of the game there is a slight flicker from time to time.

The new controller will present slight differences for classic gamers, but teens and children used to the Nintendo classic controller will never know the difference. With new Mario titles coming out for the Wii like Super Mario Brothers Galaxy and the New Super Mario Brothers, a new generation of gaming enthusiasts will want to play the games that made Mario the iconic character he is today. This re-release does not disappoint, and is just as entertaining and groundbreaking today as it was over 15 years ago.

Player's Annotation
Mario and Luigi are back and this time with new moves, new villains, and new world's to explore. Bowser is back too, and this time he's brought company.

Virtual Console information
The Nintendo Virtual Console is a specialized section of the Nintendo Wii shopping channel that allows players to purchase Nintendo Points, which can be used in exchange for downloads of classic video games from systems like Super Nintendo, Sega Master System, and even arcade hits. The classic games for download are made available through emulation software, with most games costing between 500-1200 points. 1,000 points costs right around ten dollars, with more expensive games being the ones coming from newer systems with larger file sizes. Nintendo makes access to classic games obtainable for everyone with a broadband internet connection, and is currently trying to amass the greatest playable video game archive in history.

Genre
Action

Curriculum Ties
N/A

Reading Level
N/A

Challenge Issues
N/A

Reason For Selection
There has been a sudden resurgence in the world of classic gaming with the popularity of the Nintendo Wii and the addition of new Mario titles. The Wii shopping channel allows new gamers and classic gamers alike to purchase downloadable versions of the games that made Nintendo famous and successful. Repackaging games for a new generation shows teen gamers how far video games and technology have come so that they can appreciate gaming history.