An absolutely AMAZING platformer for the NES, which seems to have successfully set up 2D Mario platformers in a way that we still use its formatting to this very day. Absolutely insane progress from 1985 with Mario Bros 1, and even Doki Doki Panic/Super Mario Bros USA in 1987. So much creativity and fun in its world building, and how it mixes what we loved from the original Super Mario Bros, as well as parts from SMB2, like the vertical platforming and themed world environments.

Controls are beautiful, and felt great on the NES. Game is an easier platformer for the system, but in all ways that make sense, such as controls being so tight and continues being unlimited. It's easier than other platformers just because it's finally fair in all ways, with really no blame on the difficulty being from the game being unfair. Super Mario Bros. 3 is genuinely such a creative and fun experience, I completely understand how it took over the gaming world for a bit there...

The one thing that keeps me from rating this masterpiece a complete 5/5 is SPECIFICALLY the first fortress in World 7. It's completely mandatory (unless you found the warp whistles, I guess) but it's entire level is based around needing to know the secrets like it's some extra bonus area you unlock from reading Nintendo Power. Look at this. I ran around completely confused out of my mind not understanding at ALL what I was doing wrong, and the level itself seems infamous to those who grew up with it, a lot of people just... dropped the game because they couldn't figure out that you're supposed to FLY TO THE GODDAMN CEILING OF COURSE!! I honestly would have probably been in the same scenario if not for us now living in internet-land. This is totally another Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake/original Legend of Zelda moment, where I WOULD rate this game 5/5 easily, if not for ONE part that absolutely blows my gasket off on how annoying/cruel it is. But in the end, that's just how I rate!

This was my first time beating Super Mario Bros. 3, and my first time playing it physically on the NES! I had a really, really great time overall, and absolutely feel myself morphing into one of those annoying SMB3 fanboys...fan..girls? Eh, whatever. Play this game if you haven't, either for the historical influence or just because it's really fucking good. If you go in with the mindset that you're playing a NES platformer from 1988, you'll have a fucking blast, I guarantee it.

4.5/5