"Still the best Mario 2D platformer to this day."

I first played this game on Super Mario All-Stars - a SNES game that consisted of the first three games in the Super Mario Bros. series (plus the Lost Levels) with graphical enhancements. Of the three, Super Mario Bros. 3 set itself apart from the others. The gameplay, the level designs, the overworlds and the soundtrack made playing this game one of the most enjoyable experiences of my childhood. And to this day, it's still as fun to stomp Goombas, fireball Piranha Plants, transform into a Statue and soar the skies as a Raccoon, as it ever has been.

Super Mario Bros. 3 really solidified Mario as the most iconic and popular video game character of all time, following the success of Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2. It took almost every aspect of its predecessors and enhanced them to make the new game as perfect as it could possibly be.

Gameplay: 10/10

This is what makes the game as great as it is. The differences it has from its predecessors is immediately obvious as soon as you start playing. Each level in the game is spread out over 8 worlds, which present different geographical elements (e.g. Grass Land, Desert Land, Water Land etc.), which ultimately pits Mario/Luigi in many different situations as the adventure progresses. But it gets better......

The most obvious change to the gameplay itself becomes noticeable as soon as you finish the first level - New Power-Ups! If you thought having Mario/Luigi throw fireballs to destroy enemies was cool, how does flying into the sky to access secret areas and tactical swimming with a frog suit sound? No? How about a power-up that allows you to throw hammers similar to those of the Hammer Bros.?

There's also more to the game than just blasting through the level and arriving at the finish. The levels in general are much bigger and often include secret warp pipes, items, and locations, as well as a challenging platformer experience in general.

Graphics: 10/10

Whether you're playing on the NES or the SNES, this game exceeds it's expectations graphically. For the NES? Without a doubt the most graphically appealing game for the console. For the SNES? The colourful enhancement of the NES graphics really stands out and brings a certain sense of nostalgic atmosphere into the game. Whichever version of the game you're playing, there really isn't a lot you can complain about.

Music/Sound Effects: 9/10

Musically, this game is absolutely fantastic. Almost all of the tunes are catchy and represent their locations well. I actually think the music in this game is the best I've ever heard in the Mario series thus far.

However, the reason I give a rating of 9 instead of 10 is down to the fact that some of the notes/pitches are out of tune in the NES version. For example, in the underwater theme, the 5th note of the main melody sounds slightly out. In the SNES version, the music is almost perfect, with the exception of the out of tune bass in the first over world theme. That being said, the odd slightly off pitch does not ruin the game's music at all. The vast majority of it is absolutely superb. The sound effects are exactly what you'd expect from any Mario game, too.

Many of the tunes from this game are still being used in Mario games today. In fact, The Legend of Zelda's Great Fairy Fountain theme, which was first introduced in 1991, bears a shockingly similar resemblance to the theme for World 3 (Ocean/Water Land) in SMB3.

Replay Value: 9/10

If you've played the game through once, you'll undoubtedly be playing it through many times more in the near future. As long as you leave reasonable gaps between your play-throughs, this game never loses its charm. Especially if you played this game religiously as a kid. And even if your NES/SNES decides to stop working, there's always Virtual Console and Super Mario All-Stars: 25th Anniversary Edition.

Overall: 10/10

One of the few games I've played where I can give an overall rating of 10/10 without a second thought. Superb all-around.

This game has really stood the test of time. I've played New Super Mario Bros Wii, and although the gameplay is very good, the levels are challenging and the game is one of the most graphically up-to-date games in the Mario Bros. series thus far, it doesn't even come close to the awesomeness of SMB3. There's just something about the level designs and the music, at least in my opinion, make for a flawless Mario game.

Overall, a Mario classic that is an essential installment to any Mario fan's collection. If you've never played a Mario game before and want to get an idea of what the series generally entails, BUY THIS GAME! You'll be hooked for weeks.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/21/11

Game Release: Super Mario Bros. 3 (EU, 08/29/91)