Super Mario Bros. 3; A memorable classic only to be truly recalled by those who experienced it first hand after coming home from the local video store. Does it still hold up? Well, you probably already know the answer, but let's get into it.

Story:
Super Mario Bros. 3 (SMB3) is a regular old, run-of-the-mill save the princess from the big, bad monster story. Nothing special, really. You, the player, play as Mario "Jumpman" Mario, a plumber from the Toadstool Kingdom, who is chasing after the original kidnapped damsel, Princess Toadstool, or Peach. She has been adopted by surprise from overly-sized turtle, or koopa, Bowser. Like I said, nothing special. It's a overused story mechanic that never seems to get old, but that doesn't mean it stays fresh. Though because this is a more than 20 year old game, I won't give any specific rating as this was a "new"  idea for up-and-coming game developers such as Nintendo, to beat into the ground harder than Almogordo Air Base after the first atomic bomb test.

Graphics:
So let's talk retro games. Some are charming, and some aren't. Luckily, SMB3 is a very bright, colorful bundle of joy. It has many different worlds fitting of some varied atmospheres, and a good way of interpreting those atmospheres is through the magical world of video game graphics. As I said before SMB3 is a very bright, joyous game, but it can also be just as sketchy, and dark. For example, World 8 puts you straight into the depths of what appears to be Hell. For a concept as satanic and spooky as Hell, an equally satanic and spooky background is requested and that's what is delivered with a bow on top and a card telling you how good you look. Skulls are engulfed with flames, lava is glowing, embers fly, and dirt is smouldering. A perfect setting, wouldn't you say so? I legitimately felt nervous, and high-strung when I first encountered the counterpart of religious setting, Heaven. I still do to this day. Another good example would be the first world, or tutorial world. It's cheery, bouncy, and a plethora of colors are infused into the background. For a beginner such as my younger-self, a world so enticing and beautiful was an impeccable choice made by the designers. It allows kids of any age to be introduced to an obstacle without being too angry when the eventual death comes along. I really do mean it. I can't tell you how many times I got a game-over on this world, and I, the most impatient, feverishly angry brat, did not get mad. Sure I got serious and focused, but I never once remember screaming at the screen. That's some good work there. For doing a great job on bringing imagination to a physical level, I give the graphics a rating of 9.

Sound:
To be honest, I won't go that far into the music. I will say though, the music direction is far better than superb. Just like the graphics, the atmosphere requests a far better than above average soundtrack and again that's what it delivers. A good example would be the water world. I still find myself bobbing my head to it over and over. Its beat is just too catchy and the overall feel of the tune just is overwhelming with a perception of great difficulty, but a good amount of fun. It's brilliant. For multiple concussions caused from head-bobbing, I give the music a rating of 9.

FluFF :
I only call this the fluff because I feel the "Addictiveness" and "Depth" don't need a whole section for itself ~ Side Note; As for addictiveness, I actually find myself playing this game over and over again through out the years. It truly is a masterpiece. How's that? Well, for depth, SMB3 is an NES game. There's not what I would call "collectibles", but it does seem to always have different routes, or secrets that I haven't seen yet, giving it a more than substantial amount of replay-ability (especially for a fairly aged game). The depth gets a rating of 7, the addictiveness gets a rating of 6.

Difficulty:
This section gets its own because why not ~ Side Note; Difficulty is what some gamers, like hardcore gamers, feel is a big part of the enjoyment out of the game. It's different for many, and I don't really agree with it as I am a casual gamer (with some), but that doesn't mean that this game is not difficult. As you progress in classic Mario action, the frustration meter is cranked up. Some levels I personally still struggle to get past, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Even younger gamers can get past a level as quickly as those who grew up with it. It all depends on how you feel you can make it happen. For bringing a considerable amount of pain and accomplishment to back it up, I give it a difficulty rating of 6; not terribly troublesome.

Overall:
SMB3 is a wonderful concoction of great graphics, banging music, nostalgic sounds, and a splendid amount of difficulty and achievement, I give SMB3 a rating of 9.5.

deadmandevelin : This is a nicely fleshed out review. Heaven and Hell? I never thought of it that way, considering the dorky little things you have to fight.