Defeating a Koopaling will see you gain control of the magic wand, which you can then use to turn the ruler of each world back into their normal self after Bowser’s wicked spawn had turned them into all different kinds of creatures. 3 also plays with the formula a bit as you now don’t just have to contend with Bowser but also his despicable kids, leading to you working your way through treacherous airships enroute to a boss battle with one of the dreaded Koopalings, each of whom is armed with a magic wand that they can use to wreck your life. The Super Mushroom, Fire Flower and Starman all make their return as well to complete the arsenal that the pugnacious plumbers have to draw from, and little Toad shacks are dispersed throughout the hub worlds so that you can collect additional power-ups to add to your burgeoning collection. The Frog Suit makes swimming in water far easier and quicker, whilst the Hammer Bro suit gives you a shell to protect you from fireballs, as well as boss-killing hammers that you can fling to your heart’s content (although the trajectory of the hammers can be a bit frustrating to master).

3 probably has some of the most interesting and varied power-ups of any game in the series, with the Tanooki Suit giving you the power of flight, as well as the ability to turn into a statue to avoid getting hurt. 2, with a whole host of new power-ups and enemies for Mario and his brother, Luigi, to tackle in their pursuit of rescuing Princess Toadstool.

Everything that worked in the first game is back, including the ever popular two-player mode that was sadly nowhere to be found in Super Mario Bros. 3, with it building on the first two games to create a much bigger and enriching gameplay experience. Many things we would recognise from an archetypal Mario escapade (a hub world in which you move around and select the level you play in with secret areas to discover, power-ups you can hang on to and use before entering a level, each world in the hub fulfilling a specific “theme”, etc.) either debuted or were entrenched in Super Mario Bros. 3 would be the mosquito trapped in the amber that the hardworking InGen scientists would have drained the DNA from in order to create releases such as Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros.

If the Mario series of games were the movie Jurassic Park, then Super Mario Bros. Not only is it a supremely playable 2D platformer even to this day, but its imprint can still be felt in many of the Mario games that succeeded it. 3 is assuredly in the conversation when it comes to choosing the best of the bunch. When it comes to games from the third generation of home console gaming, Super Mario Bros.

Super mario bros 3 2 player