Super Mario Bros. 3 was released 30 years ago this week -
25yearslatersite helped explain why it was so great:
The developers went all in with the game’s level designs. Each world had a theme, and within those worlds, each level typically had some kind of new idea it raised and presented to the player. Sure, running through the desert and dodging enemies and quick sand is tough enough, but there’s a level that asks the player to do it while also dodging an angry sun, adding an extra layer of challenge to the proceedings. Another standout is a mid-way level where Mario spends the entire thing bouncing around in a shoe and using said shoe to traverse terrain that would otherwise be deadly to him.
It gives the game a huge air of unpredictability. Playing through it for the first time, you’re never quite sure what kind of challenge the developers have cooked up for you in the next level. It leads to a feeling of genuine excitement as you step into a new level. But the game wasn’t content to rest on its laurels with its boss monsters, either. A pretty common criticism of the original game is how each boss is just a remixed version of the fight with Bowser. It was repetitive, and extremely easy, and running through same-y looking castles wasn’t all that fun.
This should bring back some memories:
If you are from WAY back - you'll remember that the game had one of it's big first looks in the movie "The Wizard"