2.5/5 ★ – cha0sknightmare's review of Super Mario Bros. 3.

My playthrough of the classic Mario games has been building up to this moment: Super Mario Bros. 3. This is a game I've heard so much about over the years, and I was excited to finally experience why it's held in such high regard. Super Mario Bros. 3 represents a major leap forward for the franchise in many ways, blending elements from Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, and Super Mario Bros 2 into what feels like the best recipe for a sequel. Visually, the graphics are a noticeable improvement; this is undoubtedly the best-looking 8-bit Mario game. Meanwhile, the music continues to charm with its iconic tracks and memorable motifs. This is the first time we see a series staple in the form of the World Map, which adds not only a sense of cohesiveness to the adventure but also a layer of strategy, thanks to optional routes and mini-games along the way. Super Mario Bros. 3 starts strong, with shorter, snappier levels that are more cleanly designed than it's predecessors. As you progress through the different worlds, the levels gradually increase in difficulty, following a carefully crafted difficulty curve. Each level organically teaches you how to tackle the obstacles it presents, building up to harder ones that will test your mastery and execution of those skills. You'll encounter a wide variety of level styles, bosses, and mini-games, each introducing fresh and exciting moments at every turn. This constant stream of surprises gives the game an undeniable sense of forward momentum. The problems begin to surface around the halfway point. This is where Super Mario Bros. 3 momentum faulters, with the game hitting a creative wall. Instead of continuing to introduce new and interesting ideas, the game starts recycling concepts you've already encountered, only now with more aggravating design choices. Any lessons the developers seemed to have learned from the weaker moments of the earlier games start to unravel here. Maze-like repeating levels, extremely obscure level design (World 6-5 anyone?) and repetitive boss fights all return with increasing frequency. Any attempt to introduce new elements from this point onward feel carelessly executed, with mechanics haphazardly dropped into levels without proper introduction or context. The meticulous, well-crafted curve of teaching players new mechanics is abandoned, replaced by frustrating trial-and-error gameplay, long drawn-out scrolling levels, and half-baked layouts that feel like they should have been left on the cutting room floor. By the time I slogged through the second half and reached the end, I felt relief the war of attrition was over, rather than the sense of joy and accomplishment that the first half of the game had invoked in me. I want to make it clear that I’m looking at a 1988 SNES game through a modern lens, shaped by the experience, knowledge, and game design lessons of the many games that have come and gone since its release. So despite my critique, I fully understand and appreciate the impact Super Mario Bros. 3 had on the gaming landscape and the platforming genre as a whole. That said, by the time the credits rolled, it just didn’t live up to its legendary status, at least for me.