Nothing makes a gamer feel older than realizing a mega anniversary of one of their favorite titles is fast approaching. Case in point; Super Mario Bros. 3 is celebrating its 20th anniversary. This past February, the game turned 20 here in North America.
Aside from the bummer of getting old and crotchety, we gamers owe Mario a well deserved round of applause. Super Mario Bros. 3 helped define the genre, the future of side-scrolling platformers, and heavily influenced all future Mario titles. From level design, to impressionable enemies, to the game’s catchy soundtrack, SMB 3 had it all. The introduction of airships and the Koopalings were heavily applauded, both of which luckily have been revived in recent titles.
The game even introduced an extremely diverse set of power-ups, most notably the Tanooki suit, which inspired the name of a certain website. The magical suit allowed Mario to transform between a flying raccoon and a stone statue. Other fan favorites included the adorable frog suit and Kuribo’s shoe, aka “the boot.” Despite being a beloved power-up, many never realized that Kuribo’s shoe only appeared in one level of the game; 5-3.
Super Mario Bros. 3 also penetrated other mediums. The star studded cult classic film The Wizard served as a promotional piece for the game’s release. And who could forget the cartoon series based on the game, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.
With twenty years behind us, let us toast Mario before his next galactic adventure. To twenty more years of power-ups, mustaches and saving the princess. “Here-we-go!” Be sure to share with us some of your favorite Mario moments from Super Mario Bros. 3!
