Why Super Mario Bros. 3 is Still Relevant Today: A Look at its Impact on Game Design

Mario 3’s legacy is firmly established due to its exceptional quality and innovation upon release. Despite the arrival of Super Mario World, Mario 3 continues to hold a special place in the hearts of gamers and designers alike. Its well-crafted gameplay mechanics, diverse levels, and imaginative power-ups remain an inspiration for contemporary game developers seeking to create the next great platformer.

This blog post is part of an ongoing series where I analyze the top 100 best video games of all time as part of the David Perry Challenge. Super Mario Bros. 3 is ranked #11 out of 100.

As game designers, it’s important to look back at the games that have come before us and analyze what made them successful. One such game that has undoubtedly left a lasting impact on the industry is Super Mario Bros. 3. Despite being released over three decades ago, it remains a classic that continues to captivate players to this day.

First and foremost, what makes Mario 3 such a remarkable game is its balance between exploration and simplicity. While the previous games in the series, Super Mario Bros. and Mario 2, limited players to moving only to the right or offered more complex level designs respectively, Mario 3 strikes a perfect balance. The levels are short enough to keep the pace of the game brisk, yet open enough to encourage players to explore and discover secrets. The game’s mechanic of having the level default to the right, but allowing space to explore by going up and sometimes left, gives players a sense of direction while also offering room for creativity.

Mario 3’s graphics and audio also contribute to its enduring legacy. While the graphics may not be up to modern standards, they were groundbreaking for their time and remain impressive to this day. The game’s vibrant color palette and memorable character designs make it a visual treat, while the music is simply unforgettable. All of the games in the Mario Bros. franchise are known for their excellent music, and Mario 3 is no exception.

Of course, no game is perfect, and Mario 3 does have its flaws. The shelled enemies, for instance, are difficult to dodge once they start spinning, which can be frustrating. This is mostly in comparison this its successor Super Mario World, where the spinning shells of enemies are an integral part of the combat mechanics.

Mario 3 boasts an impressive variety of items that transform Mario, but the player mostly uses the Tanooki Feather and Fire Power. This seems like a missed opportunity, because the reality is that the game’s level design doesn’t provide many opportunities to use the other power-ups. This design choice is intentional, as it ensures that the game remains balanced and challenging while still offering players the chance to experiment with different abilities. Really, it feels like a precursor to Super Mario World.

These flaws are minor in the grand scheme of things, and the game is otherwise very well-tuned. It’s clear that the developers put a lot of effort into crafting a game that would stand the test of time, and they succeeded admirably. For example, even the excess of power-ups can be used at the beginning of different levels, which serves as a way to ease the difficulty curve without making the game too easy for the hardcore player.

In conclusion, Super Mario Bros. 3 is a game that deserves its place in gaming history, even when placed in the same list as its successor. Its balance between exploration and simplicity, as well as its impressive power-up variety and memorable graphics and audio, have ensured that it remains a classic that continues to delight players to this day. While it may not be perfect, its legacy is set in stone, and its influence can be seen in countless games that have come since its release. As game designers, we would do well to study what made Mario 3 so successful and incorporate those elements into our own work.