Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 Description

Nintendo's stellar portfolio, despite carrying the weight of Donkey Kong and Zelda, owes itself almost entirely to a short, fat plumber by the name of Mario. He started his virtual days way back in 1981 as Donkey Kong's arch-enemy before embarking on a solo career in the famed Super Mario Brothers series. In this instance, we look at Super Mario Brothers 3, re-released for GBA as the fourth instalment of the Mario Advance series. When Bowser (King Koopa) and his seven children wreak havoc on the Mario universe, turning its native kings into wildlife, the moustachioed Italian plumber embarks on a third adventure to put an end to his enemy's antics once again. Originally developed under the watchful eye of gaming god Shigeru Miyamoto, Super Mario 3 builds on the success and gameplay of the Super Mario Brothers original and not the US-developed Super Mario Brothers 2. A thoroughbred platform game, Mario possesses all of the basic abilities of a typical 80's platform outing, whereby he can run, jump, swim and stomp on enemies. Power ups such as Fire Flowers and 1UP Mushrooms make a welcome return, but Nintendo has further increased its efforts by giving him the ability to fly, throw hammers, and even transform into a statue. Super Mario 3 is, in many gamers eyes, the best Mario game Nintendo has ever created, even today. It was also the first in the series to incorporate a game map for each world. Within the eight hub-like worlds are anywhere between six and ten individual levels where most of the game is played, and all are designed so that progress must be made in a predetermined order. But these maps are also host to several rewarding mini-games such as Pairs. Games are skillful, and often reward players with items that are useful in the main game. At the end of each world, an airship awaits, carrying one of Bowser's children. Finish the airship level and defeat the boss, and you can move onto the next world. Game Boy Advance owners will also have the pleasure of the original Mario Bros game, included in Mario Advance 4, as well as several all-new levels, unlockable via Nintendo's e-Reader. Super Mario 3, even after all this time, remains one of the greatest platform games of all time. We love it - you will too.

Jump bottomless pits, stomp familiar foes and use awesome power-ups like the Warp Whistle and the Frog and Tanooki Suit, as you take the flight to Bowser and his kids.

Open up new levels and game features when you scan special cards through the e-Reader attachment.

Complete increasingly difficult levels, beating one of Bowser's kids at the end of each level on your way to the final battle with Bowser.

Discover multiplayer Mario madness when you link up with any of the other three Super Mario Advance games for frantic fun in the original Mario Bros.^® game.