Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 review

You've got to question Nintendo's reasoning when it comes to their Gameboy Advance releases. After taking intentional counter-measures to differ the interface of the GBA from the SNES control pad (to prevent easy ports of SNES games), they then take every opportunity under the sun to re-release their back catalogue. It now seems that, somewhere along the way, they have made the reluctant decision to fall back on their classics instead of bringing us something new. After the (re-)release of Yoshi's Island (the SNES's graphical tour-de-force) one would have thought they could only go forwards from there, but instead, they have taken a step backwards. How well this will go down with the 'new audience' Nintendo must be targeting (as the old wouldn't bother at those prices) remains to be seen, but it is clearly evident from this release how inferior it is from those that have preceded it.Not that Super Mario Bros. 3 is inferior, per se, but it is a step backwards. When you've grown accustomed to non-linear map progression and tactical use of the stock item (as seen in Super Mario World), SMB3's straightforward approach is somewhat restrictive. It is also significantly more difficult, with a less finely-balanced learning curve leading to more frustrating parts that require multiple tries to get through. Set in the Mushroom World, there are over eight worlds to traverse, each split into around 10 levels (with extra boss ship stages and castles). Though they are displayed in a similar fashion to Super Mario World's map, you rarely get any sort of choice in the order of progression through them. Furthermore, gone are the switches and secret routes; once a level is cleared you cannot go through it again - making them more of an 'A to B' challenge than part of an unlockable map world. There are also no halfway checkpoints featured in any of the levels, but thankfully, they are all of fairly short length.And therein lies the primary strength of Super Mario Bros. 3. Short levels mean that once you get your head around how to clear a difficult section of the level, you are virtually at the end and ready to tackle the next challenge. Ridiculously difficult challenges become child's play after a few attempts, and the levels can afford to be that little bit harder since you aren't required to get through any of them more than once. And hard they are indeed. Towards the final stages, some of the expectations placed on the player are huge, and repeated tries will undoubtedly be essential in getting past the continuous hazards presented one after the other.Help is at hand though, as amongst the regular levels are bonus stages where you can pick up and store help items to use any time on the map screen. Powering-up to Super Mario before entering a tricky stage will often prove helpful, as will taking advantage of the various 'suits' on offer. Not content with just a raccoon tail (or even cape) for maintaining flight, Mario can also find full-on raccoon suits or even frog suits, and many more bizarre power-ups that give him animal-like powers.The main sequence of linear levels is broken up by more diversions, in the form of fruit-machine item dispenser stages, a matching pairs mini-game, and several small boss fights (The Hammer Bros.); not to mention the oft-confusing warp pipes that join the pathways together across several sections of the world map. As a helping hand (and limited two-player appeal perhaps), you can take Luigi along for the journey too - switching to the younger Italian brother when the big M's lives are extinguished. Though, to be honest, 'lives' have yet again proven themselves to be almost redundant, as there is no limit to the continues you can use and a quick-save feature presents itself whenever you need it. In fact, losing all lives proves to be somewhat advantageous, as doing so will reset all of the extra bonus item stages, leaving them ready for raiding again!To flesh out this package, Nintendo have included several new features. Firstly, for those with a Gameboy Player for Gamecube, extra vibration feedback has been implemented into the game to function with the Gamecube controller. A replay mode will now record all actions on any level previously entered and allow you to save the clip to the cartridge. E-reader features have been incorporated into all but the PAL versions of the game - with no current means to unlock anything, it looks as though Europe draws the short straw yet again. Potentially, infinite extra levels could have been quite an enticing idea. And, yet again, we get given the customary 'classic' Super Mario Bros. game as a single and multiplayer - up to four - mode. Though nothing that will blow anyone away, this extra mini-game is surprisingly addictive, and with no need for multiple gamepaks, it is another excuse for immediate link-up gaming.But amidst all this dispensable extra substance is the core mechanic of Mario; the one thing that holds true to the series, and one thing that ensures Mario is leaps and bounds ahead of its platforming peers - inertia. The faster you run, the higher you jump. It's a brilliantly simple concept that works perfectly. Keep running fast enough and the 'power bar' (at the base of the screen) will fill up; and jumping will see Mario launch himself off the ground and high into the air. Such monstrous jumps can be swiftly converted into flight with the help of the raccoon tail (and a tough thumb). Even parts of the levels are perfectly designed to take advantage of this dynamic movement, with high-up ledges and pipes finding their place at the ends of open straights. Various levels will also periodically test your abilities and puzzle-solving skills to their limits, occasionally subjecting you to respawning power-ups and higher up exits (with the obvious intention of getting you to take flight and reach them). Hugely satisfying, to finally work it out and pull it off successfully.Super Mario Bros. 3 is overall a generally satisfying game to play. Two-dimensional platform games don't get much better than this really. Though it may be mercilessly tough throughout, and seems like a step backwards compared to the last Mario Advance release (and is really just a 'snezzed-up' dinosaur from two decades ago), we still cannot fault the design. Whilst you may yearn for the type of scope seen from the boss encounters in Yoshi's Island, or for the secret multiple routes around the map in Super Mario World, SMB3 focuses on what it does best and is ultimately a very enjoyable romp too.Certainly highly recommended if you're a fan of platformers, though if you're new to 'this sort of thing', we recommend you first check out either of the previous Mario Advance titles. And if you've played them all before, then why are you still reading this?