March 2018 Game of the Month - Super Mario Bros. 3

[lilbud]

This game was picked by @meleu

Super Mario Bros 3

Developers: Nintendo R&D4

Publisher: Nintendo

Platform: NES

Super Mario Bros. 3 was released in 1988 for the NES and Famicom. This is widly considered not only one of the better Mario games, but one of the best games period. It introduced many staples to the series that we are thankful for. Such as the World Map and the Koopalings. This game is of your typical Mario fashion, stomp goombas and turtles while progressing towards the end flag. No use reinventing the wheel here. Just go through the worlds and defeat the Koopalings and then Bowser himself. (By the 3rd game, you should've figured out the pattern by now.) Letsa go!

Manual

Review

Now here is a link to the G.O.T.M Art Pack™. This includes custom box art for ES/Kodi or whatever you use. A launching image for the runcommand menu, and an Overlay for in game.

Game of the Month Challenge

The Achievement this month is Back In Time For Dinner. You have to jump from World 1 all the way to World 8 and save Peach. Have Fun, and don't take any crap from anybody.

[lilbud]

I put this up a day early because I'll be busy the next few days and won't have time...also, I had it typed up and felt like posting it.

[Alturis]

Game suggestion for the coming months: Loco Motion

I just played it yesterday out of curiosity and found it much more fun than I expected. Definitely unique and interesting.

[jwbmonk]

I have not taken part in any mame row or gotm yet, but for Mario 3 I might need to make an appearance ;)

[mediamogul]

They don't make a TV big enough for this amazing game.

[jwbmonk]

@mediamogul I agree, and now I wanna get all nostalgic and watch the wizard lol

[mediamogul]

@jwbmonk

I watch it every now and again myself. I love how they basically just took the plot of 'Rain Man' and dumped Nintendo games everywhere. Not a great movie on paper, but I always enjoy every dated moment. Now, if I could only figure out how he managed to get 50,000 on 'Double Dragon' by stage two.

[SP]

@mediamogul

Jimmy's found a secret passageway! Damn, I love this movie.

[jwbmonk]

@mediamogul It's the best commercial ever made

[XVO]

If we only had an online achievement to show the best time or something.
Maybe something for the devs, if someone made a great time without savestate they would get an achievement.
From the lazy devs perspective (myself) it's to much work realize this because you have to edit the emulator to send the time or score on that game, especially the cheating aspect is horrible to add in.

[lilbud]

@xvo I think the only way to do this is to run a timer on your phone sitting on a table or whatever. Or check the retroarch log for how long it was open.

[XVO]

@lilbud
Lolz, otherwise you could also send a screen recorded video to YouTube and post the link to site :p
Just a screen recording no magic like the Elgato or something, otherwise you could have yourself a king of Kong on your hands :D

[mediamogul]

Three hours and five minutes isn't going to set any speed record, but it's always worth seeing the look on Bowser's face as he crashes through those bricks.

[obsidianspider]

I’m taking the opposite approach to the goal this month. I’ve never played his game all the way through (playing every stage, no warp whistles), so I’m going to try to complete it. Oh, and yeah, I’m going to mix it up between the original Famicom, All Stars, and Game Boy Advance variants.

[lilbud]

Not going to lie when I say I actually cried when the achievement unlocked.

It took 3 tries to get the achievement, I played hardcore mode up until World 8. I had to enable saves for my sanitys sake, and my controllers sake as well.

Oh, took me 1 hour and 21 minutes to get this.

This isn't too far off from how I felt:

[mediamogul]

@obsidianspider said in March Game of the Month - Super Mario Bros. 3:

playing every stage, no warp whistles

I'm really glad to hear that. This game is a blast all the way through and if I'm being perfectly honest, rushing right to stage eight is one of the least enjoyable ways to play. The last level is a real grind and with warp whistles, it comes without any satisfaction of having already completed some of the most original level designs in all of 2D platforming. Even as a kid, I would always at least warp to world four (Giant Land) and work my way forward from there. I hope you'll continue to post as you move ahead. I can't think of the last time I've heard anyone give a fresh perspective here and I wouldn't mind seeing the game through new eyes.

[lilbud]

@obsidianspider That's actually how I beat the game originally. Something like this:

Beat every level (Mario All Stars version)

Warp Whistles run (NES Version)

2nd Whistles run (NES Version)

[mediamogul]

@lilbud

I'm not 100% sure about the criteria you guys use to determine who picks the game for the following month, whether it's based on time of completion, order in which it was completed, or even if completing it in hardcore mode verses not is a a consideration. However, it's appropriate that you and I finished on the same day, as I believe we're both likely to pick the same option. If there's one game that would have a chance of following 'Super Mario Bros. 3', it's a certain late life NES title from Taito.

[lilbud]

@mediamogul said

I'm not 100% sure about the criteria you guys use to determine who picks the game for the following month

If one person beats the challenge, they pick the next game.

If multiple people beat it, then all of them pick a game and we set it to a poll.

If no one beats it, I pick the next game.

@mediamogul said

If there's one game that would have a chance of following 'Super Mario Bros. 3', it's a certain late life NES title from Taito.

I love Little Samson!

[mediamogul]

@lilbud said in March Game of the Month - Super Mario Bros. 3:

I love Little Samson!

I've seen you mention it a few times as a potential GoTM. Alongside SMB3, it might actually be my favorite NES title. If nothing else, they're definitely my two favorite NES platformers.