Super Mario Bros. 3[a] is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was released in Japan on October 23, 1988, and in North America on February 12, 1990. It was developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, led by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka.
Players control plumbers Mario or Luigi, who must save Princess Toadstool and the rulers of seven different kingdoms from the antagonist Bowser. As in previous Mario games, they defeat enemies by stomping them or using items that bestow magical powers; they also have new abilities, including flight or sliding down slopes. Super Mario Bros. 3 introduces many elements that became Mario staples, such as Bowser’s children the Koopalings and a world map to transition between levels.
Super Mario Bros. 3 is acclaimed by critics as one of the greatest video games of all time.[5][6][7] It is the third-best-selling NES game, having sold over 17 million copies worldwide. It also inspired a short-lived animated television series. Remakes were released on the Super NES in 1993 and the Game Boy Advance in 2003. The game has been re-released on the Virtual Console for the Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U and Nintendo Switch consoles.
