Nintendo has numerous franchises to its name, with the Super Mario Bros series being among the most successful. The original Super Mario Bros was the pack-in game with every NES back in the mid 1980's, and its addictive gameplay single handedly helped usher in the boom of home console gaming. Naturally with that kind of success, sequels were sure to follow. After a strange direct sequel in Super Mario Bros 2 (which was actually a repurposed Doki Doki Panic), the triumphant threequel Super Mario Bros 3 served as the NES's swan song in 1990.
At the time, Super Mario Bros 3 was easily the most anticipated video game up to that point. Since its release, it has been lauded as a huge inspiration for the rest of the series, cementing mechanics and styles that would become mainstays for the franchise from then on. Even though the game is nearly three decades old, it is still jam packed with secrets and easter eggs for players to discover, with some of the most notable being listed below.
Just Keep Swimming
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Throughout Super Mario Bros 3, Bowser's lethal military might must be overcome numerous times, with each encounter becoming progressively more challening. Upon reaching the second level in the final world, this armada from Bowser's forces is extremely tricky, requiring players to defeat a legion of enemy boats. There is an easier way to overcome this assault, as all players need to do is swim underneath the boats to the end of the level. This strategy isn't obvious on a first playthrough, but is a literal life saver when it comes to moving forward.
Go Beyond the Throne Room
The main goal of Super Mario Bros 3 is to complete the levels in a world, advance to the end boss, beat him, and then proceed to the next area. Upon beating one of these worlds, the player is greeted by the King, who is reverted back to his human form thanks to Mario's efforts. This is meant to simply close off another section of the game before advancing to the next part of the adventure, but in recent years, players have meddled with the game's coding to discover some hidden off-screen secrets. Specifically, if players move directly above the throne room, they can see the outline of the letter the King gives as a thank you.
Change the King's Dialogue
Upon completing a world and turning another King back to normal, he will thank Mario for his efforts to get him back to his old self. His appreciation is more than welcome, but he will have an entirely different set of words to say depending on certain factors. If the player happens to be equipped with a different outfit upon beating said world, this will alter the dialogue spoken by the King. The Tanooki suit, Frog suit, and Hammer Bros suit are all capable of altering the King's thank you message.
Easy Extra Lives in World 1-2
The tricky platforming in Super Mario Bros games can sometimes result in a life lost here and there, making it crucial that players stock up on 1-Up mushrooms whenever possible. To get an early head start on stacking up a high amoung of extra lives, there is a simple glitch that can be used in world 1-2. There will be a pipe early in the stage, where if players stand on it wearing the Tanooki suit, rows of Goombas will emerge out of it. From here, players need to simply jump on one, soar into the air, then land on another and Mario will gain an extra life. They can then rinse and repeat the process.
Spawn the Hammer Ship
Throughout the journey, the Hammer Bros will appear on the world map, moving from location to location and serving as a side mission of sorts for players to deal with. There is a method to turn these otherwise challening side levels into lucrative treasure hunts, but it is a bit tricky to pull off. Firstly, the player needs to have collected a number of coins that is a multiple of 11, and then finish a level with the countdown clock on an even number. If done properly, the Hammer Ship will spawn with a bunch of coins to grab.
Super Mario Bros. 3 is available on NES and the Switch via a Nintendo Online subscription.
