Throwback Thursday: Super Mario Bros. 3

Photo Credit: Nintendo

There are plenty of 80s and 90s artifacts that bring back fond memories, but one of my favorites is the Nintendo video game, Super Mario Bros. 3. Still considered one of the greatest video games of all time, I remember it not just for how good a game it is, but also because it was one of the last games I played habitually. Soon after, I found myself more or less forced into adulthood and haven't really had the time to play a game that regularly ever since.

The year was 1990 and I was lazily making my way through college at the University of Georgia majoring in WTF and minoring in pizza consumption. My best friend was a local who still lived at home with his mom and consequently had a more sheltered but way cushier lifestyle than I could ever afford in my shabby off-campus apartment. My friend introduced me to this classic 2D scroller and we played it for hours after class every day until we beat it. To be a bit more precise, we played it until he beat it. I must admit he was always much better at it than I was. My contributions were largely relegated to cheerleading and complaining about my controller, but that never stopped me from having fun. With its raccoon, frog, and tanooki suits, multiple stages, and bouncy music, the game never failed to entertain. To this day, there are only a few games I consider to be its equal despite its now antiquated graphics.

Today's best games are bigger, faster, and much more lifelike, but they just don't capture the same magic Mario and Luigi did in their efforts to free Mushroom World from the clutches of the evil Bowser and his seven Koopaling children. For me, Super Mario Bros.3 will always be more than just a game. It represents a simpler world, a more carefree life, and the most meaningful friendship of my youth. It's not only one of video gaming's greatest achievements, it's a warm, nostalgic hug packaged up neatly in a 4.1 x 5.5 inch cartridge.  They just don’t make 'em like that anymore.