Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3

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Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
The North American box art
Information
Developer(s)	Nintendo
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Series	Super Mario Advance
Release date	Game Boy Advance: July 11, 2003 October 21, 2003 October 17, 2003 October 24, 2003 Virtual Console (Wii U): December 29, 2015 January 21, 2016 March 10, 2016 March 11, 2016 Nintendo Switch Online: February 9, 2023 February 8, 2023
Genre(s)	Platformer
Mode(s)	Single-player, 2-4 players (Mario Bros. only)
Ratings	ESRB: Everyone PEGI: Three years and older CERO: All ages ACB: General USK: All ages
Platform(s)	Game Boy Advance Virtual Console (Wii U) Nintendo Switch Online (Nintendo Switch)
Media	Cartridge
Input methods	Wii U: Wii U GamePad Wii Remote (horizontal) Classic Controller Wii U Pro Controller Nintendo Switch: Joy-Con Joy-Con (horizontal) Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Game Boy Advance: Gamepad
Navigation
Predecessor	Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (2002)

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 is a remake of Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Game Boy Advance. It was originally released in 2003, as the fourth and final installment of the Super Mario Advance series. The game is specifically based on the Super Mario All-Stars version, featuring similar graphics as it. Aside from this, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 featured additional enhancements, some of which includes Mario and Luigi receiving voice acting from Charles Martinet, the ability to scan cards into the e-Reader to unlock certain content, such as levels in the exclusive World-e, a different save feature, and a remake of Mario Bros., which had previously been included on the other Super Mario Advance titles. The Mario Bros. remake supports multiplayer, supporting up to four players. Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 features rumble support if played on a Game Boy Player.

In 2015, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 was released for the Wii U's Virtual Console in Japan, then in North America, Europe, and Australia in 2016. The biggest difference with this version is that every level in World-e is available in all releases, unlike the original North American version, in which only a select few were made available, whereas the e-Reader feature was absent from the original European version entirely. In 2023, the Wii U Virtual Console version was added to the line-up of Game Boy Advance games made available on Nintendo Switch Online (through the Expansion Pack).

Gameplay

A gameplay screenshot of Luigi in World 1-3, standing to the right of a Super Jump Block

The gameplay is mostly the same as earlier iterations of Super Mario Bros. 3. The player has the option of playing as either Mario or Luigi as they travel through various levels, most of which are sidescrolling but some are autoscrolling. Certain levels even have to be completed by progressing vertically. In a level, Mario or Luigi can use various basic moves along the way, such as running, jumping, and swimming. At the end of every level (except fortresses, castles, and airships) is a black background with a goal, and hitting it completes the level.

The levels are accessed from exploring various world maps. A level cannot be replayed after it has been completed, unless the player has completed the game. Hammer Bros. can be encountered on the world map, and walking to one forces Mario or Luigi into an Enemy Course where they have to fight one or two Hammer Bros.. The same is also possible for Fire Bros. and Boomerang Bros.

Save feature

During a playthrough, clearing a world is one of the few instances in which the player can permanently save their game

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 has a different save feature than the Super Mario All-Stars version in that permanent save points are only available from meeting certain objectives, including clearing a fortress level, defeating a Koopaling and therefore clearing a world, or the tank levels of Dark Land. In total, only 26 permanent save points are available during Mario and Luigi's adventure, seven from defeating a Koopaling, fifteen from clearing a fortress level, and four from clearing a tank level in Dark Land.

The player can freely create a temporary save point on the world map. The difference it has from a permanent save is that it is only single-use, so it would be erased if the player turns off the game and reopens the save file with the temporary save. Once the game has been completed, the temporary save feature is removed in favor of being able to permanently save at points where it was previously only possible to do temporary saves.

List of changes from Super Mario All-Stars

Gameplay

• Due to the Super Mario Advance games' inclusion of the Mario Bros. remake, the battle mode and Battle Game were removed entirely.
• Despite visibly scuttling as he jumps, Luigi's floatier Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2-style physics are only applied within World-e or if the player scans the Luigi Power Up!! e-reader card within the main game.
• The title screen is slightly redesigned, and now features two new separate menus for selecting save files and selecting the game mode. The number of save files was reduced from four to three, and they no longer save the mode selected.
• Several mechanics have been changed for the remake.
  • Upside-down Spiny Shells can be safely stomped without taking damage; in the previous versions, even an immobile, upside-down Spiny Shell would hurt Mario if he landed on top of it.
  • Big Blocks in normal courses can be hit with a tail swipe as Raccoon or Tanooki Mario (Mega ? Blocks in bonus rooms are still immune to tail whips).
  • Coin Blocks can now give more than ten coins if hit fast enough, and up to 20 if a P-Wing is used.
  • Spade Panels change suits if won, which gives the player the chance to earn more lives. The order is spade, heart (offering up to a 7-UP), club (up to a 10-UP), and diamond (guaranteed win), before looping back.
  • The maximum number of lives is now 999.
  • The save system has been revamped. The player can now do a temporary save of the current level from the pause menu; this option becomes a permanent save after completing the game. The game can also be permanently saved after clearing a fortress (including World 5-Tower), an airship (including World 8-Airship), and the tank and battleship levels in World 8 prior to completion. Mario and Luigi's forms, coin counts, card amounts and types, and scores are now saved alongside their lives and item inventories. As in the NES version, the game cannot be saved from the Game Over menu.
  • Bowser now resists Hammer Mario's hammers, instead of acting like a regular enemy.
  • Tail-swiping a Muncher will not turn it into an Empty Block.
  • All Lakitus are one block (16 pixels) lower than due to the smaller resolution on the GBA.
  • Kicked shells and White Blocks collect coins. Coins collected this way are usually worth double.
  • Magic Balls and Magic Wands now bounce upwards upon being hit with fireballs, hammers, or tail whips.
  • Magic Wands now fall sooner after the Koopalings are beaten.
  • Hammer Brothers' hammer-throwing frequency is lowered to three per cycle.
  • Boss Basses take longer to respawn.
  • Bowser's lower half now inflicts damage.
  • The Power Meter does not run out while running, and in Raccoon or Tanooki form, the player can replenish it by landing and taking off again.
  • Mario and Luigi can fall/sink lower offscreen before losing a life.
  • In Ice Land, the path to the second Toad's House was changed so that clearing World 6-5 is not required to access it.
  • When defeated by fireballs or hammers, Bowser no longer inflicts damage.
• Warping backwards from World 6 back to World 5 via the Magic Whistle prior to beating Bowser is impossible.
• Attempting to warp to Worlds 5, 6, or 8 from within will no longer result in those worlds' progress being reset upon arrival.
• After Mario/Luigi defeats Bowser, he automatically turns into Super Mario/Luigi regardless of whatever power-up he is using, to fit with the ending cutscene.
• Several gameplay changes to items and enemies were made to match their functions in Super Mario World or Super Mario Advance 2:
  • Invincible Mario's point chain is the same as that of kicking a shell through many enemies or stomping many foes without landing on the ground.
  • Mushrooms are now converted into a coin when at the goal. This was also done to fix a softlock from the All-Stars version caused by the lack of this.
  • The time bonus countdown is shown after the player clears any stage, and like in Super Mario Advance 2, the time bonus is x100, x200, and x500 for beating Boom Boom, the Koopalings, and Bowser, respectively.
  • Obtaining a Fire Flower or Super Leaf as Small Mario in a level will change him to Fire Mario or Raccoon Mario, respectively, instead of only changing him to SUper Mario.
  • The player can now carry items (like shells and White Blocks) through pipes to new areas; this only occurred when the pipe led to a different part of the same area in previous versions.
  • Shelled enemies (like Koopa Troopas and Buzzy Beetles) can be stomped underwater.
  • Holding an item underwater lets Mario swim faster and float to the surface quickly.
  • If more than one power-up or 1-Up Mushroom is on screen, the oldest one no longer disappears.
  • Like Cape Mario, Raccoon or Tanooki Mario can now tail-swipe mushrooms away from him.
  • The ability to return to the world map has been added to the Pause screen in levels, though only after clearing the game.
  • In Mario & Luigi mode, if Mario and Luigi are on the same spot on the map screen, they can swap lives with B.
  • Non-fortress levels no longer deliberately reset their status as cleared after getting a Game Over.
• The controls have been slightly altered to accommodate the GBA's button layout:
  • Mario can climb beanstalks faster by holding b or r. He can also aim his fireballs/hammers by moving left or right while on one.
  • On the map screen, L is used to open the inventory window rather than B.
    • The item inventory has been redesigned, now showing all four panels at once. In addition, as a result of the current world and life count being removed from the inventory window, it can hold eight more items, increasing the allowed number from 28 to 36.
    • After the player beats the game, B can also be used to select a world (as in Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3), although in Mario & Luigi mode, both brothers must be in different places for it to work.
  • R can be used as an additional run/attack button during levels. On the map screen, it brings up the e-Reader menu.
  • On the map screen, select opens a new replay menu, which can be used to watch or save a replay of the most recent level playthrough (provided the player did not pause).

Power-ups

The power-up items are the same as in the original Super Mario Bros. 3.

• Super Mushroom: If Mario or Luigi are in their Small form, the Super Mushroom turns him into his Super form, allowing him to withstand another hit before reverting to Small form.
• Fire Flower: This turns Mario or Luigi into their Fire form, allowing him to shoot fireballs.
• Starman: This turns Mario or Luigi temporarily invincible.
• Super Leaf: This turns Mario or Luigi into their Raccoon form, which gives Mario or Luigi a tail to spin around and allows temporary flight if the P-Meter is full.
• Tanooki Suit: This is similar to the Super Leaf, but it turns either Mario or Luigi into their Tanooki form, which has the added effect of allowing Mario or Luigi to become a statue temporarily.
• Frog Suit: This turns Mario or Luigi into their Frog form, which gives them the ability to perform higher jumps and faster swimming.
• Hammer Suit: This turns Mario or Luigi into their Hammer form, allowing them to throw hammers.

World map items

A few items can only be used on the world map, all returning from the original Super Mario Bros. 3. They can only be used once.

• Recorder: Takes Mario or Luigi to the Warp Zone, where they have the choice to warp to either one of a few different worlds.
• Hammer: Can break a rock barrier on the world map.
• Lakitu's Cloud: Allows Mario or Luigi to skip past one level.

Gallery

To view Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3's image gallery, click here.

External links

• Title at MobyGames
• Title at GameFAQs