10 UP to Mario's Greatest Adventure! (Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA))

Member Name: DanielKemp

Product:	Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA)
Date:	07/07/09 (98 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A flawlessly designed game, wonderful difficulty curve, faultless level design

Disadvantages: Zilch. None. Nothing.

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (2003)

Platform: Game Boy Advance

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

**The History**

Super Mario Advance 4 is the Game Boy Advance (GBA) edition of the classic platforming game Super Mario Bros. 3, which was originally released in Japan on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1988. It had a European release in 1991.

In 1993 the game was re-released on Nintendo's next console, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), as part of the Super Mario All Stars compilation, which gathered together many previous Mario games onto one games cartridge. The game benefited from improved graphics, which featured a far more diverse colour palette, and considerably improved sound, making the most of the capabilities of the 16-bit SNES console.

This 2003 GBA version is designed around the SNES version.

In 2007 the original NES version was released on the Wii's Virtual Console and can be downloaded for a bargain 500 Wii Points.

As of 2008, the Guinness Book of World Records placed Super Mario Bros. 3 as the best selling videogame to be sold separately from a games system, reaching over 17 million copies worldwide.

**Gameplay**

The game follows everyone's favourite plumbers, Mario & Luigi, as they travel across eight different gaming worlds to save each land's ruler from the evil Bowser, the series' main antagonist. Each gaming world is built around distinct visual themes, such as the fourth world, Giant Land, which features enemies and obstacles which are twice the normal size.

Elsewhere, there is a Water World, which has levels primarily taking place under water, or upon land with undulating sea levels, making your progress all the more difficult.

The standard design of each world features a set amount of levels, which culminates in an end of world boss. You move along the levels via the over-world map, in which you select the level you wish to play. Think of it as a dot-to-dot map, where you must complete one level before moving on to the next. On some occasions there will be multiple ways to progress through the map, and it won't be necessary to complete all of the levels in numerical order.

When you reach the boss, the aim is always the same - to jump on top of them a total of three times to destroy them. Seven of the eight bosses in Super Mario Advance 4 are the children of Bowser and each boss fight gets progressively more difficult. To illustrate, the first end of world boss is Larry Koopa, who can do little more than jump around the stage, trying to land upon you and cause you damage. By the time you encounter the third world's boss, Wendy Koopa, she has the ability to fire multiple projectiles at you, making it increasingly more difficult to place a well-timed jump upon her.

This game in the series introduced a far more diverse range of items, which change the appearance of Mario & Luigi and the way in which they control. For example, you have the Frog Suit, which is self-explanatory in terms of appearance, but it causes Mario to become a more adept swimmer (a life-saver in the Water World). Elsewhere, you have the Tanooki Suit, which gives Mario the appearance of a racoon and allows him to momentarily turn to stone to avoid enemy attacks; it also grants him the ability to fly. There is also the reoccurrence of series' favourites such as the Fire Flower and the Super Mushroom.

You will primarily obtain these items by entering Toad Houses on the world map. Once inside one of these houses you get to pick from one of three treasure boxes. The contents of each box are generated at random, but will always contain a valuable item. Before starting a level, these items can be utilised by pressing the 'Select' button. This will bring up a menu detailing which items you have thus far obtained.

**Controls**

The core controls are some of the best in the entire history of videogames, remaining simplistic but entirely intuitive, which rewards continued play, but manages to be welcoming to beginners. As in all platformers, the D-pad is used for movement. The 'A' button is primarily used to jump; its function never changes, except in the underwater levels in which it provides the ability to swim; it is also used to fly when you have picked up the relative power-up.

If held down while moving, the 'B' button allows Mario to sprint forwards, rather than walking at his usual leisurely pace. This allows Mario to jump farther distances and to avoid some of the faster enemies.

That's about it really, but what is worth mentioning is just how tight the controls are. This is very noticeable, because the more you play the game the better you get at it. Any mistakes are your own, the game never short-changes you.

**Difficulty**

If you aren't accustomed to playing old-school platforming games, you will be in for a bit of a shock. The game is a difficult one to complete, this is providing that you don't take any of the shortcuts in the game and see all that it has to offer. But no matter how difficult it gets, you will always come back for more, because the game is never unreasonable in its difficulty. If ever you lose a life, you know full well that it was your own fault for not timing the jump correctly or not yet having the sharply-honed reflexes of a ninja.

But, people, practice makes perfect.

**Longevity**

This Mario adventure is large for a 2D platformer, particularly by today's standards. The game is an utter delight to play and will provide many hours of entertainment. If you have a friend with you the game's lifespan is practically infinite, as it is the perfect game for taking turns with and helping one another out as you get stuck.

Also included on this Game Boy Advance edition of the game is the original Mario Bros. Arcade game, which is multiplayer and can provide a reasonable amount of fun.

**Conclusion**

I cannot praise Super Mario Advance 4 enough. It is an updated edition of one of the greatest platforming games of all time, if not the greatest. While I would still rather play this game on a TV in its original format or as a Wii download, the GBA edition is as perfect as any mobile version of the game will ever be. Considering that the core game is over 20 years old now, it stands up better than any other game from the era.

A must buy and then some!

10/10

Daniel Kemp

Read more reviews at www.danielkempreviews.co.uk

Summary: Possibly the greatest platforming game of all time!