Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario Bros. 3 is the last major Mario video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released on October 23, 1988 in Japan, February 12, 1990 in North America, and August 29, 1991 in Europe. The game was directed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, with music composed by Koji Kondo. The game was first remade with updated 16-bit visuals as part of the Super Mario All-Stars compilation for the SNES. That version received a further update when the Super Mario Bros. 3 portion of the game was released for the GameBoy Advance under the title Super Mario Advance 4.

Super Mario Bros. 3 introduces a number of advances to the Super Mario Bros. series: the addition of a map screen, minigames, many new power-ups, enemies, and level types. It also features the first appearance of King Bowser's children, the Koopa Kids or Koopalings. Unlike the American Super Mario Bros. 2, it remains true to the original Super Mario Bros. gameplay formula, yet it features a great deal more innovation and freshness than the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2. It consistently places highly in lists of top games of all time.

Although widely regarded as being the best-selling video game of all time, the original Super Mario Bros. is actually the best-selling video game, at 40.23 million copies compared to Super Mario Bros. 3's 17.28 million (as recognized by the Guinness Book of Records, based on data given by Nintendo). Many figures however, put the sales at over 18 million copies sold. Because of the confusion that bundling causes with sales figures, Super Mario Bros. 3's achievement is often given more weight. When combined with its Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario Advance 4 versions, Super Mario Bros. 3 has sold over 33 million copies. The game was on the NES Top 20 list in Nintendo Power from its release until the NES list was discontinued in 1995. Only The Legend of Zelda was on the list longer.