Super Mario Bros. 3

Boss Fight Books #13

by Alyse Knorr

Upon its 1990 NES release, Super Mario Bros. 3 flew in on the P-wings of critical raves, intense popular demand, and the most sophisticated marketing campaign Nintendo of America had ever attempted. Shigeru Miyamoto's ultimate 8-bit platformer lived up to all the hype and elevated Mario from mascot to icon. But what exactly made this game the phenomenon it was?

With the help of her friends and family, critics inside and outside the realm of gaming, and former Nintendo of America employees, Alyse Knorr traverses the Mushroom World looking for answers. Along the way, Knorr unearths SMB3's connections to theater and Japanese folklore, investigates her own princess-rescuing impulses, and examines how the game's animal costumes, themed worlds, tight controls, goofy enemies, and memorable music cohere in a game that solidified Mario's conquest of the NES era.

Genres: Video Games, Nonfiction, Gaming, Games, Ebooks

176 pages, Paperback

First published July 18, 2016

Reviews

[Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was surely one of the better ones I read. The author did her research and interviewed a number of key people, watched interviews, and collected information. This is great and reasonably well-written if somewhat mystifyingly organized.

However, like all the other Boss Fight Books, this one suffers from too much of the personal. A few anecdotes here and there to illustrate a point are engaging, but making the book about a personal journey or gender-identity discovery just isn't what I read these for. I mean, I'm sorry you had a troubled and confused childhood but I didn't pick up the book to read about a random person's personal life...

And there were a number of parallels that seemed forced. Mario explores so the author moved to Alaska because she liked exploring. And there are caves in Alaska; and Mario has caves too... *shrug*

[Claus Aranha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did you know that the ball-and-chain enemy in SMB3 can get free of its chain after 50 lunges?

This book was a quick trip down the memory lane. The author mixes discussion of SMB3 design, marketing and history with her own personal memories of the game. It made me search for images and videos of the game to extend the nostalgia taste in my mouth a little bit.

If Super Mario Bros 3 was a bit part of your childhood, you will probably enjoy this quick read.

[Agustín Fest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro que entrama la nostalgia de una muchacha y el desarrollo de Super Mario Bros 3 (marketing, código, llegada a EEUU). Muy bien escrito, sin embargo no muy revelador porque es demasiado local, y biográfico en ocasiones pero sin grandes eventualidades. Tímido a veces. Aunque es divertido, bueno, también es demasiado gringo y, como siempre, se envidia un poco esa nostalgia tan pura, tan despreocupada, que tienen los estadounidenses para narrar sus infancias, sus juventudes y cómo estás fueron embellecidas, sin obstáculos, por el ocio de los videojuegos.

Pero está chidito, sin duda.

[Eric Mesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I'm older than the author of this book, I have a different, though similar, relationship with this game. I don't know if it's because I didn't have a lot of friends growing up or because my parents were (at the time) struggling to make ends meet, but I completely missed the marketing blitz of SMB3. I only heard of The Wizard a decade or more later.

I know at least part of it has to do in the difference with our parents. Ms Knorr's father played Mario with her. My parents were super wary of video games. They bought into the narrative that they'd rot brains and limited our exposure. (At least while we were young) Partly because of this and partly because we didn't have lots of money - $60 was a lot more in those days especially including inflation - we rented most of our video games. So, unlike Ms Knoff, it wasn't about exploration for us. It was about trying to get to the end of the game before we had to return it. Reading this book explains why we'd been playing it wrong all these years.

That said, even as a young kid I knew Super Mario Brothers 3 was something special. It really expanded what I thought a platformer could be even if I didn't even know that was a category of game. (Frankly, nearly all of them were platformers back then)

I've enjoyed a few of these Boss Fight Books in the past. Like the others, this one was great in that it exposed me to a side of the game I'd never considered. It really opened me up to a different way of considering the game. And tidbits like the Japanese baddie names being onomatopoeic (the Japanese do love their onomatopoeia) or Miyamoto being slightly disappointed in the game 20 years later really expand the universe of SMB3. I think if you lived through the time period of this game, this book will mean a lot to you. If you didn't, I think it's still a fascinating exploration of a game that is the root of nearly every game since. Even games like Halo, which are a completely different genre, benefit from the lessons of SMB3 and how to inform the player of how their game world works.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ernest Hemingway famously said, "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."

In reading SUPER MARIO BROS. 3, you'll learn about any and all things SMB3: from the importance its interactive world map and importance of Mario and Luigi's controls and physics, to how veteran Nintendo composer Koji Kondo fused the game's soundtrack with each level's objectives and pacing, and the impact it had on gaming culture and both Nintendo's growth as a company and how it propelled Shigeru Miyamoto from possible fluke one-hit wonder to legendary designer.

But SMB3 is so much more than a fantastically written and researched dissection of what made SMB3 (the game) so great. Alyse Knorr went above and beyond writing about the broad and fine points of the making of one of the most influential games of all time. Every chapter consists of personal anecdotes woven through her research and interviews.

On any given page, I went from smiling as I vividly recalled playing through a particular part of the game, to amazement at learning some new factoid, to laughing at Knorr's wit, to tearing up at the vulnerability she showed in sharing some of her happiest and most painful memories and secrets.

For Knorr, like tens of millions of kids who grew up playing Mario 3, her connection to the game was and is personal. Her willingness to sit down at the (proverbial) typewriter and bleed reminded me that the best games, like the best movies and TV shows and books and music, are those that help us relate to and better understand ourselves and the world around us.

[Chris Neumann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent analysis about one of the most popular games ever. I thought I knew everything there is to know about Mario 3, but I was wrong. This book is filled with thoughts and commentary from insiders who were involved with making the game. A fun, interesting read for anyone interested in Mario history, or just video game history in general. I highly recommend, and I hope the author writes more books like this in the future.

[Caleb Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

(click the image below to watch the video review)

I’m reviewing all of the Boss Fight Books releases, so subscribe to my YouTube channel to be sure you don’t miss future reviews.

Writing a book about Super Mario Bros 3 can only be a daunting task. I haven’t confirmed this assumption with the author of this book, Alyse Knorr, but if I had asked her and she said it wasn’t daunting, I wouldn’t have believed her. This is a game that's been played and poured over for decades. It’s often cited by gamers as the best video game ever, or at least their favorite of all time. This is a game that raised the bar for all 2D side-scrolling platformers to come. But beyond all that, writing a book about Super Mario Bros. 3 must surely be intimidating, knowing that so many books have already been written about the game, about the game’s creator, and about the company behind the game. So what is a writer to do?

In Knorr’s case, she does a little bit of a lot of things. This book made me realize the polarizing approaches a writer must take when tackling such huge franchises. The writer could choose to either dive deep into history to create a definitive text, like Jon Irwin does with Super Mario Bros. 2. Or the writer could choose to make a more personal memoir approach like Michael Kimball does with Galaga. All Boss Fight Books have a mix of both, but in Knorr’s case the Venn diagram overlaps so completely that it’s hard to latch on to a narrative thru-line. The book reads like a disjointed love letter at times, but I have to ask: given the enormity of the task--to write a book about Super Mario Bros. 3--could this book have been anything other than a love letter?

The book is at its best when it digs into the author’s personal associations with the game and how those landmarks have shaped her life. There’s a beautiful image toward the beginning of her playing SMB3 with her father. This image frames the book as Knorr recounts at the end of the book playing the game again with her father after a 24 year hiatus. There’s an endearing scene when Knorr watchers her older father playing terribly. The reader worries for a moment that the father’s skills have fallen away, hinting perhaps at him having moved on with his life, leaving those memories that Knorr holds so dear just soured remnants that he may not have appreciated as much. But in a moment of levity, it turns out the B button on the controller simply wasn’t working. After fixing that, Knorr and her father were their 24-year younger selves again.

Knorr also explores how the game’s damsel trope--save the princess--helped her explore her homosexuality in a safe environment.

These personal connections are when the book is the strongest. I just wish they were more focused. Rather than peppering mentions throughout, I feel like the book could have been stronger if these were explored in their own, dedicated chapters.

The book is a fun read. It conveys a passion for video games that all gamers can appreciate. If you are a fan of Super Mario Bros. 3, and perhaps you haven’t played it in a couple of decades, maybe go back and play it while reading this book. Think of Alyse Knorr as your guide through nostalgia. And as that, this book is a great guide.

[Melanie Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content Warnings: none

The publisher Boss Fight Books fills a specific niche, one that thrills the hearts of old-school gaming nerds everywhere. Each book they publish is a nonfiction work about a videogame, but the authors approach their topics differently. Alyse Knorr tackles one of my favorite videogames of all time, Super Mario Bros. 3. Knorr expounds on her own history with the game, why it was so popular, and how the creator controlled even the smallest details of the game’s look, feel, and playability.

The audience for this book isn’t hard to pinpoint. You must have played the game to understand Knorr’s book, but you likely wouldn’t be a hard-core fan who sought out all the extras and history of SMB3. If you haven’t played, you won’t be able to picture the maps, characters, and special features of SMB3. The right reader will be thankful for reminders because they probably haven’t played the game since it came out in the early 90s. For example, I remembered the little guy on the cloud that would throw spiney things, but Knorr describes and them names the character– Lakitu. Reading was like travelling down memory lane, though it would have been much better to have images! Likely, the copyright would be too costly for a small press like Boss Fight Books, though.

Knorr lovingly writes about her days watching her father play SMB3 and then growing to be the one who played while her little brother watched. Bringing in similes, Knorr analyzes her relationship to the giant lizard bad guy, Bowser, and how she felt like a monster, too, because she likes girls. Yet, Knorr could also relate to Mario, the guy chasing after the princess. SMB3 allowed Knorr to take on multiple identities in her childhood in a way that helped her explore herself, and this perspective was new and interesting to me.

Yet, these personal anecdotes didn’t always smoothly integrate into the book. At it’s core, Super Mario Bros. 3 is a book about a game — nonfiction and educational. So, when Knorr explains there are caves Mario navigates and then claims she’s been in an Alaskan cave, the significance wasn’t readily apparent to me. I wasn’t sure if she had been encouraged by an editor to add more about herself where it wasn’t needed. I spent countless hours playing SMB3 and know that the caves are gray or blue-ish, but not realistic.

While these leaps between the personal and the game could be jarring, I was perplexed by the organizational structure as a whole. Where would the book go next? At times, the information circles around to something we read maybe 30 pages before, giving the direction a slinky shape. I wondered why the progression wasn’t simply straightforward: development, marketing, why everyone loved it, the long-term impact of the game, and then why Knorr loved it. In a later chapter, it reads like Knorr is concluding, but I turned the page and there was another chapter. The book is short at 176 pages, but possibly could have been shorter.

I did learn some secrets about the game and benefitted from the sources Knorr includes — and all sources are cited at the end, which is sure to please conscientious readers like me. While I played SMB3 for a whole summer, I wasn’t the kid who got the Nintendo magazine or talked about the game with tons of friends, so I was interested when I read about the impact SMB3 had on children in other types of communities. A must-read title with some caution about being the right audience and development issues.

I want to thank Boss Fight Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book review was originally published at Grab the Lapels

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is less of an exploration of SMB3's design and more of a deep dive into the effect the game had on video games, culture in the 80s and 90s, and the author's personal experiences growing up as a tomboy. The book frequently switches between personal anecdotes and historical or analytical passages, which can be a little jarring. But I liked the more anecdotal sections more because I related a lot to Knorr's experiences playing games with her dad and brother as well as feeling left out on the playground, as someone who also enjoyed video games and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and didn't have many friends to share them with. There's even a short exploration of gender norms and identify that I was happily surprised by.

The details of SMB3's history, though, are widely known at this point and were a little tedious to read through, but they're probably fine for someone less familiar with the subject matter. The more I think about SMB3, the more I can see connections between it and Spelunky 2, both in their imperfections and innovations. I can play both games endlessly, despite getting frustrated at both at times. There's magic in the design of both, and I like that it's hard to pin down exactly why Spelunky 2 or SMB3 are so good, even for Knorr or Shigeru Miyamoto. Nostalgia plays a big part in the love we have for Mario and the 90s, for sure, but SMB3 is still a game anyone can appreciate and enjoy without the rose-colored glasses. And this book captures that reverential feeling extremely well.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot of interesting info about Super Mario Bros. 3. The book is definitely aimed at us middle-aged nostalgic gamers. I was one of those early subscribers to Nintendo Power hanging on every scrap of info I could get about the game. I definitely watched The Wizard movie more for the few minutes of play of the game than the plot.

I liked learning about the clever technology maximizing methods the programmers used to achieve new affects, the design of the maps and music, and the funny naming of the Koopa kids. I hadn't realized that they were later made non-canon in favor of one kid, Bowser Jr.

I think the Final Fantasy V book in this series had the most relevant personal parallels because the guy helped create an online community for the game and was significant to it eventually coming to the US. My son has read a couple by the game designers where the personal info was very relevant as well. The author's sometimes strained parallels in this book that the challenge of a video game is similar to overcoming her parents divorce or discovering her sexuality were not great reading to me. I see that people both love and disliked all of the autobiographical details in other comments, so just know that there is a lot of that in the book along with game design history.

[Zach Koenig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll never read the entire Boss Fight Books series simply because I didn't play all of those games. But of the ones I have played (and thus read), this Super Mario Bros. 3 tome stands head and shoulders above the rest. Why? Because author Alyse Knorr understands that gaming is as much about life moments as the actual games themselves and is able to expertly communicate that here.

Like many of the other Boss Fight installments, SMB3 has the requisite who, what, where, when and why info on the game's inception, marketing, reception, and behind-the-scenes stories. All of that is excellent reporting from Knorr and makes for a great history lesson on the game and its era.

But what Knorr puts into this book that most Boss Fight books--at least the ones I've read--don't have is an emotional core centered on her childhood--specifically relationships with her Dad, siblings, and friends. She uses her experiences playing SMB3 as a metaphor for her real-life situations--and sometimes vice versa. I never thought I'd get emotional reading a Boss Fight book--but here we are.

Don't get me wrong--I've enjoyed all the BF books I've read. But I wanted to single out Knorr's work here because I consider it a masterclass in how to tell a story about a cartridge with programming and have it nearly move the reader to tears. That is the art and craft of writing at its finest.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite of the Boss Fight series I've read thus far. What sets it apart from the others is its balance. It has just the right ratio of research to personal narrative, of game summary to game analysis, of humor to introspection, of granular detail (like percussion tracks in the game's OST) to overarching principles (like the concept of "gamefeel"). The prose does a great job of conveying how it feels to play this canonical game.

The author's perspective as a lesbian gamer is refreshing. It animates the book without overtaking it. Her conception of her divided childhood identity as the dramatic triad in the game--Mario the hero, Princess the damsel, Bowser the monster--might sound too easy but was believable to me, a gay boy who played this game with his own nascent sense of being all three of these roles. It's a great text on women and LBGT folks in gaming generally.

Reading the Boss Fight Books has been an interesting game in and of itself. Sometimes, the book surpasses its source material in quality. Sometimes, the book on a title I love doesn't quite capture that game's charm. This is one instance where the source material and the book seem perfectly married. If you haven't read any of this series, I'd start here.

[Brandon Lomuto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subjectively speaking, I could probably give any book about this game 5 stars. I love SMB3 to bits, and Knorr clearly did her research; I wasn’t expecting to learn so much about a game I’ve been playing since I was a child.

Unfortunately, the book has some obvious issues that a stronger editor might have fixed. There are a noticeable number of typos (including the only use of the word “topophilia” in the chapter titled “Topophilia”), and most of the chapters dart between game analysis, background info and personal anecdotes without much connection between them. I think all of the components belong in the book, but maybe not in the way they’re presented.

Regardless, I’d still recommend this to anyone who’s a fan of the game. As Knorr says towards the end of the book, nostalgia is an incredibly powerful motivator, enough to make me shrug off these issues and feel like I’m back in my childhood basement desperately trying to clear world 3.

[Santiago · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost wish I could give this book a 2.5, but in fairness to the portions that stick to the subject matter ——production and history of the game; the game’s impact and legacy, and the sections which dive into some aspects of Japanese culture that made their way into the game—I’ll give this a 3.

A lot of the BFB books seem to pad themselves with personal stories, feelings, and just…unnecessary content that really doesn’t relate any information to the reader about the history and development of the subject game. This one has many sections that do just that.

If memoirs, personal anecdotes and reflections are something you’re looking for, then this deserves a spot on your bookshelf. However, if you just want a look into the history of SMB3 and some cool insight on Japanese culture, approach this one with caution. Maybe consider skimming through this one and read only the pertinent information. When this book stays on topic, it’s a winner. Other times? That’s up to you to decide.

[ignus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some bits in here are informative, some bits are too personal. And I couldn't care less about authors personal matters. Two stars because of some interesting interviews and explanations on Japanese cultural references in the game.
This books series is such a disappointment. There's too much personal information I, as a reader wanting to read about some video game history, is not interested in. I want to read about the games, not the author's thoughts on moving to Alaska, their childhood with their brother, relations with their girlfriends or thoughts on having kids in the future.
Seriously, the only good ones in this series were on Jagged Alliance 2, KOTOR and Katamari Damacy. I think I'll stop on this one and won't read the others.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really know what to expect from the Boss Fight Books series, but having read a few of them now, I feel like I've gotten a good handle on them: each book is part autobiography, part game biography. You get some version of the story of the game (both plot/contents and development/behind-the-scenes), and the author's personal relationship to the game. These personal stories both evoke nostalgia and show that there is more to video games than entertainment: games touch people and shape lives. Well worth reading.

[L. Lawson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was interested in these boss fight books to learn more about my favorite video games. This book, my first Boss Fight Book, didn't really scratch that itch. Instead, I got the author's memories of Super Mario Brothers 3 and vignettes of her life--not really impelling reading. I wish this book had done more to dig into the history of the creation of this game. If the other books in the Boss Fight Books series are like this one, it'd be a disappointment.

[Eduardo Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting read, full of nostalgia-packed fun facts and with a quick pace.

The author makes a very good research work and mixes it with her own experiences. To tell the truth, I don't quite like it when they (boss fights' authors) veer off course, exploring too much of their own lives, but I think Alyse's comments are cool and help keep the book's pace; except maybe when she puts on the ugly duckling suit.

[Avedon Arcadio · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a nice in depth look at not only the game but everything surrounding it and it’s release as well as it’s lasting impact. Wasn’t too keen on the personal stuff but I guess that’s what this series is sorta doing, grounding these historical games with personal accounts of those who played them. This was one of the better ones by far.

[Javier Alemán · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un ensayo precioso cargadísimo de nostalgia, como sólo puede estarlo un texto sobre Super Mario 3, la infancia y el origen de una afición. Me gusta mucho lo íntimo que es y cómo súbitamente puede cambiar a una crónica sobre la industria o una pequeña masterclass de diseño. Hablamos de un videojuego tan grande e inasible que hay que atacarlo por todos los frentes, y su autora lo logra con holgura.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a bit young when this game was release so I surely didn't understand the breadth of its marketing and impact but still, at a young age, I was very much caught up in it. Hard to imagine anything will get this much attention these days.

[Ian House · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice retrospective on SMB3. It covers most of the main stuff with a few pieces of lore I hadn't heard yet and the writer links narratively to her own experience of the game, growing up and the nostalgia around it.

[Hina Ansari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure I can put my finger on it, but I don’t think I played super Mario brothers 3 as avidly as the author did. I only vaguely remember thus game, but reading this book made me think I had played it. Another good one from Boss Fight Books!

[Vsevolod Zubarev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I only want to play SMB3.

A really nice read on what's made that game special for everyone and the author.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tad too personal stuff thats totally not related to the topic and shouldnt be in here.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good volume from Boss Fight Books. It doesn't go quite as deep into the development history as some of the other books, but I enjoyed weaving the personal narrative with NOA interviews

[Jared Knowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, heartwarming, thoughtful, and entertaining tour through one of the most important pieces of art in the 20th Century. Breezy and fun to read. I couldn't put it down.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Along with a stellar analysis of SMB3, the author provides a great synopsis of the pre and post crash of video gaming in the 80's, followed by the console wars of the 90's.

I'm really enjoying this Boss Fight Books series.

[Bob Makin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Other than a random page that seemingly had nothing to do with anything, this is a great analysis on SMB3, the impact on the market, industry & the author. Great book

[Travis Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been by far the most impressively constructed and thoughtfully delivered of the books I have read in this series!