SMB3 VS. SMW

[Fawful Fan]

Both Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World are often referred to as Mario's best in 2D platforming, and rightfully so.  Both games are huge leaps in the genre.  But which one is your favorite?

Notice I did not say which one do you think is "better."  I think that comparing the two now, Super Mario World's gameplay, with its expansive map and branching pathways, make it a clear winner.  Despite this, however, I find that I still favor Super Mario Bros. 3.  Why?  I think it has to do with a combination of many elements.  There is simply something about Super Mario Bros. 3, it's setting, atmosphere, and overall mood, that just puts a bigger smile on my face.  Consider the story.  We had to rescue the kings and restore peace to the entire Mushroom World!  The princess wasn't even captured until later as a plot twist!  I thought this was a very epic story for a Mario game, especially for an NES Mario game!  Super Mario World's story wasn't quite as hooking for me.

Which is probably why I favor Super Mario Bros. 3.  To me, the game just has more magical moments.  Who could forget discovering the White Toad Houses, turning the Hammer Bros. into treasure ships, consistently finding new powerups like the Hammer Bros. suit and the Takooni Suit, and encountering Kuribo's Shoe, among other things?  At least for me, Super Mario World's list does not go on as long.  And who could forget the Chain Chomps, Boos, and Thwomps?  Believe it or not, at one time these were all INTRODUCED into the Mario series, and now they've become nearly as classic as Goombas and Koopa Troopas.

The battle between Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World kind of resembles the battle between Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Country 3.  While Donkey Kong Country 3 wins in the gameplay department, Donkey Kong Country 2's story and atmosphere makes it much more memorable.  Donkey Kong Country 2 features a pirate-themed adventure where the heroes invade enemy territory to rescue Donkey Kong.  Donkey Kong Country 3 felt more like "let's take a nature walk!"  Not as memorable.  Well, at this point I'm just rambling.  So, what do you say?

[Tv_Themes]

I like the former more. It has much more unique Power-ups. In SMW, those were thrown onto Yoshi, but none of them were permanent (at least until an enemy got you). I give both games props, though, for having the Koopalings as bosses. Proving they are far superior to Mini-Me Bowser introduced in the Mario Party games (and so help me God if ANYONE says Baby Bowser isn't Bowser Jr...)

[Toad]

I can't vote. I love them both.

I give kudos to SMB3 for giving us Mario's first form of flight, and I love SMW for.. well, not perfecting it neccesarily (I still have trouble controlling the cape), but taking out the P-Meter was a smart move. It seems to me too that it takes less room in SMW to take flight, but I just can't be sure.

Both have great levels to explore. I didn't like how nearly every area in SMW was named after a food though, but it doesn't really detract much from the gameplay.

I don't have many points to bring up, but both are very fun!

[Weegee]

I prefer SMW for its more-fluid controls, comparitavely reasonable difficulty level, and the fact that it doesn't have Toad to ruin it. >:D

[Ultima Shadow]

Super Mario World was just more fun to play, for me; SMB3 didn't appeal to me for some reason.

[Turtlekid1]

I'm leaning more towards SMW.  It had Cape Feathers, the best overworld map I've seen in a Mario title yet, clever level design, and... Yoshi!

[jdaster64]

SMW, if only because more casual gamers that enjoy the game are willing to play with me, because they know there'll definitely be enough 1-up Mushrooms to go around.  But likely not just that, as I love breaking that game in every way I can, like beat levels while continuously ducking, or not using platforms or Cape flight in long stretches with no ground.

However, SMB3 is always nice for a change, and I wager I know it every bit as well as SMW, I just prefer SMW's gameplay.  SMW also seemed a bit more steady on difficulty level (unlike SMB3's World 8), ultrafluid controls, and the physics of the Cape vs. the Raccoon Suit.

[ShadowBrain]

SMB3 was definitely a defining moment for the series, and I won't deny its quality, but I'd have to go with SMW--better graphics, more levels, and Yoshi all the way.

I didn't like how nearly every area in SMW was named after a food though, but it doesn't really detract much from the gameplay.

My guess is that that's somehow tied into how (as I understand it) a few of the main Mario characters have food-based names.

[Fawful Fan]

the fact that it doesn't have Toad to ruin it. >:D

Heh, you don't like Toad?

But you're right Toad (the forum member), both games really are incredible and are great contributions to the Mario series.

[Chupperson Weird]

SMB3 is definitely my favorite of the two. SMW just seems less polished.
Tv_Themes, that "koopa kid" thing in Mario Party is not Bowser Jr.

[CrossEyed7]

Note the differences. Admittedly, Baby Bowser in PiT looked exactly like Bowser Jr., but other than that, there's no excuse.

[Trainman]

Hey, Chupperson, could you elaborate on why you think SMW is "less polished" for me? Not to shoot you down about it or anything. I'm just wanting to understand your reasoning behind it.

[Chupperson Weird]

Not really sure. To me, the graphics seem a bit rougher for SNES than SMB3 was for NES, and the controls just feel more loose, and I just prefer the controls from SMB3, I guess. Stuff in general feels more loosely put together in SMW.

[Trainman]

I can agree with the graphics being a bit rougher. Cramming tons of bright colors (like Mario's sprite, for example) kinda made it seem jumbled. Since SMB3 had less colors to work with I guess it made everything look simpler/cleaner/smoother.

[Reading]

They're both great, but I like SMB3 a bit better because it offers more of a challenge for me and I like a lot of the hidden secrets and overall gimmicks they put in there. The levels can be short sometimes, but they all have pretty unique themes, and when overall themes are reused, there's always something new they throw in there, like the maze in 6-5 and the hologram platforms in 7-6.

I posted my thoughts on SMW a while ago on Super Mario World Central (go figure), so I guess I'll just copy and paste...

Super Mario World isn't a bad game, but as I've said before, it's my least favorite of the "Main Series" Mario games. The design just isn't all that great if you ask me, and I didn't like a few of the changes they made like Koopas sliding out of shells, the Reserve Item, and fireballed enemies turning into coins. I abhor time limits as well, but I won't complain about that since SMB, Lost Levels, and SMB3 also used those. Not to mention the game-breaking Cape Feather. And I really don't like Yoshi.

There are a lot of things SMW did well, though, like the mazes and puzzles in Ghost Houses (not the best, but they were good for a start), secret exits and the complexity of the overworld, hidden areas like the Star World, and so on. It's good enough for some quick entertainment with Super Mario Advance 2 on my DS.

You know, I noticed something a while ago. I was repeatedly testing some custom music I was composing on a clean SMW ROM on Yoshi's Island 1, so I was playing around in that level a lot. And I noticed something: Doesn't it seem like, with Yoshi's Island 1, Nintendo was trying to shove every new SNES innovation in your face before getting to the stuff from previous Mario games? At the beginning, we see a slope, yeah, those were in SMB3. But enemies sliding down slopes? Then a humongous Banzai Bill, bigger than any sprite the NES could produce. And then a flying ? Block. Never seen that before! Finally, a diagonal pipe before we've seen any regular ones and some dinosaur enemies that take two hits to kill. Oh, and a jumping Piranha Plant. And then we see some normal pipes...but they're multicolored.

[Sqrt2]

SMB3 due to the Hammer Bros. suit and Kuribo's Shoe.

Oh, and the P-wing as well.

[Kojinka]

I suck at both, but SMW was my first Mario game.  And Yoshi pretty much drew me in to the games

[ShadowBrain]

Doesn't it seem like, with Yoshi's Island 1, Nintendo was trying to shove every new SNES innovation in your face before getting to the stuff from previous Mario games?

Now that you mention it, true, but name one Nintendo series that doesn't do something like that when it's its first time on a console with some radical new abilities.

[jdaster64]

True, but at least SMW, SM64 and SMG did it right.  In my opinion, Super Mario 64 is one of the best Mario games, if not the best, to date.

[penguinwizard]

Super Mario World. Mostly because of Yoshi. But also because of the great graphics, Cape Mario, seeing the Koopa Kids in 16-bit, and the feeling of an even bigger adventure. And even more secrets. Can't forget Star Road and the Special World.

[nightstar699]

Smb3, definately. Its a lot harder, mario world is a cakewalk.

[jdaster64]

Dang it, after playing SMB3 for three hours straight Friday night, I almost want to take back my vote for SMW.  I can't really decide, because the fact is, all of the original SMB platformers were SO. DANG. AMAZING.

[coolkid]

I loved the SMB3 Power-ups and suits, but I'm still deciding because SMW gives me the greatest nostalgia, probably because it was the first Mario game I ever played, the first SNES game I ever played, and the second video game that I ever played overall. The first was this Genesis game when I was 1. I only remember Goofy bouncing on and off a mushroom with a "boing" sound effect.
To think, the first time I ever ACTUALLY played a game (pressing the buttons and memorizing their functions) was when I was THREE.

[Trainman]

Same here. My brother started teaching me how to play my first game ever: SMB when I was just about to turn 3.

[OomPapaMowMow]

Slight edge to SMB3 for me, maybe with a nostalgia filter applied. I remember playing SMB3 with my cousins so very long ago. (So what if it was 1993.) That endgame music still makes me tear up a little, 16 years later. On an emulator.

I never had an SNES because mom kept saying "you have a NES, it still works" and wouldn't buy me the SNES. Or the N64. Or even a Game Boy. I do have a vague recollection of seeing SMW's 1-2 on an SNES set up for demo purposes at Kmart. Wow, that was a long time ago too!

My childhood! Where has it gone?

[Koopaslaya]

SMB 3 is definitely my favorite, that was the question after all, wasn't it? It was the first video game that I ever seriously played and it was certainly the first one that I ever beat. I didn't have access to an SNES, so I wasn't able to get my hands on SMW until I was about 13. By that time, the sentimental value of SMB3 had already pushed it way high on my "favorite" game list.

Now, which game is better? I'm not sure. There are some great elements to each game, but what does one weigh as most important, innovation, perfection, controls? SMB3 brought the flight element into a Mario game in such a cool way. SMW took a more traditional flying approach with the cape, and I always thought that the cape was super lame compared to all the other ways Mario has taken flight (Tanooki Suit, Leaf, Wing Cap, etc.). On the other hand, I really enjoy SMW's music, possibly even more so than SMB3. I'm probably not qualified to decide what game is better, but those are some of my thoughts.

[Fawful Fan]

A bit off topic, but I just wanted to add that I love how New Super Mario Bros. Wii incorporates my favorite elements from both games.

[Glitchy]

I'm going with SMW for me. It was my second Mario game and first platformer I owned. Apparently, as I remember it, I was like 6 when I beat it. I remember clearly playing it on my GBA (screw me for being young, but I swear I played it all of the time on my neighbor's SNES before and after I owned it) when I was 7, trying to max out my lives to x999, and I did. So yes, the game had to be easy. Though there were a lot of secret levels that totally boggled my mind of how my friend got them.  I never got that impression from SMB3. SMB3 was also a good game, but it didn't have that charm that SMW did, for me.

And before I got nuked for being young, I actually have a SNES with a SMW game, but I got it long after I got it for GBA.

[pacmancdi]

I like Super Mario world better because A. Yoshi is the best power up ever and B. it has in my opinion the best music in any Mario game ever. I remember the first time I beat the game I was like 8 years old and the ending theme just blew me away.

[kkat11]

Here's my comparison:

SMB3: (My pick) Eight worlds with numerous levels full of fun. Power-ups are Mushroom, Fire Flower, Leaf, Star, Tanooki, Hammer, Frog, and Goombas Shoe. Two Remakes on the SNES and GBA (I like SMA4 better). Minigames and Mushroom Houses to win power-ups. Tons of fun.

SMW: 96 levels with some fun levels and some hard ones. Power-ups are Mushroom, Fire Flower, Cape, and Star. One remake on GBA (SMA2) No minigames. A hidden level called "TOP SECRET AREA" that obviously no one but me believes (it IS real, I tried it.) Fun for a Mario Expert.

[Dragoon Jay]

Although I have fond memories of SMW, SMB3 was definatly a better game for me. Mostly the mini-games and power-ups. There were times that getting through the level was very tedious, moreso than SMW. I liked the challenge that SMB3 posed, but unfortunatly, I wasn`t able to finish it before my mom sold the game behind my back...

But SMW was the first game I had beaten (at six years, whoa). I enjoyed the concept of the cape and Yoshi, and the amazing graphics.

But I had always found SMB3 to be more entertaining. So it gets my vote.

[Glitchy]

A hidden level called "TOP SECRET AREA" that obviously no one but me believes (it IS real, I tried it.) Fun for a Mario Expert.

I have that level. Honestly, I have no idea how you get it because my friend showed me when I was young.

[Dragoon Jay]

There is a secret exit in the Donut Ghost House.

[Jman]

I have fond memories of both games.  Seeing as how I still have my SNES along with Super Mario World and All Stars (but not on the same cartridge), I can enjoy both whenever I want.  They are both great games, but I think SMB3 wins out, especially for making the battle mode a stand-alone vs mode.  Of course, I've only beaten it once, where I've beaten SMW many times.

[nensondubois]

The fond childhood memories of Super Mario Bros. 3... me and my brothers would play it endlessly. When Super Mario World Came out we felt is like buy a NES game on the SNES and it didn't feel like much of an improvement so it didn't last long in our household so we sold it. Now I regret it and thank \fully I'm getting Super Mario World from someone here for 5$! Anyways... yeah, Super Mario Bros. 3 was just better overall, not saying Super Mario World sucked or anything but we all felt it was lack-luster in some way. The crazy powerups, the music, secrets and the levels all gave Super Mario 3 it's live-upto hype. The only thing it was lacking was save files. Super Mario World had a whole new world as a final reward that wouldn't disappear on you every sitting you played! Super Mario World had okay music, great level design but it was still missing something that made it feel like a SNES game, not a NES game, which it was originally planned to be before Sega made Nintendo get their act together.

Super Mario Bros. 3 was pushing the NES to it's limits while Super Mario World was doing quite the opposite on the SNES. The instruments they used for the music in Super Mario World was of low quality and so were the graphics. They could have one a much better job on a SNES game. The steel drums don't sound like any steel drum set that I know of and the bongos, the piano... what was Koji Kondo thinking?

[Chupperson Weird]

Let's see. First game on the SNES hardware and they're using their brand new sampling capability. In 1991. I'd say they did a better job than you ever could have, nenson.

[WarpRattler]

1990, even.

[nensondubois]

Let's see. First game on the SNES hardware and they're using their brand new sampling capability. In 1991. I'd say they did a better job than you ever could have, nenson.

I'm sure they knew how to use sound samples when they made the game. They even sound like that in Yoshi's Island, Super Metroid and Star Fox. Maybe Nintendo just wasn't looking for realistic like sound as in Super Mario ExciteBike and Wario's woods; where they used voice samples.

[Glitchy]

Super Mario Bros. 3 was pushing the NES to it's limits while Super Mario World was doing quite the opposite on the SNES. The instruments they used for the music in Super Mario World was of low quality and so were the graphics. They could have one a much better job on a SNES game. The steel drums don't sound like any steel drum set that I know of and the bongos, the piano... what was Koji Kondo thinking?

So you're saying...
is better then


And is bad.

I assume the VIrtual Boy is your favorite Nintendo console?

[penguinwizard]

Forgetting that at the beginning of each console's lifespan, pushing the system to the limits (on a system barely anyone's had experience with) will be inferior to what's accomplished with games late in its life.

So you're saying...
is better then

Of course; Mario walks faster in SMB3 according to that GIF.

[nensondubois]

So you're saying...
is better then


And is bad.

I assume the VIrtual Boy is your favorite Nintendo console?

Not bad but not as good.

It's one of them.

[Chupperson Weird]

Of course; Mario walks faster in SMB3 according to that GIF.

That GIF is inaccurate anyway; Mario's running animation in SMB3 goes through 4 frames.

[kkat11]

Here's my new comparison:

SMB3 - This is my favorite. It has 90 levels in 8 worlds. Power-ups are Mushroom, Super Leaf, Fire Flower, Goomba's Shoe, Tanooki Suit, Hammer Bros. Suit, and Starman. This has 2 remakes: Super Mario All-Stars on the Super Nintendo, and Super Mario Advance 4 on the Game Boy Advance. (I like SMA4 the best) Story: When Bowser attacks the Mushroom Kingdom, the 7 kings in every world were transformed. Then the Princess tells the Mario Bros. to save them. While they're on their journey, the Princess gets kidnapped by Bowser (of course...) And then Mario and Luigi beat him to save the princess. I got that information from Themushroomkingdom.net.

SMW - This one is still fun. It has 96 levels. Power-ups are Mushroom, Yoshi, Fire Flower, Cape, Super Leaf (only in the beta), and Starman. This has 1 remake: Super Mario Advance 2 on the Game Boy Advance. Story: Mario, Luigi, and Peach go for a picnic in Dinosaur Land. Then, Mario and Luigi want to go have fun and fly around. They come back, and Peach is gone! They are surprised. Then they go meet Yoshi to save the princess. I got that from the GBA version.

SMB3 is better!!!

[jdaster64]

I have to say I like the lineart a ton better on the SMB3 sprite (the SMAS version was amazing), but for their first time working with 16 colors, and considering eight colors of Mario's palette were already used for other things (Monty Moles, Princess Peach, etc), they did a decent job of shading.

And I'm pretty sure SMB3 Mario only had a 3-frame cycle.

[Chupperson Weird]

People, people, people. Everyone in here keeps saying Super Mario World has 96 levels. It only has 74 levels.

jdaster, the animation consisted of three frames but the second frame was used again, i.e. 12321232123212321.
Just so I know I'm not crazy, watch this and see if it looks that way to you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x00jzvfWH4I

[jdaster64]

People, people, people. Everyone in here keeps saying Super Mario World has 96 levels. It only has 74 levels.

jdaster, the animation consisted of three frames but the second frame was used again, i.e. 12321232123212321.
Just so I know I'm not crazy, watch this and see if it looks that way to you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x00jzvfWH4I

Looking at this, I'm pretty sure it's just 123123...

That is true that SMW has only 74 levels, though.

[Chupperson Weird]

Watch the motion of Mario's hands. It's much smoother and doesn't have a jerky reset back to the first frame of the animation. It's especially easy to see when he slows down from walking.

[penguinwizard]

Uh, SMW had Yoshi. Case closed.

But then, SMB3 had the Hammer Bros. suit.

Case re-opened.

[jdaster64]

Wow, I could've sworn that was a three-frame animation, but a slow-motion video confirmed otherwise.  That's gonna cost me a few geek points.

[David]

I'm saddened by the lack of taste in the forums... how can the inferior SMW have more votes than the far superior Super Mario Bros. 3?

[Turtlekid1]

• Yoshi
• Cape Feather
• Spin Jump
• Yoshi
• Mario has traction
• Replayable levels
• Yoshi
• Star World and Special Zone

[Toad]

Yoshi only counts once, since all four colors can do the same things that any of the other colors can. It depends on the color of the shell he eats too..

I'm still not going to vote. I like them both too much. SMB3 for the power-ups, SMW for the funny scenes after beating a world (or area, or castle, or Koopaling..)

[Weegee]

how can the inferior SMW have more votes than the far superior Super Mario Bros. 3?

Your lack of a supportive argument saddens Weegee.

[penguinwizard]

Since when do you talk in third person? Maybe penguinwizard hasn't been paying attention.

penguinwizard's reminded of the people who think Super Mario 64 is inferior to earlier Mario titles.

[David]

Since when do you talk in third person? Maybe penguinwizard hasn't been paying attention.

penguinwizard's reminded of the people who think Super Mario 64 is inferior to earlier Mario titles.

It -IS- inferior to SMB3 and Yoshi's Island.

[Fawful Fan]

I wouldn't say that SMW's Yoshi is always a good thing.  I've heard some arguments that Yoshi was too much of a good thing that could drain some of the platforming challenge in the game.  Which is also why I like the way Yoshi was implemented in NSMBW.

By the way, I'm not sure I still agree with my first post.  I said along the lines that SMB3 is my favorite for artsy reasons and not for gameplay reasons, but after playing some more SMB3 on its 20th birthday, I was pleasantly surprised by some level designs.  Nintendo really deserves an award for World 6-5!  And that fortress made of pure ice with sliding Thwomps?  Genius!  I still adore SMW (especially for its map design) but there's something about SMB3's level design.

I'm saddened by the lack of taste in the forums... how can the inferior SMW have more votes than the far superior Super Mario Bros. 3?

Nah, don't go there!  I may agree with you, but that doesn't mean that others aren't entitled to their opinions.

[Glitchy]

I wouldn't say that SMW's Yoshi is always a good thing.  I've heard some arguments that Yoshi was too much of a good thing that could drain some of the platforming challenge in the game.  Which is also why I like the way Yoshi was implemented in NSMBW.

Uh really? What kind of bonuses did Yoshi give for platforming? If you're thinking what I'm thinking, no you couldn't 'flutter' in SMW, only in YI and NSMBW. The only thing I can think of is if you do the suicide jump off Yoshi which gives you sort of an extra chance if you say, fall into a pit or something, but I'd sort of label that an advanced technique.

I wouldn't say that SMW's Yoshi is always a good thing.  I've heard some arguments that Yoshi was too much of a good thing that could drain some of the platforming challenge in the game.  Which is also why I like the way Yoshi was implemented in NSMBW.

By the way, I'm not sure I still agree with my first post.  I said along the lines that SMB3 is my favorite for artsy reasons and not for gameplay reasons, but after playing some more SMB3 on its 20th birthday, I was pleasantly surprised by some level designs.  Nintendo really deserves an award for World 6-5!  And that fortress made of pure ice with sliding Thwomps?  Genius!  I still adore SMW (especially for its map design) but there's something about SMB3's level design.
Nah, don't go there!  I may agree with you, but that doesn't mean that others aren't entitled to their opinions.

Right, because the SNES is inferior to a game console from 5 years before. And this sounds like nothing, but try to tell me there wasn't a huge jump between the NES and SNES.

[Weegee]

Yoshi's ability to safely jump on practically anything could be considered overly advantageous, although it wasn't a game-breaker. By the way, SMW gets points for allowing the player to save their progress, thus letting one savour one's accomplishments.

[Turtlekid1]

Well, let's face it; Yoshi's ability to jump on spikey enemies isn't that much of a game-breaker when one considers that deaths in Mario platformers frequently result from falling into the abyss or getting hit from the side, and also that the Spin Jump can land on spiky enemies as well.

[Fawful Fan]

For the Yoshi thing, I'm referring to how you can get hit then jump back onto Yoshi and go on as if you took no damage.  Infinite hits.  And if you have a blue Yoshi, you can just take a shell and fly past many obstacles.  But I'm not saying that Yoshi is a completely bad thing.  He adds an interesting dynamic to platforming--help your buddy out and he can help you do things you could never do on your own.  I'm just saying that Yoshi's powers can be abused.

And this sounds like nothing, but try to tell me there wasn't a huge jump between the NES and SNES.

Why would I?  Of course there was a jump between the two.

[Chupperson Weird]

First off, I love the SNES. But the fact is, a "jump" doesn't make the games automatically better. I would completely agree with there being a "huge jump" between say, early NES titles and early SNES titles, but not quite so much with late NES to early SNES. (That would also negate it being a jump.) True, Nintendo used mode7 at launch, but besides that, the main advantages you got were twice the colors, a few more sprites onscreen, and a more versatile sound chip. Being on SNES didn't make the games control better or get more fun.

[WarpRattler]

Being on SNES made Wario's Woods control better and be more fun.

[Turtlekid1]

Being on SNES didn't make the games control better or get more fun.

Games are often more fun as a result of better graphics and sound.

[Weegee]

More than that, I would argue that the increased sophistication in the SNES's controller made the experience more enjoyable. It could be said that SMB3 is to SMW as Ancient Greece was to Ancient Rome: Hugely influential and fundamentally necessary for the latter's existence, but undoubtably more primitive overall.

[Chupperson Weird]

SMW gave you a spin jump button. The camera controls don't even count.

And I disagree pretty much 100% with your statement, Turtlekid.
If a game was nothing but awesome physics with horrendous graphics I'd eat it up.

[jdaster64]

Games are often more fun as a result of better graphics and sound.

What is this I don't even?  Where then, do any of the original SMB/SMB3/SMW enthusiasts, and the smaller pockets of old-Namco-title-lovers like myself come from?  Heck, even Super Mario 64 had downright horrible graphics compared to modern games, and that didn't make it or any of the games preceded it any less fun.

More than that, I would argue that the increased sophistication in the SNES's controller made the experience more enjoyable.

Personally, I feel SMW only required one more button than the past Mario titles (spin jump), so the majority of the "sophistication" of the controller was unnecessary.  That being said, I couldn't imagine SMW being played with any other controller.  And SMB3 wouldn't have been any better with sophisticated graphics or controller (personally, I believe that the SNES version is inferior in at least the latter category).

Honestly, I'm not partial to either game, but these can't seriously be the only ways that SMW is better (which it undeniably has to be in some respects).  I think the poll now is an accurate representation of their relative quality and enjoyability.

[Turtlekid1]

And I disagree pretty much 100% with your statement, Turtlekid.
If a game was nothing but awesome physics with horrendous graphics I'd eat it up.

What is this I don't even?  Where then, do any of the original SMB/SMB3/SMW enthusiasts, and the smaller pockets of old-Namco-title-lovers like myself come from?  Heck, even Super Mario 64 had downright horrible graphics compared to modern games, and that didn't make it or any of the games preceded it any less fun.

o______o

I'm not saying that games are necessarily worse for a lack of graphics and sound, only that good graphics and sound can contribute to a game's being fun.  That's all.  No need to shove the "Gameplay > Graphics" mantra down my throat.

[jdaster64]

I'll admit that was a bit hasty.  While I still don't think the graphics contributed to SMW's improvements to SMB3, I can't imagine having as much fun watching my hallmates have a particularly bad match in Modern Warfare 2 were it 8-bit.

[Glitchy]

Not to be a jerk or anything, but it's pretty much common sense that a game with better graphics contributes to make the game better, but does not make games with worse graphics any worse worse. Would you rather play SMB3 in 8-bit or 16-bit? I want a legitimate reason if you say 8-bit.

[jdaster64]

I'd rather play it in 16-bit were it not for the fact that the SNES controller is harder to use than the NES controller.

[Toad]

8bit, because I don't like SMW sounds in my SMB3.

[Chupperson Weird]

They messed up the world 5 map music in SMAS.

[SolidShroom]

You see, Super Mario World is a lot like "Star Trek: The Next Generation". In many ways it's superior but will never be as recognized as the original.

[Chupperson Weird]

I don't think that's really a fair comparison. I love them both, but I like TNG better overall. But I like SMB3 better than SMW. Also I don't like SMB1 as much as either.

[SolidShroom]

I just saw it as a great opportunity to quote Wayne's World. But really, I prefer both TOS and SMB3.

[ShadowBrain]

the original.

Yes, that's what most people call the third game in a series.

[Turtlekid1]

SMB3 was the first to feature several now-common elements of the series, though.  I'd say SMB and SMB2 were kind of like rough drafts compared to the more polished SMB3.

[jdaster64]

SMB3 was the first to feature several now-common elements of the series, though.  I'd say SMB was kind of like a rough draft compared to the more polished SMB3.

Fix'd. SMB2 as we know wasn't even originally intended to be in the series.  And on that first note, when have you ever seen any of the powerups (sans pre-existing ones) or even a vast majority of the enemies ever reappear in a later Mario game?

[Chupperson Weird]

100% of enemies in SMB1 have appeared in later games. Furthermore, SMB2 (USA) introduced Shy Guys, Bob-Ombs, and Ninjis to the series.
Anyway, SMB3 was totally the first to include sliding and running really fast.

[Turtlekid1]

And carrying shells, and flight powerups, and Boos, and Thwomps, and the world map...

[Toad]

Ninji's have appeared only twice more since SMB2, haven't they? Several are in the dark hallway in Bowser's castle in SMW, and in Starborn Valley in Paper Mario 64.

SMB3 introduced a lot of things that have become staples in the series.

[penguinwizard]

I thought Shy Guys became an exclusive part of the Yoshi series after SMB2, and so any game Yoshi appeared in, they'd probably appear in too.

[David]

Not to be a jerk or anything, but it's pretty much common sense that a game with better graphics contributes to make the game better, but does not make games with worse graphics any worse worse. Would you rather play SMB3 in 8-bit or 16-bit? I want a legitimate reason if you say 8-bit.

Good 8-bit graphics > Bad 16-bit graphics.

SMB3 looks better than SMAS SMB3.

(although SMB2 looks worse than SMAS SMB2)

[jdaster64]

[NES] SMB3 looks better than SMAS SMB3.

(although SMB2 looks worse than SMAS SMB2)

I'm inclined to agree with the former half of this post, and definitely do with the latter.  EDIT: They're most certainly not bad 16-bit graphics.

[Kimimaru]

I thought that SMAS SMB3's graphics were much more colorful and interesting than the original's graphics. In the original Super Mario Bros. 3, most of the underground levels had black backgrounds with few decorations on them, but SMAS SMB3's underground backgrounds were much better and had a more natural feel.

Good 8-bit graphics > Bad 16-bit graphics.

While I agree with this statement, I did not think that the 16-bit graphics found in Super Mario All-Stars were bad at all; they made the whole Super Mario Bros. series look like new games. I was, however, disappointed that SMAS changed the physics engine for many of the games.

[Chupperson Weird]

The physics changes for SMB2 seemed fine to me.
The physics changes on SMB1/2J were an accident. It's too bad, because while I like the new graphics on SMB1, it's kind of annoying to play. Some guy patched the ROM though; that's cool.
SMB3 I don't think really had worse graphics in SMAS.

[Rew]

To go back to the original question of the thread, SMB3 or SMW?



I'm old enough to remember when this game first came out, and it was a HUGE deal. I was blown away by it at the time, and to this day it remains my favorite game ever to hit the NES (as well as my favorite Mario game so far).

The game had everything: It was sleek and stylish looking for the time on an 8-bit system, the music stuck with you, it had a plethora of power-ups and items (Hammer Bro. Suit FTW!), the Koopalings (BTW it was awesome that they came back in NSMBW), appreciable challenge with a fair learning curve as you went along (not too hard, not too easy); it's one of the longest games on the NES, and you could make it as long or as short as you pleased by warping. One thing that I absolutely loved about this game but hasn't been seen nearly as much in Mario games since are the world themes. We have Grass, Desert, Water, Giant, Sky, Ice, Pipe, and Dark Lands (not even NSMB or NSMBW have seen such diversity)--and the stages within those worlds did such a marvelous job of keeping to all eight of those themes but still having diversity within themselves at the same time. This whole game is nothing short of a masterpiece of level design. (This is part of my problem with games like Super Mario 64: instead of a multitude of diverse stages, you're given only a few that you have to redo over and over--blagh!)

Don't get me wrong, I still love SMW. Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island both are very high up on my list (second only to SMB3, in fact) and also exhibited marvelous stage design and imaginative world detail. Heck, I even liked SMB1 and SMB2 as well, even if not quite as much as my top 3 of SMB3, SMW, and SMW2:YI.

[cosmic_c]

SMB3 was the better game
I would say why, but the guy above me pretty much covered that.

[nensondubois]

I distinctly remember having a defective Super Mario World cart when I was around 7 or 8 but around 9, the cart became defective and I don't know why. Anyway; every-time at any point after starting a new game, the game would crash with glitches.

[cosmic_c]

.... er try blowing into it,




dumb question i know, but..

[penguinwizard]

But, b-but... the SNES was supposed to STOP all that! Oh wait, I bet you threw away the protective cover for the SNES cart like the rest of us did.

SMW. I'd vote again but I can't.

[snes-guy]

I'm going to have to go with Super Mario Brothers 3 on this one. It brought forth so many elements that are now recurring in the Mario games- such as silly suits, the map screen and mushroom domes. It was also a lot more difficult to conquer, unless you had many a P-wing in stock or a Kuribo's cloud.

[Fawful Fan]

Looks like Miyamoto votes for Super Mario World!

[Weegee]

I almost stopped reading that article at "Koji Kongo". Almost.

[CrossEyed7]

[Suber Bloober]

[SushieBoy]

SMB3 will always be my favorite.

[Landmasta]

I always thought SMB3 was overrated.  I mean it was only out for a year before World and World perfected the world map and secret exits and stuff.  Theres so much more stuff to do in World and i think SMB3 was good, but not as good as World.  in fact my top 4:
1. World
2. 64
3. 3
4. Land 2: Six Golden Coins

[The Chef]

Actually, it was technically out three years before World, as SMB3 was released in Japan in 1987.