List of Super Mario Bros. 3 pre-release and unused content
This is a list of pre-release and unused content for the game Super Mario Bros. 3. For pre-release and unused content pertaining to the remake, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, see List of Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 pre-release and unused content.
Early ideas
At the beginning of production, the development team of Super Mario Bros. 3 wanted the game to use an overhead, isometric view.[1] The developers found that it was difficult to balance the platforming gameplay around this perspective, leading them to abandon the idea. Several graphical elements of the final Super Mario Bros. 3 were influenced by the original direction, such as the black and white checkered floor on the title screen[1].
Designers considered a power-up to turn Mario into a Centaur (half-man, half-horse), although this was rejected before being implemented into the game.[2]
Early builds
Minigames
Graphical data for minigame lobbies shows that Koopa Troopas and Hammer Brothers were going to appear as hosts, and there are also graphics for unseen blocks that would be used for different purposes in the minigame lobbies. Unused text describes how they would work,[3] which involved rolling a die beforehand to determine which of the two minigames (the final game's roulette game from Spade Panels and the card game from N-Mark Spade Panels) would be played. Despite this, no graphics for dice exist in the final game.
An unused block
A different unused block
A question mark that would be applied to one of the blocks
Another question mark that would be applied to one of the blocks
Another question mark that would be applied to one of the blocks
Sprite of a Koopa Troopa host
Sprite of a Hammer Brother host
A mockup of a possible appearance of the unused block taken from a restoration hack
A mockup of a possible appearance of the unused block taken from a restoration hack; the die graphic is not present in the actual game's graphics, so it was created by the restoration hack's makers to illustrate.
Other
An early build of the game was previewed in a promotional VHS tape coming with the September 1988 edition of the magazine Famimaga.[4] The preview shows several levels unused in the final game, a different sprite for the Wood Block and a slightly different status bar.
The back of the box of some early copies of Super Mario Bros. 3 depicts Mario traversing a hilly grassland stage with many Para-Beetles and two Note Blocks. This particular stage is not any of the lost ones present on the cartridge, nor is it in the final game. These boxes also feature an early map of Grass Land.
These are the differences between the early and final map of Grass Land:
- World 1-3's level tile is in where the level tile of World 1-4 is in the final version, and World 1-4's level tile is lined up with the Toad's House in the early map and not World 1-3's level tile.
- The Spade Panel tile is on the left of the fortress, instead of being on the right of the fortress in the final version.
Unused data
Levels
Fifteen unused levels exist within Super Mario Bros. 3. Some of these are unique, while others bear much resemblance to levels seen in the final version. They can be accessed via Game Genie codes/cheats.
The first unused level resembles a plainer version of World 5-3. The only enemies found are Kuribo's Goombas and Spinies. It has multiple colored semisolid platforms and more Brick Blocks.
The second unused level slightly looks like World 3-9. The enemies found are Piranha Plants, Koopa Troopas, Cheep-Cheeps, and Bloobers with kids. The level can only be cleared with a Lakitu's Cloud, found inside a chest in Coin Heaven. The player must then use the Lakitu's Cloud to fly over the Hard Blocks.
The third unused level is similar to World 7-3. The enemies found are a Kuribo's Goomba, Lakitus, and Pile Driver Micro-Goombas. Coin Heaven can be accessed by hitting a pink Note Block. There is a single stray coin floating in the sky.
The fourth unused level resembles World 1-5 although slightly harder. The enemies found are Buzzy Beetles, Piranha Plants, Venus Fire Traps, and Koopa Troopas. All Warp Pipes contain either a Piranha Plant or a Venus Fire Trap.
The fifth unused level is a collection of Tanooki Suit bonus rooms. It does not have any enemies.
The sixth unused level does not resemble anything in particular. The enemies found are Cheep-Cheeps, Fire Chomps, Lil Sparkies, and Koopa Paratroopas. There is a lift and a floating semisolid platform near the end.
The seventh unused level slightly looks like World 7-4. The enemies found are Jelectros, Cheep-Cheeps, Bloobers with kids, Koopa Troopas, Koopa Paratroopas, Munchers, and Boomerang Brothers. The power-up at the beginning is impossible to collect. This level includes the unused tan versions of Cheep-Cheeps.
The eighth unused level does not resemble anything in particular. The player must swim up the waterfalls to reach to end, although the level has no proper ending. No enemies can be found in this level.
The ninth unused level does not resemble anything in particular. The enemies found are Koopa Troopas, Fire Chomps, and a Lakitu.
The tenth unused level resembles a Coin Heaven. The only enemies there are Koopa Troopas.
The eleventh unused level heavily resembles World 1-6. The enemies found are Koopa Troopas, Koopa Paratroopas, Para-Goombas, Goombas, and Micro-Goombas. It does not have any lifts on tracks.
The twelfth unused level also is similar to World 1-6, but more unfinished. The enemies found are Koopa Troopas and Koopa Paratroopas.
The thirteenth unused level is exactly the same as the twelfth except everything is one block lower.
The fourteenth unused level does not resemble anything in particular. It does not have any enemies. There is an unused starry background at the top.
The fifteenth unused level is most likely a test level. The only enemy found is a Hammer Brother. There is an inactive Bill Blaster and unused stacked clouds. The level is ended by opening the chest.
This level is most likely intended for two-player versus mode.
World 7 has an unused Hammer Bro level with two Hammer Brother.
An unused secret exit exists towards the right of World 4-5's Tanooki Suit room.
Sprites
An alternate front-facing frame of Frog Mario
A tan version of a Cheep-Cheep
A green version of a Para-Beetle
A sprite of an open treasure box
Map animation of Mario walking to the side
Map animation of Mario walking up
A skull meant for the world map
A white ship meant for the world map
A white ship meant for the world map
A white ship meant for the world map
A white ship meant for the world map
A white ship meant for the world map
An unknown particle meant for the world map
Misaligned pieces of an underwater propeller
Repaired mockup animation of the underwater propeller
A Goomba with closed eyes that was meant to appear in the ending sequence
A Fire Flower displaying an unused palette seemingly intended to be applied to it
A target-like object
A block for the battle game
Part of the desert stages' pipe structures
Part of the desert stages' pipe structures
Part of the desert stages' pipe structures
Background tiles
Non-animated coin with the same base graphics as normal coins but a unique palette, intended for an unused battle game
A coin that Jelectro turns into if a switch is hit. Note that the alternate Jelectro mentioned after does not have this happen, instead just stopping its animation.
A Jelectro with a solid background included among general animations intended for water outside of "sea"-based stages, appearing in the seventh unused level
The alternate Jelectro, animated
A waterfall that appears in an unused sewer level; they do not occur with these colors in any used stages.
A wobbling bridge included among general animations
Unknown particles included among general animations
Right-flowing tide included among general animations
Left-flowing tide included among general animations
A ceiling for the rocky room of Bowser's Castle included among general tiles
Background lines included in plains graphics
Layered bushes included in plains and athletic graphics
The small pipe (used in certain other stage types) is included in the graphics set reserved for the second type of "plains" stage, but does not appear in World 3-7, the only stage of this type. It never appears with these colors in-game.
Slope tiles included in hills graphics
Slope tiles included in hills graphics
Edge tiles included in hills graphics
Edge tiles included in hills graphics
Edge tiles included in hills graphics
Water included in hills graphics
Cloud included in athletic graphics
Platform included in athletic graphics
Water included in athletic and ice graphics
Cloud included in cave graphics
Hills included in cave graphics
Hills included in cave graphics
Slope tiles included in cave graphics
Slope tiles included in cave graphics
Water included in cave graphics
Bricks included in desert graphics
Bricks included in desert graphics
Unknown miscellaneous tiles included in desert graphics
Block included in desert graphics
Pillar included in desert graphics
Pipe connector included in desert graphics
Platform included in desert graphics
Chains included in desert graphics
Ladder included in desert graphics
Alternate version of the static cloud platform with a blue background, included in cloud graphics; appears in an unused stage
Layered clouds included in cloud graphics; the middle tile is used, but is included for completion; appears in an unused stage
Gradient included in cloud graphics; some appear in an unused stage
Hard Block included in cloud graphics
Non-animated coin included in ice graphics
Tracks included in ice graphics, they never go these directions while using these tiles
Plants included in ice graphics; appears in an unused stage
Pillar included in miscellaneous stage graphics
Pipes included in miscellaneous stage graphics
Pipes included in miscellaneous stage graphics
Block included in miscellaneous stage graphics intended for an unused battle game
Tracks included in fortress graphics, they never go these directions while using these tiles
Window included in fortress graphics
Elevator block base included in fortress graphics
Hard Block included in fortress graphics
Frame included in fortress graphics, intended to top the door to the Princess's room; the door beneath is used, but is included for completion
Conveyor included in airship and artillery graphics
Wood included in airship graphics, intended for Ludwig's windows
Wood included in airship graphics
Unknown tile included in airship and artillery graphics
Metal frame included in airship graphics
Metal frame included in airship graphics
Drills included in artillery graphics
Propeller included in artillery graphics
Treads included in artillery graphics
Tire included in artillery graphics
Toad statue included in castle/letter graphics
P crest included in castle/letter graphics; may have been intended as a seal for the Princess's letter
Bricks included in castle graphics, Japanese palette
Bricks included in castle graphics, international palette
A question mark meant for the inventory
A mound found in the credits tiles
Alternate minigame intro tiles for Small Mario
Alternate minigame intro tiles for Small Luigi
Card with an open chest
Unused Castle tile intended for an unanimated map
Mechanics
The Spade card minigame originally featured an invisible wild card which would match one of the cards already drawn by the player.[5] If matched with itself, the wild card acts as a 20-coins card. On boards with an uneven number of wild card, the mechanic would make the minigame unwinnable as the wild card leave one card unmatchable[5] The code for the wild card was retained in Super Mario All-Stars.[5]
References
- ^ a b Brian (November 6, 2016). Miyamoto, Tezuka, Kondo on Super Mario Bros. 3 – scrapped overhead perspective, power-ups, music, more. Nintendo Everything (English). Page 2. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ "Designing a game in the Super Mario Bros. series is certainly different than creating one based on all new characters, but it is just as challenging. The difficult task is to make familiar characters seem fresh.
In each of the previous SMB games, Mario gained new power-ups. So in SMB 3, Mr. Miyamoto and the other designers wanted to invent another new, interesting way for Mario to power-up. Their initial ideas tended toward having Mario turn into some sort of creature. A concept that was rejected was having Mario power-up as a Centaur (half man, half horse). The idea that they finally settled on was to give Mario a tail and the ability of flight. Their first tail concept, that of a Racoon tail, was the one that finally stuck.
″I′m sorry to say there isn′t a funny story behind why we chose the Racoon tail,″ Miyamoto remarked. ″We thought the Racoon tail worked best from a practical point of view and it fit right in with Mario′s style. It also created some great new game play possibilities.″" – Tilden, Gail, et al. (January/February 1990). Nintendo Power Volume 10. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 21. - ^ TCRF, Super Mario Bros. 3 unfinished bonus games
- ^ OKeijiDragon (June 7, 2011). Super Mario Bros. 3 | Early Prototype Footage | Famimaga Sept. 1988. YouTube (Japanese). Retrieved August 15, 2024.
- ^ a b c The Cutting Room Floor (June 9, 2017). The Unused Wild Card in Super Mario Bros. 3. YouTube (English). Retrieved June 9, 2017.
