Super Mario Bros. 3 Player Discovers "Rigged" Mechanic Three Decades Later

It's been more than 30 years since Super Mario Bros. 3 released on the original NES, and it remains one of the most highly-acclaimed in the series. The game completely changed the Mario franchise, introducing players to iconic characters, power-ups, and more. One aspect of Super Mario Bros. 3 that's less well-remembered is the roulette minigame which tasked players with lining up three images to make a picture of a Mushroom, Super Star, or Fire Flower. Success resulted in extra lives, but as anyone that has played the game knows, it was quite difficult to pull off. 

It turns out, there's a very good reason the roulette game was so hard to win: the whole thing was rigged! In a new video posted to YouTube by Retro Game Mechanics Explained, there is a "rigged delay state" to the game. The whole thing is pretty complicated, but basically, the timing required is random and constantly changing, making it extremely hard for the player to predict when to stop the wheels from turning. It's pretty fascinating and it explains how there's no real way to "get good" at the game. The video can be found embedded below. 

The Legacy of Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario Bros. 3 is often considered one of the best Mario games, as well as one of the greatest games to release on the Nintendo Entertainment System. After the slightly controversial Super Mario Bros. 2 (which was based on a different game called Doki Doki Panic), Super Mario Bros. 3 refined the elements that fans loved about the original game. Many of the elements introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3 have become iconic over the years, including the Tanooki suit, which made an appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The game also introduced the Koopalings, a group of villains originally treated as Bowser's children (which are now simply treated as unrelated underlings). 

Super Mario Bros. 3 was a massive deal when it released, and it got a big push from Nintendo. The game made a now infamous appearance in the movie The Wizard, which basically served as an advertisement for the game. Super Mario Bros. 3 also received a McDonald's Happy Meal promotion, and an animated series loosely based on the events of the game. 

Nintendo Switch Online

For those that have never gotten a chance to experience Super Mario Bros. 3, the game is currently offered in three different forms through Nintendo Switch Online. All subscribers can enjoy the original version through the NES app, or a version with improved graphics through Super Mario All-Stars, which is found in the SNES app. Lastly, those that subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack can also check out Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 through the Game Boy Advance app. That particular version features a number of improvements, including additional levels. 

Are you surprised to find out this mechanic was rigged? Were you a fan of Super Mario Bros. 3? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Time Extension]