Video game cartridge for NES, 'Super Mario Bros 3'; Nintendo, Japan, 1990

Video game cartridge, grey ABS with a large sticker on the proper left side depicting the character Mario wearing the 'raccoon suit', in flight.



With the game is a lightweight plastic slip case, textured to resemble leather, into which the game cartridge can fit.

Given by Alex Malloy

This object belonged to the donor Alex Malloy (b. 1980) and his younger brother when they were children. He later recalled 'I was a happy and very spoilt child. When I was very young I didn't have many friends and didn't like to play outside, so my parents and grandparents bought me LOTS of toys. As I got older my attention turned to computer games, particularly Nintendo... When my little brother came along he was even more spoilt than I was, so the toys and games really started to accumulate at that time.'



It was given to the Museum in 2016 [2017/119].

The NES was released during a period of low consumer confidence in video games. The games were marketed as 'Game Paks' rather than as game cartridges to help differentiate them from previous home entertainment systems made by other companies.

This third installment is widely considered to be the best game in the Super Mario franchise. It was the second best-selling game on the NES after the original Super Mario Bros. (1985). The player takes control of the eponymous Mario (or his brother Luigi if in 2-player) on a familiar quest through several different worlds to rescue Princess Toadstool from the evil King Bowser Koopa. This game introduced several now-familar elements of Mario games, such as fortresses, flight and Bowser's seven diabolical children, as well as many new enemies.

B.603-2016