Which is the Best (Official) Version of Super Mario Bros. 3?

So you may have just learned that now the Nintendo Switch has GBA games as a part of their Online Expansion Pack, and in that small few they've released so far, there's one that is barely even an original GBA game, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3.

It's a 2003 GBA version of, one of, if not the greatest 2D platforming game ever made. Obviously you gotta love the first 2 Super Mario Bros. games but- c'mon, Mario 3 is where its at.

And this game looks and plays excellently on the Switch, leaving some to argue that this might just be the best way to currently play Super Mario Bros. 3. Saving of course crazy ROM Hacks and fan projects.

But, personally, I'm not too sure about that.

Currently on the Switch Online service, there are three ways to play Super Mario Bros. 3.

Through the NES games, the ability to play the original 8-bit Super Mario Bros 3.
Through the SNES games, there's Super Mario All-Stars, which contains a remade 16-bit Super Mario Bros. 3
And now, through GBA games, Mario Advance 4.

[newsuperbowserworld]

Fun fact: switch online uses the GameBoy Player version of super Mario advance 4 which has rumble and uses the original SNES colors. If you played this game on an original gba, the colors would be lighter

[Vendzor]

GBA/SNES color palette is damn near perfect.

[patrickcarrillo]

I'm a 00s Kid and I grew up with the GBA Version so much nostalgia

[ryanr]

WORLD-e was in the Wii U Virtual Console edition of Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3

[Justin-Hill-]

Each version of Super Mario Bros. 3 immediately following the NES version is a marked improvement in terms of graphics, and in Super Mario Advance 4's case, additional levels...

[downutshark]

As a certified Luigi nerd, I really enjoy the GBA version the best!
Though I get why someone might prefer the others, be it the classic feel of the NES or the better field of view on the SNES
Either way, it's great to have all of them available, here's hoping Super Mario Bros. Deluxe gets the same treatment

[jankins]

This is the hard hitting journalism I come to this channel for.

[Masked_Mastermind]

My favorite version of SMB3 is the NES version because I really like its artstyle and it has the best physics out of the three versions, and this version of the game feels the most replayable to me. It's also the most challenging version of the game which I like. My least favorite version is probably the All Stars version mainly because Mario in that version looks very off without gloves, and that version has a few typos in it. The physics in that version also feel a little sluggish compared to the other versions.

[bluetarantulaproductions]

I remember how big a deal Super Mario Bros 3 was when it was originally released 30+ years ago (Jesus I'm old, lol).

[SuperJM]

My recommendations are as follows:

Famicom: One of only two ways to play with original difficulty (getting hit with a secondary powerup reduces you to small Mario) and 8-bit graphics and sound.
NES: 8-bit graphics and sound in English
SNES: World (but not level) select, updated graphics without screen crunch
Super Mario Advance 4 (GBA): Original hardware, world and level select, e-reader card effects (harder than Famicom difficulty in some ways but easier in others, SMB2 vegetables in levels, different Luigi physics, P bar halved, slower timer, 1-ups replaced with 3-ups, coins from defeated enemies like SMW). E-reader powerups like 100-up, boomerang and cape. Cons are screen crunch, worse audio quality and level cards required for e-reader levels, card effects and powerups (unless you use an emulator to scan them).
Super Mario Advance 4 (Wii U/Switch): All e-reader levels unlocked but no e-reader card effects or powerups.

[_Majoras]

its crazy no one on youtube has ever done a full super mario all stars vs. super mario advance series comparison video

[bgjck]

I want to like the All Stars version but because of the added X and Y buttons, Nintendo decided to mess up the action buttons. I like the GBA version the best because it has the update graphics from the SNES version but only has A and B buttons meaning that the actions are returned to the NES button layout which I like a lot better

[Atttalie]

subbed. You earned it with the well done dialogue, and editing!

It all screams blatant effort, and actually different content than saying its iconic 100x over😂

[robertlauncher]

My favorite video game. Sure there are better narratives and graphics out there today, but the secrets, creative ideas, challenges, and many power ups make it the most repayable and enjoyable experience for me to go back to

[nomou]

The GBA version on the switch hands down might be my favorite version to play the game for sure.

[ARob]

I grew up playing all of these as a kid. I still carry the GBA with SMA4 for nostalgia. But it's been so long playing the console versions of the game itself. I can't even remember when I last played the All Stars version of SMB3. But regardless, it's such a classic 2D game. Great content, btw. You earned another subscriber in me. Keep up the awesome content. 👏🏻

[examiningdata]

I need cheat codes ( the one"s I'm putting are not working)

[not_kjb]

It really bothered me for some reason how Mario and Luigi didn't have gloves in the snes version, but they added this in the gba version. Gba version also does several cool touch ups like the dust effects from changing directions also applies to sliding down slopes too. And the E reader levels, especially the smb1 remakes use a gba-ified remix of the SNES smb1 theme. Which is cool and makes it slightly easier to make a mario advance 5, lol.

[BigHead]

As someone who still owns an original copy of each version (1988 japanese Famicom version boxed, a "right bros" NES version CIB as well as a "left bros" loose cart, north american Super Mario All-Stars CIB, and yes, the north american Super Mario Advance 4 CIB), I will honestly say that either the Famicom or NES versions are my preferred and favorites, but there is nothing at all wrong about the All-Stars or Advance versions, and those really are stellar games! I just prefer the originals, yes they're nostalgic, but they're also just charming and a lot of fun to still play now (again, for me anyway).

[elliot]

I have a special place for all the Super Mario Advanced games.
I had SMB2, SMB3, and World, and it was my introduction to Mario!!!
As a kid, I loved the voice acting, and I have no idea why my little brain found it so amusing.