Mario Adventure 3
Mario Adventure 3 is one of the most ambitious NES ROM hacks ever created, built on top of Super Mario Bros. 3. After 12 years of dedicated development by creator DahrkDaiz, this fan project transforms the classic NES game into something entirely new with a day/night cycle, weather effects, exploration-based gameplay, and four brand-new power-ups. It is widely considered one of the best NES ROM hacks of all time.
What Makes Mario Adventure 3 Special?
Mario Adventure 3 is the culmination of over 20 years of ideas and 12 years of active development. Created by DahrkDaiz, the mind behind the original Mario Adventure and Mario Adventure 2, this third entry takes the series to new heights. Rather than simply redesigning levels, DahrkDaiz rebuilt the core engine to support entirely new systems that were never thought possible on the NES hardware.
The result is a game that feels both familiar and refreshingly original. Players who grew up with Super Mario Bros. 3 will recognize the foundation, but everything from the enemy roster to the progression system has been completely overhauled. The game emphasizes exploration over linear level completion, rewarding players who search every corner of each stage.
Stats at a Glance:
| Base Game | Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) |
| Creator | DahrkDaiz |
| Development Time | 12 years (building on 20 years of ideas) |
| Latest Version | v1.2.5 (September 2024) |
| Type | IPS Patch ROM Hack |
| Genre | Platformer / Exploration |
Gameplay and Features
Mario Adventure 3 completely reimagines the Super Mario Bros. 3 experience. Instead of simply running from left to right, players must explore levels thoroughly to find three hidden Magic Stars in each stage. These stars are required to unlock fortress levels and progress through the game.
Core Gameplay Systems:
Day/Night Cycle: A real-time sun dial in the status bar tracks the time of day. Levels change visually and mechanically between day and night, with certain enemies and events appearing only at specific times.
Weather System: Environmental weather effects influence gameplay conditions, adding variety and unpredictability to each playthrough.
Exploration-Based Progression: Each level hides 3 Magic Stars that must be found to advance. This encourages players to explore every path, check hidden areas, and revisit stages.
Tile Collision System: A custom-built tile collision engine allows for more complex level designs and interactions than the original Super Mario Bros. 3 could support.
Revamped Enemy Roster: The enemy lineup has been completely overhauled with new behaviors, attack patterns, and visual designs that keep even veteran Mario players on their toes.
Save System: Press START on the world map and select SAVE to store your progress, including completed levels, collected Magic Stars, and your current map position.
World Map and Navigation:
Mario traverses a world map that reflects the current time of day and environmental conditions. The map connects levels, shops, and fortresses, allowing players to travel freely between areas without cutscenes interrupting the flow of gameplay.
Status Bar Elements:
P-Meter: Indicates Mario's current power level and ability duration.
Air Meter: Tracks remaining air when Mario is underwater.
Sun Dial: Displays the current in-game time of day.
Badge Slot: Shows the currently equipped badge and its effect.
Level Stars: Tracks how many of the 3 Magic Stars have been found in the current level.
Power-Ups
Mario Adventure 3 introduces four entirely new power-ups alongside returning classics from Super Mario Bros. 3. Each power-up grants unique abilities that are essential for navigating different level types and reaching hidden areas.
New Power-Ups:
Fox Leaf: Grants Mario invulnerability to fire and lava, and allows him to dash forward with fire-based attacks. Essential for navigating lava-heavy stages.
Poison Frog Suit: Allows Mario to swim without losing air and grants temporary invincibility. A must-have for extended underwater exploration sections.
Koopa Shell Suit: Lets Mario enter a shell to break through bricks, bounce off hazards, and barrel through enemies at high speed.
Ninja Mushroom: Enables Mario to throw shurikens and perform wall jumps off vertical surfaces, opening up entirely new platforming possibilities.
Returning Power-Ups:
Super Mushroom: Upgrades Mario to Super Mario, enabling him to break bricks and take an extra hit.
Fire Flower: Throws fireballs that defeat enemies and can melt ice obstacles.
Super Leaf: Grants Mario a raccoon tail for gliding, flying, and tail attacks.
Advanced Techniques:
Wall Jumping: With the Ninja Mushroom equipped, Mario can slide down walls and jump off them to scale vertical surfaces and reach otherwise inaccessible areas.
Object Carrying: Hold the B button to pick up and carry shells, keys, and other items. Use this mechanic to solve environmental puzzles.
Directional Kicks: Hold the directional pad while throwing objects to influence their angle and speed.
Items and Collectibles
Currency and Collectibles:
Coins: Collect up to 9,999 coins to spend at the Item Emporium on power-ups and useful items.
Cherries: A secondary currency used to trade for badges at the Badge Hut.
Magic Stars: Three hidden stars per level. Collecting them is mandatory for unlocking fortress stages and boss encounters.
Shops and Services:
Item Emporium: A shop on the world map where Mario can spend coins on power-ups, health items, and other useful goods. Some days feature special discounts.
Badge Hut: Trade cherries for badges that grant temporary passive abilities. Badges can be equipped from the status bar and provide various gameplay advantages.
Usable Items:
Stop Watch: Freezes all enemies on screen temporarily, giving Mario time to navigate dangerous sections.
Saving Wings: Provides a second chance when Mario falls into a pit, rescuing him and returning him to safety.
How to Play Mario Adventure 3
Mario Adventure 3 is distributed as an IPS patch file. This patch must be applied to a clean, unmodified Super Mario Bros. 3 NES ROM using a patching tool such as Lunar IPS or Floating IPS. The patch itself does not contain any copyrighted material.
What You Need:
The IPS patch file: The Mario Adventure 3 patch is available from the official project page. The latest version is v1.2.5.
A clean Super Mario Bros. 3 ROM: You must provide your own legally obtained, unmodified ROM. The patch will not work correctly on a pre-modified ROM.
A patching tool: Lunar IPS and Floating IPS are the most commonly used tools for applying IPS patches to NES ROMs.
An NES emulator: After patching, load the resulting ROM file in any NES emulator (such as Mesen, FCEUX, or Nestopia) to play. The patched ROM can also be flashed to a cartridge for use on original NES hardware.
Patching Process Overview:
Open your chosen IPS patching tool and select the option to apply a patch.
Point the tool to the Mario Adventure 3 IPS file, then select your clean Super Mario Bros. 3 ROM.
The tool will produce a patched ROM file. Load this file in your NES emulator to begin playing.
It is recommended to keep a backup of the original unmodified ROM before patching, in case you need to re-patch with a future update.
Version History
Mario Adventure 3 has received several updates since its initial release, with DahrkDaiz refining gameplay balance, fixing bugs, and adjusting level designs based on community feedback.
v1.2.5 (September 24, 2024):
- Fixed a bug where Big Bully was defeated too early.
- Tweaked Shy Guy's brick-throwing mechanics.
- Adjusted level layouts for smoother gameplay flow.
v1.2.0 (September 23, 2024):
- Health adjustments for Banzai Blooper and explosive mechanics.
- Wall jump mechanics made more forgiving for new players.
- Fixed bugs in vertical-oriented stages and boss battles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mario Adventure 3 a standalone game?
No. Mario Adventure 3 is an IPS patch that modifies Super Mario Bros. 3. You need a clean, unmodified NES ROM of Super Mario Bros. 3 and a patching tool to play it.
Who created Mario Adventure 3?
Mario Adventure 3 was created by DahrkDaiz, a veteran ROM hacker who also developed the original Mario Adventure and Mario Adventure 2. The project represents over 12 years of development work.
What is the latest version?
The latest version is v1.2.5, released on September 24, 2024. It includes bug fixes and gameplay adjustments.
Can I play Mario Adventure 3 on real NES hardware?
Yes. After applying the IPS patch to your ROM, you can flash the patched ROM to a compatible NES cartridge and play it on original hardware.
How long does it take to complete?
Completion time varies depending on playstyle. Players focused on finding all Magic Stars and exploring every area can expect a significantly longer experience than a standard Super Mario Bros. 3 playthrough. The exploration-based design encourages thorough investigation of each level.
What makes this different from Mario Adventure 1 and 2?
Mario Adventure 3 introduces a day/night cycle, weather system, tile collision engine, four new power-ups, a revamped enemy roster, and an exploration-based progression system centered around collecting Magic Stars. It represents a massive leap in scope and technical achievement over its predecessors.