I remember seeing a blurb in one of those rare gaming mags a friend would buy at the grocery store. Both were pics from big world so I remember complaining at how huge the enemies were and not as good looking as Super Mario 2. ha.
You finally got to rent a Famicom at our local mall video game rental place after it was released in Japan - $200 for two days. Two Benjamins to play Mario 3 before 99% of Americans. My uncle did it but refused to invite anyone over because of the time limit. Just him and his son playing Mario 3 for 48 hours straight. They acted like they had a fucking NDA, refusing to tell this 11 year old me anything about the game - which also made me wonder if they really rented it.
Then a girl from school said she got it. It was just released. I saw a commercial two days later. Still my favorite gaming commercial ever (sorry Mad World Gears of War or Dead Island).
It was so damn epic with the cheering, the drum beats in the background, the angelic voices. I remember a version that was "He's back...all you had to do was ask..Super Mario Brothers 3".
I was obsessed with it. My grandma got it for me for my birthday but it was difficult - she worked in the electronics section of her department store and even she had troubles getting a copy. We celebrated my cousin's birthday with mine at his family's house and after opening Mario 3 I didn't want to eat, socialize, anything. While they played games in the dining room I was alone in their living room playing up to World 2. I bought the strat guide, my very first and my best friend did as well: we would pretend we were playing while our parents drove us around (we used our fingers as "characters").
I just replayed it because my son has become obsessed with the Mario series. I warp whistle cheated from world 2 to 8, but regret it. I want to show him the other awesome worlds. I want to show him my many tricks on getting infinite lives. My "parkour" moves as he calls them. But he was so damn proud of me for beating Bowser that he told everyone for a week afterwards. "My dad beat Bowser in Mario 3!"