Well, as is often the way, a fan has stepped in where a big company hasn't. A chap by the name of SKJmin has created a ROM hack of the DS' New Super Mario Bros.which converts it into Super Mario Bros. 3. What's that you say? Pics or it didn't happen? Well I have them, and they'removing.
Obviously some artistic license has had to be used, given that SKJmin only had the assets on the cartridge to work with. So no racoon suit or Kuribo's shoe here. But even more exciting than the massive job he's done on the remake itself is the extra bonus content he's put in. Aside from the fan service references to Metroid and Zelda, SKJmin's original levels look out-bloody-standing.
There are a lot of crap fan-made Mario games knocking around the 'net, but this guy looks like he really gets what makes a proper 2D Mario level work. In terms of ideas, execution, and that clever blend of sharp conceptualisation and brutal seat-of-the-pants reaction-tests, he's got it nailed. It really shows off the kind of ultra hardcore design wit that Nintendo's own 2D Mario output has been missing of late. Give this man a job.
So what do you reckon? Would you like a new version of Super Mario All-Stars rebuilt like this? Should Nintendo let this guy work on a new 2D Mario game? Do the New SMB games lack the spark of the original ones? Let me know in the comments.
