Weekly Mario Mod #4 - Communist Mario 3 (SMB3)

[Valigarmander]

If you're anything like me, you spend more time replaying old games than buying new ones because you're cheap nothing beats the classics. But you can only save the princess so many times before the game starts to lose its luster. Like an egg, though, there are a hundred ways to cook a Mario game, and the internet has countless mods, hacks, patches, and randomizers to provide fans with new ways to play old favorites. This weekly feature will take a look at some of the more... interesting mods I've come across.

There are a lot of amazing level packs and total conversions out there, but for the most part this thread will be focused on cosmetic or gameplay mods. The core game will remain the same, just with some kind of added twist. Feel free to make suggestions, if you know any good ones. So without further ado...


Weekly Mario Mod #1 (9/29/18)
Frog Suit Challenge
(Super Mario Bros. 3)
Author: ssjtroly



Remember the Frog Suit from SMB3? Remember how awkward it made movement, and how it was only situationally useful? Wouldn't it be super fun to play the entire game with it?

Well, with this mod, you can! The romhack forces you to play the entire game as Frog Mario. Collecting other powerups does nothing but give you points, and if you take any damage whatsoever, you die immediately. Thus the added challenge comes not only from maneuvering in the unwieldy Frog Suit, but having to do a no-damage run on top of it. Apart from a few necessary changes to certain stages that would otherwise be unbeatable as Frog Mario, the levels are exactly the same. Are you a bad enough dude to make it through all eight worlds as a frog?

Gameplay Video
Download Link

[Marilink]

Hmmm. I’m intrigued. Panfan can attest to my, uh, mastery of the SMB3 Frog Suit movement

[steeze]

Your avatar is but a mere taste of your ability toad sage. ^^

[mushroom]

going to give this a shot soon

[mushroom]

oh my god frog mario sucks

e: game over in world 1. welp.

I will get thru all 8 worlds. I have this on my 3DS now so it will happen, sometime somewhere. Yeah

[mushroom]

ok this hack is worth playing if only to see frog mario hop to the airship

[Valigarmander]

Weekly Mario Mod #2 (10/6/18)
Super Pika Land
(Super Mario Land)
Author: Philip Reuben



This one is a classic. Super Pika Land transforms Mario's quest through Sarasaland to rescue Princess Daisy into Pikachu's quest through Johto to rescue Red. Almost all of the game's graphics have been replaced. Mario is now Pikachu, natch. Item blocks have become Pokémon. And the game's enemies are now rival Pokémon such as Digletts, Geodudes, Unown, and Bulbasaurs. Rocket Grunts even pop up eventually. It's a really cute, well-made graphics hack that would satisfy any Pokémon who for some reason also has an urge to replay Super Mario Land.

Fun fact: this was the first romhack I ever encountered, around the turn of the millennium. At the time I had no idea it was even possible to alter roms, so I assumed it was some kind of promotional re-release of Super Mario Land.



Gameplay Video
Download Link

[Valigarmander]

Weekly Mario Mod #3 (10/13/18)
Super Mario RPG Revolution
(Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars)
Author: Waddler-D



As great a game as Super Mario RPG is, it's very easy, and very unbalanced. But what if there was a way to rebalance the game, and up the difficulty? What if you could make SMRPG... hardcore?

That's what Super Mario RPG Revolution aims to do. It overhauls the game's battle mechanics to produce a more challenging experience. Among the changes made by this romhack are increasing the level cap, adjusting character and enemy stats, altering spells (such as their strength, the cost to use them, the order they're learned in, etc.), changing enemy battle scripts, making item descriptions more helpful, and even adding in a few new items, enemies, and attacks. This includes some enemies and spells that were dummied out in the original game. If you're a fan of SMRPG, these changes will keep you on your toes, and give you a whole new way to revisit this classic.



Gameplay Video
More Gameplay (courtesy of @s1x)
Download Link

[Marilink]

I’ve been interested in this mod for so long, but never got around to it...

[Valigarmander]

Weekly Mario Mod #4 (10/20/18)
Communist Mario 3
(Super Mario Bros. 3)
Author: KP9000



Greetings, comrade! Are you ready to crush the capitalists?

In Communist Mario 3, you guide Mario through the eight worlds of SMB3 to liberate Princess Toadstool the proletariat from King Koopa the capitalist oppressors. The big twist is that collecting coins in any way will damage you. That means free-floating coins as well as those hidden in blocks are now an obstacle to avoid, rather than an item to collect. On the bright side, lives are no longer an issue—your life counter is instead a death counter. Much of the game's graphics have been altered as well (the overworld maps in particular are very amusing).

Think you can make it through SMB3 without grabbing any coins? Or will muscle memory be your downfall?



Gameplay Video
Download Link

[Marilink]

@Valigarmander I just played an SMB2 Romhack called “Return to Subcon.” It was excellent. I streamed it on Twitch, but I plan on playing through it again and getting a better time. When I do, I could post the recording here.

[Valigarmander]

Sounds excellent.

Also, I dropped the ball one week and then completely forgot about this thread.

[Calamity Panfan]

i just need more communist mario content

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

What parts of SMB3 are unbeatable with the Frog Suit? Is it something from early on before it is attainable? Also, is it present in the All-Stars version as well? I find that very interesting, and it seems like a really cool idea for a mod.

Wow, I remember Super Pika Land, it was one of the first ROM hacks I played too. I actually forgot that I even used to play those at all, I wasn't sure what to think of all the bizarre games I found since I didn't know about hacks either.

[Valigarmander]

^ There are a handful of levels where you're required to utilize maneuvers Frog Mario doesn't have access too, like ducking (as in World 7-7) or flying (as in World 6-5).

And as far as I know, there's no such hack for the All-Stars version.