Editing Mario Hoops 3-on-3

|developer=[[Square Enix]]<br>[[Nintendo SPD Group No.4]]

|publisher=[[Nintendo]]

|genre=[[Genre#Sports|Sports]]

|modes=Single-player, Multiplayer

|ratings={{ratings|esrb=E|cero=A|pegi=3|usk=6|acb=pg}}

|platforms=[[Nintendo DS]]; [[Virtual Console]] ([[Wii U]])

|input={{input|ds=1|stylus=1|wiiu=1}}

}}

A follow-up to this game, ''[[Mario Sports Mix]]'', also developed by Square Enix, was released for the [[Wii]] in 2010, with the basketball sport returning from this game, while also including other sports as other modes.

The game was released on the [[Wii U]]'s [[Virtual Console#Wii U|Virtual Console]] in 2016, with Japan receiving it first on May 11, 2016.

==Gameplay==

[[File:MH3on3SherbetLand1.png|thumb|Gameplay in [[Sherbet Land (basketball court)|Sherbet Land]]]]

All matches start at half court, with the center of each team preparing to jump for the ball that [[Lakitu]] will release at the start. The player who successfully catches the ball while jumping obtains possession of the ball. While in possession of the ball, players have many various options. Players can move around with the ball, dribbling [[? Panel]]s for coins that help them obtain more points if they successfully score a basket or pass the ball towards another teammate. Players can evade attacking opponents by moving the ball away from them via dribbling the ball into a different area than where the opponent will attack. Players can attempt to aim for the hoop by swiping up on the touch screen, though they can increase accuracy of their aim by charging up the ball beforehand. If players run up to the basket and perform a shot, they will dunk the ball into the hoop. If the ball rebounds from the backboard, players can jump up and dunk the ball in to ensure the ball goes through the net. Some evasive maneuvers against opponents include making quick turns to avoid opponents in a pinch, and, while charging, players can move the ball around to prevent steals.

On defense, players can attempt to steal the ball from their opponents, though players can successfully steal the ball only if they swipe directly where the ball is at. When the offensive team is passing the ball, players can intercept passes by either walking in front of their opponent or jumping to retrieve high passes. Jumping can also prevent shots at the basket from being made, and it can retrieve shots that are rebounded from the basket rim. Players can additionally block the dribbling player from going by. When this occurs, a blue force field is formed in front of that character between the dribbling and defensive player and when enough time passes, the shield turns red, meaning players can perform a more powerful steal that can knock any players down regardless of where the ball is. Another attack move is a ground pound-like move, where characters pound the ground to cause their opponent to drop the ball. Sidestepping causes players to make quick, trickier movements to disorient opponents and to help snatch the ball from them. While on defensive, players can run over the same ? Panels that give out coins on offensive to obtain a special defensive item. These items can be used to attack opponent characters, and some of these items are exclusive to some courts in the game. Players can also swap between their teammates with {{button|ds|L}} to get in a closer position with the ball handler.

[[File:Jetshot.png|thumb|left|The player already has 100 coins, making it (if the player scores) the highest possible score outside of [[Jr. Street]], 140 pts.]]

Scoring is slightly different in ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3'' than in a real world basketball game. Each shot made is worth 20 points rather than 2 points. Shots made outside of what is normally the 3-point line are worth 30 points (therefore, the basic shot is multiplied by 10 in ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3''). Special shots, regardless of position are worth 40 points. To compound the points, coins received from ? Panel increase the number of points players obtain whenever they score. Regular coins add 1 point each to the score, and red coins add 10 points to the score. Every time a team makes a basket, their coins are reset to zero. Getting hit, either from items or other players, results in some of the player's coins scattering on the field, which can be picked up by anyone, including the character who lost them. The limit to the number of coins one team can have is 100 (therefore the maximum normal score for one shot is 140, and for Jr. Street, the maximum score is 420), and the more coins one has, the more are lost on a hit. If there are no ? Panels, then the shot value is divided by ten, making normal shots worth two points, three-pointers worth three, and special shots worth four.

Matches are played in at least two periods lasting two and a half minutes. At the end of each period, each team's coin count is reset to 0, the teams switch baskets, and another jump-ball at half court is initiated. Whichever team has the most points overall when all periods are finished, wins the match.

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===Modes===

[[File:MH3o3 Title Screen.png|thumb|The title screen with all four modes]]

''Mario Hoops 3-on-3'' has a total of four modes. In addition to these modes, settings and records can be accessed when players touch the wrench or paper sign the respective Toad is holding up.

====Challenges====

The Challenges mode contains both practice modes and then an extra challenge-like mode after completing the main practice mode.

=====Practice=====

<blockquote>

</blockquote>

As Mario, players practice basic techniques upon starting the game, then advanced techniques after winning the first tourney (Offense 2 and Defense 2). If a defensive character is needed for practice, it is always Wario.

The following is a table of each lesson, which explains the control mechanism for each move, as well as each exercise to practice the lesson. If the requirement is just a number, the player must do the move that number of times. If it's a time limit, the player has that much time to do that objective (i.e. block a player from dunking).

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=====Special Shots=====

<blockquote><span style="color:blue">Practice</span> <span style="color:red">dribbling commands</span> of players who've mastered their <span style="color:blue">special shots</span>!</blockquote>

=====Dribble Race (Time Trial)=====

<blockquote>Get <span style="color:blue">100 coins</span> from <span style="color:gold">?</span> <span style="color:red">panels</span> and head for the goal! Beat the <span style="color:red">best time</span>!</blockquote>

This extra mode allows the player to pick any character and try to gather 100 coins from ? Panels and cross the finish time in as little time as possible. There are three of these mini-courses, and to unlock the last one, the preset records must be beaten in the first two.

*[[Peach's Castle (Dribble Race course)|Peach's Castle]] - Green Shells come out of three pipes. Each ? Panel has 10 coins. (45 sec)

*[[Sunshine Road]] - Metal flatteners line this course. Most ? Panels have 5 coins. (55 sec)

There are four tourneys, and they nearly follow suit with the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]] in being named Mushroom, Flower, Star and Rainbow. Once all four tourneys are won, their respective hard mode versions are unlocked. Each of the eight tourneys receives a bronze, silver, or gold trophy (separate from the automatic trophy presented upon winning, this is like a grade on how well the player did). They are determined as follows:

Upon winning the tournament, players have the option to advance to the next tourney. If players complete Rainbow Tourney, the staff credits roll.

====Matchup====

This is the multiplayer mode of ''Mario Hoops''. DS Wireless Play includes three modes, while DS Download only includes two of those three.

=====Exhibition=====

<blockquote><span style="color:gold">Mario Hoops Face-off!</span> Game results will be recorded in the <span style="color:red">player ranking</span>. Win matches to earn <span style="color:blue">points</span> and <span style="color:blue">rank up</span>!</blockquote>

==Controls==

The overall gameplay for ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3'' can be controlled using the [[Stylus]] or the buttons of the Nintendo DS.

!width=10%|Command

!width=45%|Buttons

!colspan=3|Common Controls

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|Point the {{button|ds|Pad}} in the desired direction.

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|Press {{button|ds|X}} when the selected character does not have the ball.

|Stroke the {{button|ds|stylus}} from the bottom of the Touch Screen up when the selected character is without the ball.

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|Press {{button|ds|L}} when the selected character does not have the ball and the player will switch to the character closest to the ball handler.

|Press {{button|ds|L}} and stroke the {{button|ds|stylus}} when without the ball and the player will be switched in the direction of the stroke.

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!Shoot

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|Enter the selected character's command by tapping the {{button|ds|stylus}} in the appropriate pattern.

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!Sidestep left

|Swipe up then down with the {{button|ds|stylus}}

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===Special Shot Commands===

[[File:MH3o3MarioSpecialShot.png|thumb]]

Special Shot commands can only be executed by tapping the Touch Screen at the vertices of a certain pattern. This pattern must be created twice. The total number of taps with the {{button|ds|stylus}} on the Touch Screen to activate each shot varies depending on the required shot command type. If the Special Shot user is outside the 3-point line, they will instead shoot the ball towards a teammate, who then has to make a slam dunk. This also applies to characters whose Special Shots end in slam dunks themselves, resulting in unique animations for passing to teammates.

!width=15%|Command Type

!width=10%|Total Number of Taps

!width=45%|Description

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|align="center"|[[File:Fireshotmsbb.png|107x113px]]<br>[[Fire Shot]]

|align="center"|[[Mario]]

|align="center"|Luigi hurls a smoking green basketball into the hoop.

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|align="center"|[[File:Cannon Shot.png|107x113px]]<br>[[Cannon Shot]]

|align="center"|[[Dixie Kong]]

|align="center"|Peach creates hearts around herself, jumps upward and propels the ball into the hoop.

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|align="center"|[[File:MoveItDunk.png|107x113px]]<br>[[Move-It Dunk]]

|align="center"|[[Wario]]

|align="center"|Waluigi creates whirlwinds around the ball and tosses it up, "swimming" upward in the air to dunk it.

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|align="center"|[[File:BomberDunk MH3on3.png|107x113px]]<br>[[Bomber Dunk]]

|align="center"|[[Bowser]]

|align="center"|[[File:Graffiti Shot.png|107x113px]]<br>[[Graffiti Shot]]

|align="center"|[[Bowser Jr.]]

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|align="center"|[[File:Thriller Dunk.png|107x113px]]<br>[[Thriller Dunk]]

|align="center"|Boo unleashes several copies of itself to enshroud the ball before spiking it into the hoop.

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|align="center"|[[File:MH33 Leaf Veil.png|107x113px]]<br>[[Leaf Veil]]

|align="center"|Ninja elevates the ball upwards and vanishes in smoke, reappearing higher to make a slam dunk.  

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|align="center"|Paratroopa grabs the ball and soars towards the hoop for a slam dunk.

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|align="center"|[[File:Holy Shot.png|107x113px]]<br>[[Holy Shot]]

|align="center"|[[White Mage]]

|align="center"|Black Mage summons magic purple symbols, summoning a meteor shower which carries the ball down into the hoop.

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|align="center"|[[File:MH3o3 1000 Needles.png|107x113px]]<br>[[1000 Needles]]

|align="center"|[[Cactuar]]

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<small>* - Even though the command type "▽" has three points, the first set of taps is not complete until the player hits the first point again. This makes the first set of commands a total of four taps. Thus, the player must tap again four more times to create another triangle.</small>

==Characters==

===Playable characters===

[[File:MH3o3 starter character select.png|thumb|The game's starting characters in the Select Characters screen.]]

;Character types

*All-Around characters are balanced, with no high stats or low stats.

*Tricky characters have one large stat; the rest are rather low, although they have trick moves. All characters that fly or levitate fall under this type.

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====Starting characters====

!colspan=3|All-Around Characters

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[[File:Mario MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

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[[File:Luigi MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

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[[File:Yoshi MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

!colspan=3|Technical Characters

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[[File:Peach MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

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[[File:Daisy MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

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[[File:Waluigi MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

!colspan=3|Powerful Characters

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[[File:Donkey Kong MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

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[[File:Wario MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

!colspan=3|Speedy Characters

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[[File:Bowser Jr MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

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[[File:Diddy Kong MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

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====Unlockable characters====

!colspan=3|All-Around Characters

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[[File:BirdoHoops.png|142x113px|center]]

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[[File:NinjaHoops.png|142x113px|center]]

!colspan=3|Technical Characters

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[[File:WhiteMageHoops.png|142x113px|center]]

!colspan=3|Powerful Characters

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[[File:Bowser MH3o3 icon.jpg|142x113px|center]]

!colspan=3|Speedy Characters

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[[File:DixieKongHoops.png|107x113px|center]]

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[[File:MH3on3 Cactuar.png|142x113px|center]]

!colspan=3|Tricky Characters

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[[File:ParatroopaHoops.png|107x113px|center]]

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[[File:BooHoops.png|107x113px|center]]

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[[File:FlyGuyHoops.png|107x113px|center]]

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[[File:MoogleHoops.png|107x113px|center]]

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[[File:MH3on3 BlackMage.png|107x113px|center]]

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'''Characters with only one costume change'''<br>

The following characters' costume changes are activated by pressing any direction on the {{button|ds|Pad}}:  

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'''Characters with multiple costume variations'''<br>

The following characters' costume changes allows the player to change their character appearance to the following four colors: blue, green, red, and yellow.

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===Non-playable characters===

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====[[Mario Stadium (Mario Hoops 3-on-3)|Mario Stadium]] crowd====

The following characters make cameos as distant members of the crowd in Mario Stadium:

==Courts==

The fourth course of each tourney (excluding Rainbow Ship) is an unlockable and can played only in [[#Exhibition|Exhibition Mode]]. The rest of the courts are played in Tourney Mode as well.

===[[Mushroom Tourney]]===

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===[[Flower Tourney]]===

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===[[Star Tourney]]===

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===[[Rainbow Tourney]]===

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==Unlockables==

Two minor unlockables, the other courses in Dribble Race and Coin Hunter modes, have already been mentioned in this article. There are many more unlockables in the game, including characters and courses previously mentioned.

===From Tourney Mode===

Most of the unlockables come from winning trophies in Tourney Mode, including all but one character, costume changes, and most balls. By getting silver or gold on the first try, more than one unlockable can be obtained.

Winning the Rainbow Tourney unlocks Hard Mode, winning the Hard Rainbow Tourney unlocks Pro difficulty in Exhibition matches.

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===Unlockable balls===

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|Available from the start.

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{{footnote|note|a|Unobtainable in the Wii U Virtual Console version due to the lack of wireless functionality}}

==Items==

During play, [[? Panel]]s always produce items very similar to the ''Mario Kart'' series. To use most items, players stroke with the [[stylus]] in the direction the item is to be thrown, or simply use the {{button|DS|B}} button.

===Items for all courts===

====Offensive and Defensive items====

The following items can be used by any player, regardless if they are on offense or defense.

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|[[Coin]]

|Coins are obtained by dribbling on the ? Panels. Each coin counts as one towards a team's stockpile. A team can have up to 100 coins at once. They are dropped if a character is hit by an item or loses the ball due to a steal. Players, regardless of what team they are on, can pick up coins from the ground if dropped.

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|[[Red Coin]]

|Red Coins are earned the same way regular coins are. They are worth ten coins towards a team's stash.

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|[[Lightning]]

|Once activated, everyone except the user is struck down for a couple of seconds, even their teammates. Initially, the player must jump at the bolt to use it, as it is up high, giving the defensive player the edge. However, it eventually hovers down, allowing an offensive player to run into it.

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|[[Mushroom]]

|The Mushroom boosts the user's speed for awhile. It is especially advantageous for the ball handler to pick up, as it allows them to speed past defenders and, thus, get an easier opportunity to score.

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|[[Poison Mushroom]]

|Contrary to the Mushroom, the Poison Mushroom slows the character for awhile. This is the status ailment the [[Malboro]] on the court [[Malboro Garden]] inflicts.  

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|[[Super Star|Star]]

|The Star is an upgrade from the Mushroom, as it boosts the users speed while also giving them invincibility for awhile. Any contact with the player who is using the star results in them being knocked down.

====Defensive items====

The following items are exclusively given to a defensive player who runs over the ? Panel.

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|The simple yellow peel still trips up anyone who slips on it. The banana item also is periodically thrown at random from the neighboring jungles on the court [[DK Cruiser]].

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|[[Bomb]]

|When thrown, Bombs explode within 3 seconds, knocking anyone in the vicinity down, including players from the same team as the thrower. Their explosions are comparable, but cover less area, than those of [[Bob-omb]]s in the court [[Wario Factory (Mario Hoops 3-on-3)|Wario Factory]].

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|[[Fake ? Panel]]

|When thrown, it disguises itself as a ? Panel, except for its display of a backward question mark. A character trying to use this panel will be knocked down when they step on it, as well as lose the ball if they are on offense.

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|[[Green Shell]]

|Bouncing freely, Green Shells are more powerful than Bananas when they make contact. They are discarded from the field when they have bounced twice off the boundaries without coming into contact with any player.

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|[[Red Shell]]

|Once thrown, Red Shells will go for the player who is dribbling the ball. They do, however, have less accuracy than in the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]], and miss often if the player makes a sudden turn (quick-dash). The Red Shell will then act like a Green Shell and simply bounce off the boundaries of the court.

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|[[Spiny Shell (blue)|Spiny Shell]]

|The Spiny Shell in this game does not possess wings. It acts as a more powerful item than the Red Shell, as it follows the ball regardless of where it is, creating a blue explosion. Once thrown, it does not miss its target.

===Items for specific courts===

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|[[Slot Coin]]

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|[[Freezie|Freezy]]

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|[[Mimic (treasure chest)|Mimic]]

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==Reception==

|-style="background-color:#E6E6E6"

|Release

|align="left"|"''It's not without its problems, is far too simple and lacking in features, but as sports games on the DS go, it's one of the best.''"

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|-style="background-color:#E6E6E6"

|colspan=2|Compiler

|Jap=マリオバスケ３ｏｎ３

|JapR=Mario Basuke Surī-on-surī

|Ger=Mario Slam Basketball

|Ita=Mario Slam Basketball

}}

*Waluigi's Baller Name, "The Question", is a reference to the real-life former basketball player {{wp|Allen Iverson}}, whose nickname was "The Answer".

*In ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', the trophy for Green Koopa Paratroopas states that they appear in ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3'' even though in said game only Red ones appear.

==References==

==External links==

{{MH3O3}}