Super Mario Bros. 3 (Nelsonic Game Watch)

The game.

Super Mario Bros. 3 was a Game Watch. Literally, it is a watch that plays a game (not to be confused with a Game & Watch). It is presumably a highly simplified version of the NES game.

The Layout

The watch itself consists of 6 buttons. Two red ones (one for 'Mode' and one for 'Set') and 4 blue ones, left right up down.

On the LCD there is a level layout with pictures of Mario, Princess, Bowser (Koopa if you will), Goomba's and platforms. When the watch is in time mode, it will run the same scenario on the game layout over and over with the time at the top left. When you are in game mode it will start out with the introduction music and you will have to navigate you're way through the game (I have yet to do). Finally, there is the alarm. If the alarm is set, and the time comes for the alarm to go off, you will be blessed with the Super Mario 3 Theme repeated only 2 times.

Setting Up

Setting this up is actually pretty easy, see below for how

Time

In order to set the time you must first be in time mode. Hold down 'Set' (Red button on left) while pressing down. the time will then start to blink. Pushing left will send the hour up and pushing right will send the minute up. When done, push down again for completion.

Alarm

Setting the alarm is just as easy as setting up the time. Press 'Mode' (Red button on the right) until you get to the alarm mode (looks almost the same as time mode but with no Sprites on the level). and then just hold mode and down again and set the alarm the same as you would set the time.

Playing The Game

The game is controlled with the left, right and up buttons with up acting as 'Jump'. In order to navigate your way through the level you must time your jumps and movement properly or else you will have the same fate as I have, Die. The object of the game is the same as the original SMB.3 game, save the princess!

Release

This game watch was released by 'Nelsonic' and licensed by Nintendo in 1990. There were also three other game watches released, Zelda and Tetris. As of 2008, I have found it nearly impossible to find either one of these, Marking all three of them to be extremely rare.