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Super Mario Bros. 3

Review · Action · NES · Game Boy Color · Wii U

Super Mario Bros. 3

Reviewed: 18 May 2026

NES · Game Boy Color · Wii U · Nintendo 3DS · Wii · SNES · Nintendo Switch

Nintendo · 1988

Ludograph rating

B

Good

67 /100

Automated review
06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 52 · R 5
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

52

Risk (RIS)

5

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

7+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.58
B2Social-emotional
0.27
B3Motor
0.75

Super Mario Bros. 3 offers significant cognitive benefits through its problem-solving, spatial awareness, and adaptive challenges. Its precise platforming also hones hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and reaction time. The local co-op mode provides opportunities for positive social interaction, even if limited.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.10
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

The game presents minimal risks. Its cartoon violence is mild, and it has no monetization pressures, social risks, or significant compulsion-loop design mechanics beyond basic variable rewards from gameplay.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.33
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.00
R4.4Substance References
0.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.00

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Assessed: meets criteria·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

Avg playtime~25 hReviewedMay 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is Super Mario Bros. 3 safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Super Mario Bros. 3 a rating of 67/100, recommended for ages 7 and up. It offers solid benefits but needs parental guidance on the risks.

What age is Super Mario Bros. 3 appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 7+ for Super Mario Bros. 3, based on benefits, risks, and content review. That is stricter than ESRB E, because our assessment weighs behavioral design risks, not just content.

How long should kids play Super Mario Bros. 3?

Our session recommendation for Super Mario Bros. 3 is up to 120 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of Super Mario Bros. 3?

The game presents minimal risks. Its cartoon violence is mild, and it has no monetization pressures, social risks, or significant compulsion-loop design mechanics beyond basic variable rewards from gameplay.