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| STRANGE MARIO BROS 3 |
|______________________|
|(c)1999-2000 Acmlm    |
 
---1. What is "Strange Mario Bros 3"?---

 "Strange Mario Bros 3" is, simply, a hack of Super Mario Bros 3.

The levels are totally different, and there's some new graphics and text.

---2. Installation---

 All you need, except the IPS patch itself, is:

- A IPS patcher (like Snestool)
- A NES emulator (try Nesticle)
- A unchanged ROM of Super Mario Bros 3 (if you don't have it, find it)
- A computer good enough to run any NES game with a emulator (look at the emulator's minimum requirements)

 To install it, use the IPS patcher and follow the instructions to apply the patch on the ROM.

---3. Story---

 There isn't much of a new story in Strange Mario Bros 3, but well:

Mario, after going on in games like Mario 64, Mario Kart 64 and Mario Golf, decided to come back on his old good scene, his third quest, and try once again to save the Princess from Bowser. However, just a while before, someone took place of the level designer and made some BIG changes to just about every place. Mario must now go through 8 completly new worlds, more challenging than before. But he's saying: "Well, it's a long time since I last had fun discovering new places. Gotta go now!"

---4. Current progress---

 Actually (on February 21, 2000), the first four worlds have been completly edited.

38 of the 90 levels have been changed, and 46 of the 110 other areas are also changed, which makes a total of 84 / 200.
1772 graphic tiles (on a total of 8192, some of which are unused) have been changed so far. Although it's only 21%, it has a very visible effect on the game.

Many colors have changed. That's also what makes the levels seem so different than before.

---5. Hints---

 Although the levels are completly new and look nothing like the original (in most cases), there's still some things that have not changed much, such as the pipes, doors, secrets, etc. The coin heavens and bonus places are still somewhere around their original location.

 The new levels are also harder. Don't think that everybody will get to World 2 so easily. The difficulty is just moderate at the start, but it gets harder, and harder, and harder, until the end where the levels will be very difficult.

 Even if you know the original levels very well, you will get many surprises. Almost nothing is like before.

 If it becomes too hard, don't be frustrated. If you don't like challenges, play the regular Super Mario Bros 3, it's the easiest one.

---6. Levels---

 Note: level order has been changed and some levels don't have the same number as before.

[Lvl number (old number) : Description]

World 1 (Grass lands): pretty much the same type of world as before, but darker.
1-1 (1-1): One of the less changed levels, and it's already much different. This level is still easy, but be careful because it's not SO easy.
1-2 (1-5): This hilly level used to be underground ... the path is a little different and many things are not the same.
1-3 (1-6): You will ride on some new and unusual platform roads here.
1-f (1-f): Nothing so special, except that you won't get the whistle the same way as before.
1-4 (1-2): Opposite of 1-2, this time it's a hilly level that's now underground. Still not hard.
1-5 (1-3): It hasn't changed so much compared to other levels, but the coin heaven will put you in a dream -- you'll know what I mean when you'll get there.
1-6 (1-4): No, this isn't a autoscrolling level with falling platforms, it's more like the new 1-3. Do you want to see some weird platform roads? There's some. And don't fall in the odd traps!
1-s (1-s): World 1 ship has been restructured (at least what's on it), and is now much harder. The boss room is also something you couldn't expect the first time.

World 2 (Jungle land): the desert became green and sand is now grass. It's not so much of a "jungle" but it's not a desert anymore ...
2-1 (2-2): World 2 isn't a desert anymore (even just the map shows it), and the desert levels are now green, like this one, where you'll have to swim in a waterfall.
2-2 (2-3): Remember the block pyramids and brick pyramids? They're not there! No, there's now spikes, note blocks, and cannons.
2-3 (2-1): This level not only is much different, but is also a little longer than before, and much harder. Don't be fooled by the trap pipe, also.
2-f (2-f): This red fortress is now full of Thwomps. Beware for a falling trap, too.
2-4 (2-5): It's now blue-green, underground, with water, falling traps, and completly new path. Any questions?
2-5 (2-p): You will be amazed at how the pyramid can be changed so much. You don't enter at the same place, the pyramid itself is now a hilly level, you go from right to left, there's a hidden trap, and the path to the end is longer!
2-6 (2-4): The hardest level of World 2, and it's a long one. You will need some good timing and precise jumps.
2-7 (2-q): Wow, was it a quicksand level? No, it's now a autoscrolling underground level! You'll have fun with this one.
2-s (2-s): This ship is more changed than the one in World 1, but isn't really harder. But don't think that it will be easy, it isn't!

World 3 (Pipe world): most of the water has disappeared and got replaced by pipes, lots of pipes!
3-1 (3-5): This was a water level? Hey, it's now a pipe level! And I didn't just remove the water and change a few things, this is a whole new level!
3-2 (3-4): It's similar to 2-7 in some way. Underground, autoscrolling, hammer bros battle music, etc.
3-3 (3-8): I couldn't do so much to this level, but it's still much different. There's no vertical scrolling, and the big bass (big fish) is not there, but don't think I made the level easier, it isn't at all!
3-4 (3-6): I give you free power-ups at the start of the level. You'll need them, though, as the level isn't easier than the others.
3-5 (3-3): Take care of the moving platform ... you will probably need it!
3-6 (3-2): As in 3-3 and 3-5, I couldn't just change everything I wanted, but still came up with something much different. You'll need some good timing there.
3-7 (3-1): Another ex-water level that is now a pipe level. This one even scrolls vertically (you go upwards)! Don't expect anything from the original 3-1.
3f1 (3f1): The fortress now has a new maze. The maze itself is less complicated (there's less doors), but it is much harder! Don't get trapped by the bouncing paratroopas.
3f2 (3f2): That's right, you just went out of a Fortress and you already have to go to another Fortress ... not that I really wanted it this way but anyway ... this one should be easier than the previous one. I mean, to find the way to the boss room ...
3-8 (3-9): This is a very dark level. Deep underground ... below the pipes. There's some hard parts in this level.
3-9 (3-7): If you know how to use the white bricks ("!" blocks), you should be fine. Oh, and there's a lot of background decoration in this level.
3-s (3-s): Beware of the cannons. Some of them can be really dangerous. Also, the World 3 boss room is much different from the first two.

World 4 (Dream land): It's now purple, like a dream, but beware! This could become a nightmare. The levels are not easier ...
4-1 (4-6): That is a tough one. Although part of it is easy, there's some hard parts you won't forget. And look out for shining objects (which are pretty useless however)!
4f1 (4f2): This one isn't much easier than 4-1. The boss room is the hardest one so far. There's also a bonus water room.
4-2 (4-5): It's still a giant level. But not the same at all! Also, this one can be very hard, I warned you! There's two exits, though, this may help ...
4-3 (4-4): I removed the water, and put in ... uh ... some fish, and some spiny ball throwers ... I mean, flying cheep-cheeps and lakitus. Anyway, here's another hard level.
4f2 (4f1): This fortress is invaded by thwomps and hot feet (small fires), but the boss room is something you won't forget ... 2 boom-booms!
4-4 (4-3): The underground way has changed much, and looks bigger than before.
4-5 (4-2): I replaced water by lava, and vertical scrolling by horizontal scrolling. And there's LOTS of cheep-cheeps!
4-6 (4-1): This is now a water level. Watch out for hammer brothers outside water, and flying cheep-cheeps in water!
4-s (4-s): I'd say this is the hardest ship so far. Especially near the end, where there are a LOT of cannons, and cheep-cheeps! You won't have much space in the boss room, as well.

In the next release, 5-1 (and maybe some more levels) will be changed.

I'm now going to start editing World 5 ...

---7. Disclaimer---

 Like anybody else, I should put it although it just seems boring and repetitive:

"I am not affiliated in any way with Nintendo, and the hacking project doesn't involve any money (I'm not getting paid, etc.). I'm doing Strange Mario Bros 3 for my own fun, and also yours."
"I am not distributing ROMs, don't ask me for any of them. Search for them instead, like I had to do."

---8. Special Thanks---

- To Lincolnsoft, who made Mario Improvement 3, a wonderful level editor for Super Mario Bros 3. Without it, I couldn't edit any of the levels ...
- To x-4000, for doing SMB3 Challenge and making Challenge Games (http://smb3c.darkmazda.com).
- To Viper_X, who's taking charge of the Hacker's Forum, and did SMB3:2nd Adventure and SMB3:Luigi Edition.
- To Mr. W, Mr. 207, Big Eli King, DarKnight13 and Mario Expert who made other good SMB3 hacks.
- To SnowBro, the author of Tile Layer and Hexposure, the other programs I used for doing more than just levels.
- To OverClocked, for hosting my site!
- To my own imagination, which resulted in me doing this great hack!

- To my Internet access, without which I couldn't do much online.
- To whoever bought my computer.
- To whatever else that deserves thanks but isn't mentioned here.

---9. Other---

The homepage for this hack is located at http://acmlm.overclocked.org/SMB3/index.html.

If you have comments, suggestions, or any questions, you can go to this site (it has a message board),
or you can contact me at acmlm_jf32@hotmail.com.