When People talk Mario, they Mean Mario 3
Whenever anyone talks about Mario their memory isn't of 1 or 2; its not thinking about 64 or Sunshine; not his parties or his go-karts; not of his amazing (and surprising) athletic prowess and finesse... no, not at all. These people are thinking about Mario 3.
Mario 3 is Mario's magnum opus. It is the cream of the cream. The game defies any real description as mere mortal words cannot adequately describe the pristine perfect playability that is Super Mario Bros. 3. While today a game with a cover like this would never sell in the U.S. back in the hey-day of platformers, this was the image that struck glee and happiness into children the world over.
The game's charm planted the seeds of nostalgia in the minds of all of us making it the most infectious and memorable game ever to be released.