Topic: GamePro, EGM international looks at SMB3 and Gradius II (Famicom) mid '89

I discovered some of the early issues of GamePro and Electronic Gaming Monthly had some really nice international coverage of Super Mario Bros.3 and Gradius II for the Famicom. Both games released in Japan in 1988, while those of us with the NES in America were still playing Life Force and trying without success to find a copy of Super Mario Bros.2 — The fact is SMB3 wasn't released on the NES in the U.S. until early 1990, and Gradius II got released on Nintendo's 8-bit console outside Japan.

So enjoy these scans!

Great post! Love hearing about the classics in this light. Can't wait to play SMB3!

I still remember my jaw hitting the floor seeing those SMB3 screens, but even more, the Gradius II pics.

Bumping this, I found something I had not seen before, a Famicom Gradius II hack that makes the 8-bit version adhere more to the arcade color palette and gameplay.

Pretty neat in my book.