PixlBit

The finale of the NES trilogy is truly a classic to behold.

New Friends and Enemies 

The entire enemy roster from SMB1 returns, and the only enemy from SMB2 USA to survive another NES game was Bob-Omb. Every single SMB1 enemy hasn’t changed, though they have been given a bolder sprite art style in-game, better mimicking their manual artwork. The new enemies this time around are some of my favorites within the entire series. 

I wish the non-enemy characters were just as interesting. 

Koopalings

Somehow, between SMB2 USA and SMB3, Bowser managed to get himself kids. How they came to be is anyone’s guess (and please keep it to yourselves). A Koopaling awaits you at the end of each world (sans World 8) and each has stolen a magic wand from that world's king. In order of images displayed above, they are: Larry, Morton Jr., Wendy O., Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig Von Koopa. Their popularity ensured their return in Super Mario World, without wands.

The wands are the main source of their attacks, which is basically three ‘o’ shaped rings they shoot at you. Except for Wendy and Lemmy, who shoot candy rings of death and bouncing balls from their wands in their respective battles. Larry, Morton and Iggy are all normal in the sense that they don’t have any real quirks. Roy and Ludwig, however, can stun you if you are on the ground while they land from a jump. 

World Kings

Each land has a king, and each king has been transformed into an animal by a Koopaling. The word “pointless” will pop up every now and then due to the fact they are useless and pointless. They never appear in the Mario series again after this. 

Now let's get to the enemies we encounter in the normal levels. Just like those of Super Mario Bros. 2 USA, many of them haven’t appeared in later games, but the ones that do so are members of an unofficial permanent cast.

Blooper Nanny

Blooper became a nanny; who would have thought? Bloopers, as you can tell from the screen shot, have become smaller. Are they still annoying? Yes. Yes they are. The little Baby Bloopers trailing the Blooper Nanny will sometimes split from their care giver and go into different directions. 

Boo

Mario’s most famous ghost enemy made its debut in SMB3. Unlike later variations of Boo, this one was at its most basic; face Boo, he won’t chase you. Turn your back and he will. You will only find him in mini-fortresses and in one of the Dark Land stages. 

Boomerang Bros.

Our hammer-throwing Koopa friends got a new friend, and this one throws Boomerangs at you. This version of the Hammer Bros. is actually extremely easy to defeat. 

Chain Chomp

Miyamoto’s inspiration for this enemy was when a chained dog scared him as a kid, and honestly, Chain Chomps make some levels a nightmare. They charge randomly and cover a good length. Can only be killed by invincibility or a Tanooki Statue. 

Dry Bones

A Koopa Troopa that is now part of the undead. Even if you stomp on it you will never really kill it unless you are invincible. 

Fire Bros.

Oh look, another variant of the Hammer Bros. that is easy to avoid… kind of. Imagine the Hammer Bros. got a Fire Flower and they shoot fireballs at you. Usually you fight two of them, and they are quite rare in the game; I only counted two encounters within the entire game. 

Fire Snake

A jumping ball of fire. It doesn’t have eyes yet. 

Seriously, flame-element enemies are just not exciting in this series. 

Flame Chomp

Chain Chomps that can float in the air and shoot fireballs at you. They also explode after so many fireballs are shot at you. You know that one auto-scrolling level in World 5? I screamed at the TV a lot because of this thing.

Para-Goomba w/ Micro Goombas

Goombas managed to get wings. You will encounter the first variation of these new version right away in World 1-1, which is colored red. The normal colored flying Para-Goomba actually flies around and drops rather annoying Micro Goombas onto you. Get one of these things stuck on you, and you cannot jump.

Rocky Wrenches

Found exclusively in the airship levels, these moles hide under potholes and throw wrenches at you. Unlike their return in Super Mario 3D Land, these wrenches are small and easy to avoid... if you don't take into consideration the airship level moves around a lot.

Sledge Bros.

A giant form of the Hammer Bros. encountered in Giant Land and later in Dark Land. Unlike the normal size Hammer Bros., these guys are easy to jump on and kill. However, don't be standing on the ground when they jump and land, as it will stun you.

Spike

Before they grew a little tuft of white hair, these Kappa look-a-likes threw spiked balls at you which floated in the air.

Thwomp

These glowering, blue stone enemies inhabit mini-fortresses past Desert Land. Getting close to one causes it to fall from the ceiling. Unless you are invincible, you cannot damage these guys. Expect some Thwomps to make some mini-fortress platforming a bit of a thrill. 

Venus Fire Trap

Pirahna Plants that spit fire at you. You will encounter two variations of these plants over the course of the game, a green and red one. Red ones are taller while greens are short, but both spit one or two fire balls at a time. Expect to see a whole bunch in Pipe Land.

And the rest…

Holy crap, I know SMB2 USA was bad for not having enemies re-appear in the mainline Mario series (sometimes), but SMB3 is worse (again, sometimes). We got more variations of the Cheep Cheep from Big Bertha, mini-fortress traps like Roto-Disc and Hot Foot, and giant versions of Koopa Troopas, Pirahna Plants and Goombas. We also got plant like enemies Ptooie, Muncher and Nipper Plant.