Hidden Debug Modes in Super Mario 3! (NES, SNES, GBA)

Super Mario Bros 3 has hidden debug modes that have interesting features! In this video I'm taking you through each debug mode in the NES, SNES, and GBA releases of Super Mario Bros 3.
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00:00 - intro
00:40 - Super Mario 3 NES Debug Mode
00:52 - Debug Menu
01:59 - TCRF Menu Patch
02:23 - Debug Inventory
02:53 - Debug Powerups
04:19 - Infinite Time
04:35 - Super Mario All-Stars SNES Debug Modes
04:50 - SNES Debug Mode 1
05:02 - Debug Mode 1 Features
05:15 - SNES Debug Mode 2
05:23 - Debug Mode 2 Features
05:39 - Free Roam Mode
06:02 - Freeze Frame
06:22 - Super Mario Advance 4 Debug Mode
07:32 - Recap
#Nintendo #NES #SuperMario #RetroGaming #RetroGames #famicom #snes #gba #supermariobros #supermariobros3

[@itsgruz]

I've talked about debug mode a few times now, but never really dug into it like in this one. Hope it's informative and see ya guys soon! :)

[@SS4Xani]

Out of curiosity, are you still doing Game Genie Code videos? Because I found one the other day that caught me off guard. ZTAGEO I was expecting it to do one thing but it did something very different.

[@eoinmcglinchey32]

Love you! Thanks for always putting up new awesome content!

[@dmtm]

I used the a super Mario Bros 3 rom hack for the debug menu when I recorded the bowsers castle in 42sec rta. 🙂

[@RetroGamerN64]

How do you access debug mode on the Wii u

[@LP0818]

its kind of in the Nintendo of the Nintendo switch emulator

[@vervalkon]

The SNES version's debug mode can be triggered on any legitimate SNES by chance if you're lucky. Its activation state relies on a byte in RAM that is essentially random on every power-on of the console. If you're very lucky, the byte is the one the debug mode expects and you're good to go! This is extremely rare, though! I quote: The "old-school" debug mode for SMB3 still works, and is activated by writing $80 to $7E0160, an uninitialized part of the stack. The original NES game sets this to 00 when you start the game, but SMAS does not do this! Theoretically, given the unpredictable state of RAM when the console is powered on, one could get lucky and wind up with a value of 80 at that address, thus enabling debug mode. The game (and only this game) reads its debug flag from the stack area of work RAM, which is left uninitialized by the game. If this area happens to contain $80 after the console is powered on, debug features will be activated. This bug is present in all versions of SMAS, and is entirely dependent on your SNES (some consoles are more prone to setting this value than others). Credit where credit is due - this was found in 2010 by Rachel Mae

[@MakoAoyama]

This solves a 25 year old mystery for me. My friends and I must have accidentally triggered this, because we were able to use the select button powers cycling and we had no idea how we did it. Unfortunately, shortly after this, my cartridge got stolen and I was never able to attempt recreating it. Leaving me to think it was my cartridge specifically, and that I'd now forever lost it. Glad to know that my cartridge was not actually unique after all.

[@atmaweapon2803]

​@@MakoAoyamaI used to love finding these secrets in games by accident. It led to many playground rumors. We managed to get General Leo in the World of Ruin on FF6 using the sketch bug for example, not exactly knowing how we even did it in the first place.

[@SetsuneW]

Yep, I was playing SMB3 All-Stars on in-flight entertainment years ago and had access to it. I knew what it was, I was just surprised I could use it.

[@SF124-gy7hk]

This could be intentional. The developers could have been turning the console on and back off until they got what they wanted.

[@vervalkon]

That is highly unlikely@@SF124-gy7hk

[@DavidWonn]

As the original discoverer of the 6-letter code on the NES, I posted a vid a while back with a description detailing the history on how it was discovered in the 90s, and how it was much later converted to the 8-letter version in 2001.

[@maverickREAL]

It's crazy to me, looking back, that the Goomba Shoe was in ONE level in Mario 3, because to me and probably a lot of people it's an iconic part of SMB3. Surely the Mario Maker people agreed because the Goomba Shoe was very much accessible in it and even had some unique mechanics- not bad for a single-stage gimmick.

[@Joey3264]

Thus the featuring in mario maker

[@mr.voidout4739]

I've been playing some Mario 3 in my downtime, and as an adult, I'm trying to experience the entirety of the game. When I was a kid, there'd be all sorts of older kids (sons of dad's business partners) that came over and taught me all the classic tricks. So whenever I played, I'd just get the warp flutes, get to world 8, and not being skilled enough to get through but a couple stages. Now, I'm going through every world, getting my hands on all those suits I never got to try. And I'm playing the Allstars version, so it's really cool to experience it with Super Mario World tier graphics.

[@Gatorade69]

I wish the shoe/boot was used more in the game. I also wish more Mario games included the hammer suit.

[@Jolis_Parsec]

Super Mario Maker and its sequel gave us the Goomba’s Shoe along with two other variants, so I’m happy that Nintendo didn’t forget about it at least.

[@Gatorade69]

@@Jolis_Parsec Too bad Mario Maker didn't include the hammer suit. It was my favorite suit and the coolest looking one. Always loved it as a kid (still do).

[@SomeoneWhoIsBasnasAlsoTeetot]

@@Gatorade69hopefully we get a hammer suit if super mario maker 3 exists.

[@MERCEDESX111]

Hammer suit and frog suit suck

[@SomeoneWhoIsBasnasAlsoTeetot]

@@MERCEDESX111 proof? hammer suit is one of the best powerups in mario games.

[@devonm042690]

And of course, when Mario achieves ULTIMATE POWER (the free roam thing), he t-poses to display his newfound dominance over the natural world.

[@kbramlett6877]

I've known about the DEBUG mode for the NES version of SMB # for many years, but I was totally unaware that the SNES All-Stars had a DEBUG feature as well. Thanks for the info.

[@HUYI1]

i didn't know SMB 3 had a debug at all tbh

[@thedutchgoonie2989]

wow 😱 i was 13 when mario 3 came out and bought it a few days after its release. after all those years still to learn something new is amazing! thanks for the tip, i'm going to test this right away 🎉

[@mounstursz]

But It's not new, surely you heard of the game genie way back when?

[@sporticalimove8294]

plz tell me was it amazing?

[@neojakemcc]

All these years after the game came out and we are still finding stuff like this! Wow. At times like this, I wish KZbin still have a FAVORITES feature.

[@dxmedia868]

It does, you can actually save the video to watch later.

[@MotherKojiro]

I've messed around with the NES version the most, since that's the only one I even knew about, but I love the All-Stars version because switching power-ups doesn't change the character palette, so you have blue tanuki and the blue and red hammer brother suit.

[@hyper9984]

Oh the nostalgia! I remember messing around with those debug modes back then. I remember that my first knock off NES console had SMB3 with the debug mode already activated from the start, and it was pretty broken having all the power-ups at hand

[@m8rs558]

I would mess around with the NES one tons as a kid lol. It's worth mentioning though that with debug mode on during the tank levels the game would start sputtering and glitching out and then freeze on me. Never could get through it without turning the code off

[@JosiahGould]

My kids have a Famicom version of SMB3 that someone wrote the Game Genie cheat on with marker on the back. They love that game and I couldn't imagine having the debug menu when I was a kid. What a treat.

[@vozercozer]

i love that you call it "triple k" so as not to trip up youtube LOL

[@chichaaron_77]

Timestamp

[@alexmdm1101]

@@chichaaron_77 the beginning of the video when he puts in the game genie code..?

[@repyukJC]

I like all these different ones you showed us, didn't realize how much effort there was on their end in some of these. Love you gruz thanks for the upload

[@nthgth]

I had no idea about these! Always loved messing around in debug mode in Sonic 2 and 3&K, so the SNES one is my favorite. With the ability to free roam. In Sonic, I usually pick the first Zone anyway and just play through the game with all kinds of wacky stuff happening.

[@orangejjay]

Your videos and your super happy narration bring joy to my life, gruz. Any time I'm feeling a little "weirs" I know I can play any of your videos and feel joy. Thanks for that. Hope you're doing well too! ❤

[@deebznutz100]

In the SNES version of Mario 3 I was able to access the debug mode by either thumping the cart or crooked loading the cart. It was very inconsistent and wouldn't work with every version of All-stars. When World was included I believe the code was fixed.

[@RickTheGeek]

Now I’m curious as to what the debug does on the other all-stars games. Are the codes listed for the version with super Mario world or the one without?

[@adamn.4615]

I used to have an SNES and All-Stars without SMW. I found the Game Genie code for this at one point. The other games also let you cycle power-ups and move around on the screen. This was the only way I ever beat Lost Levels.

[@thesilentjay86]

I did this on the snes version that would randomly enable the debug mode on console power up, but there's an interesting "glitch" in the mode where if you change power ups while in statue form, you retain the invincibility.

[@sharmat1611]

Gruz, you are comfort food for my ears.

[@frugalmcgee]

Cool Video, I've played this game for years and never realized this mode was just existing in the background!

[@CreativeSteve69]

This was really neat to watch and learn about one of my fave Mario bros game Gruz.

[@jevonknights3507]

My favorite game of all time. Released so long ago it's interesting you still have content to post, nice

[@gunsrtheanswer]

The original Sonic on Sega Genesis had a similar secret debug code. No game genie needed. You could turn sonic into anything from the game and add it to the screen or fly through the level. It was great.

[@Snivy_Films]

This reminds me of the Super Mario All Stars + Super Mario World, SMW + SMB3 glitch to access any stage with noclip. Its crazy to see SMW manipulating SMB3's code to then mess with other games to get a speedrun. Im decently sure Isofrieze (The same person behind Retro Video Game Mechanics Explained) and SethBling has done it before. You should look it up sometime

[@DoomIIMaster]

Thanks for reminding me about RVGME

[@JakeRazorClawson]

Great seeing a vid dedicated to smb3 debug mode. Love the power-up select, and free roaming feature in revised version is very entertaining. Extra nice seeing this channel get near 100K subscribers, best wishes to you Gruz 👍▶️

[@deoxysandmew2162]

The powerup code sounds fun. Always hammer mario from start to finish. On one cold boring free evening, i certainly pop this fooker in. 😁👍

[@jeremysart]

Or we could be masochists and use frog Mario start to finish 😂 your plan sounds much nicer though

[@OriginalEW]

​@@jeremysartThere's a part at the end of the World 8 fortress where you would need to crouch (or be small Mario) on a conveyor belt to get under a low hanging ceiling just before getting to Boom Boom. When I would try playing on the NES using the Game Genie code for "Start and stay as Frog Mario", you would actually get stuck in that section since Frog Mario can't crouch. And since you can't get past that fortress, you essentially are unable to finish the game staying as Frog Mario.

[@antshield]

Once again, I thought I knew it all and am still learning. Kudos.

[@DaveyL2013]

What about the debug "power-up" state that causes you to always act as if you're underwater (probably used in development as a pseudo-freefly mode)?

[@Flipbug_The_Whimsical]

You're so enthusiastic. I love it!!! Cool video 😊

[@Team_Little_Mates]

Oh this works! I used it on my Super Mario Party pirate cart for NES that has the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 3 and this is so much fun to play. Thanks so much! 😂

[@TriforceofShadows]

I continue to find new things in my first game after all these years, thanks for that! SMAS

[@ringo8410]

I actually hadn't discovered the infinite time aspect of the NES version. That's pretty cool!

[@Daniel-be6cj]

The reference to a challenge mode in SMA4 is really interesting, I wonder if it was going to be something like, the SMB Deluxe challenge mode with the red coins.

[@csolisr]

1:33 Hold up so THAT is how that TAS manages to jump straight to the ending! The runner somehow managed to activate the debug mode with only keypresses and then triggered the ending from there, I think

[@Claudible]

I see why one might think that, but it's not correct. The TAS jumps to the ending directly by executing a single JMP instruction. It doesn't need or use debug mode to pull that off.

[@csolisr]

@@Claudible I was frankly unsure if it was indeed the case but it makes sense. If you can get ACE, why bother with getting the debug mode on if you can jump directly to the ending?

[@CrplCon]

Very nice, professional presentation! Great work!

[@lucasmatos6201]

6:10 In my childhood, I got an fake portable Nes with a SMB3 Debug Menu enabled rom, and I usually turned onto this statue, so during this, I could press "select" to change my power-up, Mario would still be gray like a "stone mode" and he would become invincible and do an one hit kill because of that, to turn it of, it was simple, just navigate through power-ups until he came back to normal, because he can't enter pipes in this "stone mode", this made easy to explore all levels

[@superchief64]

Great video! I had no idea... and I've been a SMB3 enthusiast for my whole life :D

[@DoomRater]

I love how Mario t-poses to assert dominance in the fly mode on SNES

[@TacoFlavoredKisses]

Keep posting the vids dude, your content is awesome man!

[@Kakeen]

While I absolutely love Mario all stars I wish they would've added the ability to change graphics and sound, i.e. Mario 3 with updated graphics but old sound effects or vise versa. Once I found out about game genie I couldn't play and Mario game without it, makes the Mario series souch better.

[@MichaelDyrocc]

4:06 Censor Bar Mario 4:12 This looked like the high heel from Super Mario Maker 2 at first.

[@PandaXs1]

4:06 whoa, it's the ultra rare birthday suit powerup

[@blackenedheart9592]

This is completely off topic, but i just noticed your graphic for your channel reminds me of the 90s Metal Blade Records logo 🤘🤘 i guess the way you have the NES controller positioned over GRUZ just reminds me of how their old school logo was a giant blade right over top of their name. 🤘🤘🤘 Nice! Metal Blade are awesome!

[@BusyMEOW]

I like the NES debug mode, I had a game genie and the book with mostly working codes but the Hammer suit code never worked.. Maybe because I had a PAL version of Mario 3?

[@nosimpleway1806]

I like that Mario T-poses to assert dominance whenever he's in free-roam mode

[@Vek_Zythe]

Debug mode is possibly the most fun way to play a game. Look at Sonic Mania. And on Sonic Origins, with the right codes, i can play all the best Sonic games with Debug mode. Except Sonic CD, that one doesn't have a Debug mode. I would love to play other games with a Debug mode. 2D and 3D. The classic Megaman games, the Megaman X games, Megaman Legends, Resident Evil 4, Kingdom Hearts, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro The Dragon. I understand that this kind of mode is a result of what the programmers put in 2D side-scrollers and not all games are programed the same way. But they could replicate these games with newer technology and add a Debug mode so you can activate final forms or ultimate weapons or scroll through difficult parts of stages with ease. The NES, Super Nintendo, N64, Gameboy, and GB Advanced channels on the Switch have a rewind feature. As well as the Genesis and Classic Megaman collection. So why can't we get a collection of older 2D and 3D games on current consoles with a Debug mode?

[@ChrisBradel]

I've never heard debug annunciated differently, but after this video I've heard it a thousand times. ... Neat video, regardless.

[@soundspark]

Even though All-Stars doesn't have the level select cheat, you can still quickly gather your 2 warp whistles and go to whichever world you want in minutes.

[@KaguyaH]

Said it before, but I love your content - it's very comfy.

[@rinzo2009]

Am curious. I have a NES Emulator on my phone. I also have the Super Mario All-Stars installed on my cracked PS3 console. For either device, how do I trigger this debug mode?

[@rootbrian4815]

I never even knew about this! XD I have the game, a game genie and three NES consoles (one monochrome, not PAL), however they aren't neutered.

[@Skarmillion]

You have a funny way of saying Debug... never heard anyone say it like that 😂

[@paxhumana2015]

@killgruz, hmm... you know, I think that, if the SMAS/SMC version of SMB3 has not only access to the NES/FDS versions of the codes, data, cheats, and debug codes for those versions of the games, but also has its own, and, in the case of the SNES versions of the game, presumably the NTSB-U, PAL, ASEAN, and any other regional variants of the game, but that it could also stand to reason that the same things could also hold true for SMA4: SMB3 as well, provided that the GBA emulators, and/or the actual GBA hardware and software, all also work the same way as the SNES/NSFC versions of the game, if not at least similar to them, and then there are the matters of the Wii ports of SMAS/SMC, both as a physical disc, and as a Wii Virtual Console uploadable game, and the Wii U, 3DS/2DS, and Switch ports of that game, as well as the NES/FDS ports of the same game on those systems, the GBA ports of the same game on those systems, the million copy reissues of SMAS/SMC for the SNES/NSFC, and the NTSB-U exclusive SMAS&SMW port of that game to also consider as well. Alternatively, given that even the GBA code is at least two decades old at this point, that the SNES/NSFC port of the game is also that old, and the NES/FDS versions of the game are thirty-five years old, it would be highly likely that the codes to these games are not entirely broken, let alone discovered, yet, which could provide people with even more tools to reveal the programming secrets to these different versions of the game. I may not know a thing about programming, hacking, debugging, or even making video games, but I do know that there are similarities to the codes on the basic level of each version of this game, and that these similarities may bear either similar shared programmed patterns, or they may also have their own unique patterns in their coding. However, I am just merely a layperson that knows literally next to nothing on such matters myself.

[@ZMAN_420]

Very cool Retro Content! Thank You for the upload! I won this game from a Nabisco scratch off game shortly after the game came out. I've never won anything as cool beforre or after. Mail in real easy no internet, I received Super Mario Bros 3 🇺🇲 about 5 days later.👍🏻🇺🇲

[@sonicsnobody]

0:13 sonics 1 to 3 are notorious for their debug mode codes

[@RodrigoMacielCosta]

"Advance frame by frame, probably to check if the sprites are working as they should" and still, some sprites like those plants with the mouth pointing upwards sometimes the left and right sides animate at different speeds. They didn't mess with it enough. lol

[@412VHS]

Love me a new @Gruz video!

[@cll1out]

No doubt these are definitely real debug modes that were poorly gutted before release. No way a game genie code or three could add ALL that to the game. I kinda wonder if the implementation of these modes were an after thought mid development. I’m sure modern build processes could better control inclusion/exclusion of this code even for assembly languages and tight space constraints for S/NES games back in the day.

[@blastradius7193]

This is the first time you've told me something I didn't know!

[@JoebDragon]

well to be fair needing an game genie code to get to debug is more or less removing from the game more on the side of disabled

[@skyemegakitty]

the pause in typing at 00:42 made me monkaS

[@iCuMlOuD]

I'm telling you right now. You can access this WITHOUT a Game Genie. When I was a kid, me and brother went to go play the SNES All-Stars version of this game. We were messing around with button combos, and we somehow found this mode. We had no idea what it was or how we got to it, but we enjoyed randomly giving ourselves star power and random power-ups. We had NO IDEA what we were doing. We never were able to replicate that. I've looked online for a long time about this kind of "cheat code", but I never stopped to think it was a debug mode. There must be a way to access it without extra hardware as I was able to in the past.

[@tappyturtle]

Due to the nature of how the mode activates, there’s a chance it’ll happen at random

[@POGRetroModernGaming]

Excelente contenido ❤Super Mario 😊😊

[@bobmav5729]

Great vid

[@bluetheta]

The e-cards option was left in so Nintendo could unlock the card levels in the online versions (Wii U/Switch).

[@HUYI1]

this is so cool! how can i not know this when sonic 2 debug is just as dope? 😎😎

[@latran1578]

That was very interesting

[@craigsparton]

Feels so weird to hear it called "Goomba's shoe". While that's technically correct, people usually call it "Kuribo's shoe".

[@TampaTec]

🤔 Wonder if there's a debug mode for the Matrix.

[@RetroAdam]

Here's to 100,000 subscribers bro!

[@TaboraMusic]

Does anyone know if debug mode can be activated on the Miyoo Mini + running onion? And how to do it?

[@peashooterman3]

woah you're still going thats nuts

[@nn-zp4ig]

KILLGRUUUUUZ

[@NotHeresrsly]

Can't wait to get all the different costume endings on NES - I would like the All Star versions of all the NES games if they simply kept the sound effects and music of the originals (or at least had them as an option) The Super Mario World 'jump' sound effect is so...nothing, compared to the extremely memorable NES one

[@PedroSilvahf]

I dont understand this. One day i was playing the mario all stars version and out of nowhere we got the think of changing the item anytime, we kept playing until no one was standing so we would not lose the glitch that we activated somehow. This was somewhere in the 90s and when i got internet i would remember about this and search for anything but i only got two results of this happening to someone on written articles, nothing on youtube. As time went by i got some video here and there but this is probably the the 9th overall and the first with explanation. Thanks for confirming im not crazy.

[@TheHumourGuy]

That slight pause when they typed "kkk" lol

[@gunsrtheanswer]

LOL, I noticed too.

[@glarryg2318]

Free-Roaming Mario has been T-posing since the '90s.

[@lawndogmoon2]

Good voice for voiceovers.

[@DJToneRI]

Ok, but did my mind just get blown by an *ANCHOR* in your inventory at 2:30

[@shadowman7408]

yeah and how come nobody mentions it?

[@InsaneFirebat]

I'd watch more of this.

[@DarkSlayer790]

Hey man im just curious; will you ever try on speedruning

[@Ness_and_Sonic]

I was wondering if this would tell me why I was able to switch power ups without a game genie in All Stars+World's version of Super Mario Bros. 3 by pressing select without any kind of cheating device, but I guess that might not be what this was.

[@deebznutz100]

Crooked loading the cart can cause this to happen. Only on versions without Mario World. Be warned It's tough and you risk losing your saves.

[@Ness_and_Sonic]

@@deebznutz100 My version did have Mario World, so I don't know. The sprites did have the proper palettes, too. As for crooked loading, I don't think that's it. I think I make sure it's firmly in place.

[@Crafty_Jumper]

fun fact: someone made a hack of smb3 for the nes, called Super Mario Bros. 3+, and once you beat the game, you get debug mode

[@thepeternetwork]

What about Super Mario All-Stars for Nintendo Wii & Nintendo Switch Online? For that matter, what about Super Mario 3 on Nintendo Switch Online? Are there any debug modes in those ports?

[@FrankyChords]

cool video

[@LilyBrew15]

GBA: Handheld SNES

[@csolisr]

0:49 No relation to the Klan right? ...Right?

[@bryangarcia5599]

Koopa Kickin' Klan

[@CrazyHomelessWeirdo]

Was there ever a way you figured out To access the e card stages on super mario brothers 3 without an e card reader? I always wanted to play them

[@Ness_and_Sonic]

I think the Wii U version had that.

[@CrazyHomelessWeirdo]

@Ness_and_Sonic well from what I been researching your right but do you know where to get the rom so I can try them

[@Ness_and_Sonic]

@@CrazyHomelessWeirdo Nope. I don't.

[@Marusame]

has anyone tried the debug mode on GBA mario 3 with the ereader inserted? maybe it needs that to not crash?

[@NoahtheEpicGuy]

It's almost like a certain hedgehog had beaten Nintendo at having this whole "no-bug" thing.

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

*FROM 1-1 TO 8-3, THE MUSHROOM KINGDOM SHALL BE FREE!!!*

[@hugubugu9100]

0:49 bro did not wan't to say it 💀

[@LNC4P]

Out of all the Mario games, SMB3 is my least favorite. It was just too hard for me as a kid when it first came out. That along with so many new features and items made it overwhelming for me at the time. Now that I'm older and have played all the smb games, I go back to it and it is just awkward to play since the power ups are unfamiliar as they are obsolete by today's standards.

[@natejoe9924]

Somebody had to have catch this if the developer mode was left in all of the Mario 3 games I think it was meant to be left there for people to use

[@michealechols9974]

How do i do it with my switch

[@_polpon]

SMB 3 also has a free roam mode on NES but it isn't enabled by the debug code, you have to enable it using a different code. OVKGVPXY UKKGNOXI GXVGPLAA NNVGZLAA ANVGLLPA LOVGGLZE ASVGILPA LEVGTLZA This activates the hidden free roaming mode when not pressing 'B'. The original way to access this mode is long gone, the only custom code is the button handling to enable the roaming mode, the rest is the game's own code.

[@xtlm]

"Triple K" Slick lol